KIDSTUFF Planning Grant Application

Blueprint For Zero to Five (School Readiness) LOCAL MINI-GRANT APPLICATION

The Alabama Department of Public Health Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) initiative is pleased to announce the availability of mini-grants for local communities to use for Blueprint planning and implementation. Early Care and Education (ECE) Committees of Children’s Policy Councils are invited to apply. It is anticipated that four to six mini-grants will be awarded.

Funding for the mini-grants is provided through the US Department of Health and Human Services through the ECCS grant in Alabama. Through this process, a comprehensive structure for addressing the needs of young children and tracking indicators related to healthy development and school readiness has been developed (attached). The mini-grants are offered to encourage local communities to adopt the structure so that we begin to build statewide consistency on indicators, research-based interventions, and improved child outcomes. We are also coordinating with the state’s Early Childhood Advisory Council which has adopted the structure of the Blueprint.

Mini-grant recipients will receive:  Resources and technical assistance related to the Blueprint components and other related resources for early care and education  A small cash grant (up to $3,000) to support local planning and implementation  Connection and communication with other communities, and  Opportunities to provide input into ongoing state planning for a comprehensive and effective birth to five system

Some examples of needs local communities have identified include:  Resource mapping of birth to five interventions/programs/services  Identification of data sources/indicators about children’s healthy development  Strategic planning and “visioning” for the early care and education committee and development of a written plan based on community priorities and consensus  Public education and awareness events or materials to increase understanding and leverage resources to implement effective strategies for young children  Funding for specific communications, resource, and outreach materials: publishing, duplicating, printing, marketing, media  Funding to support specific Blueprint components and related strategies (Examples: School Transition Teams, child assessment strategies and materials, kindergarten assessments, evidence-based parenting and family support activities, quality enhancement for early childhood programs, anti-obesity efforts)

Please complete the attached Blueprint Local Mini-Grant Application and return to the Alabama Partnership for Children by February 10, 2012. Contact Alycia Jeong at [email protected] (1-866-711-4025) with any

1 questions. Grants will be peer reviewed and awarded by March 2. Blueprint Local Mini-Grant Application

Please provide complete and legible responses. All applications must be received by the Alabama Partnership for Children by 5:00 p.m. February 10, 2012.

Please mail applications to: Alabama Partnership for Children Attention: Blueprint Mini-Grants 2529 Bell Road Montgomery, AL 36117

Applications may be FAXED to: (334) 271-0315 or you may

Submit via email to: [email protected] with subject line Blueprint Mini-Grant

An acknowledgement of receipt will be sent immediately. I. General Information Name of person completing application:

______Agency:______

Phone:______Email address:______

Please check answer(s) that best applies:

Are you a: ______Volunteer

______Paid employee of the Children’s Policy Council

______Member of the Early Care and Education committee

County______Chair of Council______

Chair of the ECE Committee______

Name and address of the agency that will be the fiscal agent to receive the grant (if different from above): If a nonprofit, must have 501(c) 3 status.

2 Agency Name:

Address:

II. ECE Committee Information

A. Below is a list of suggested ECE committee members. Please check all members that serve on your committee and whether or not they regularly attend meetings. A blank is available for you to add any member that is not represented in the list.

Member Regularly Attend Meetings (please indicate by circling yes or no) County Commissioner YES NO DHR Representative YES NO Public Health Representative YES NO Mental Health Representative YES NO School Superintendent or Representative YES NO Community College Representative YES NO Elementary School Teacher or Principal YES NO Cooperative Extension Agency Representative YES NO Local Public Library Representative YES NO Local Chamber of Commerce Representative YES NO Business Representative YES NO Head Start Representative YES NO Family Resource Center Representative YES NO Child Management Agency Representative YES NO Center Based Child Care Provider YES NO Family Home Child Care Provider YES NO Municipal Government Representative YES NO Early Intervention Representative YES NO Parents and/or Grandparents YES NO Representative from the Faith Community YES NO 3 Representative from a Hospital YES NO Representative from the United Way YES NO Representative from a Pediatrician’s Office YES NO Representative from Housing Authority YES NO Representative from a Local Foundation YES NO Other: ______YES NO B. What are the current priority issues/programs of your ECE committee?

1)______

2)______

3)______

C. Briefly describe the most recent effective strategy/action or project undertaken by the ECE Committee. What was the goal, how was it achieved, who was involved?

1) Goal:

2) Action:

3) Partners:

D. Please describe a specific funding need of the ECE committee that relates to the Blueprint for Zero to Five for which you are requesting funding.

Blueprint Indicator/Goal of the Activity:

Describe the Activity:

Major Partners:

4 Time Frame:

Results Expected:

Measure of Success:

Total Estimated Cost: Mini-grant Request: