Somali Youth Development Fund: Greater Minnesota Capacity Building 2017

Transcription

1 Greater Minnesota Capacity Building 2017 Capacity Building 2017 The Somali Youth Development Fund seeks to support strength-based, holistic youth development approaches that value the whole child in the context of their family, community, and broader society. has received funding from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to reduce disparities and address challenges facing Somali youth. To the maximum extent possible, 50 percent of this funding will be distributed in greater Minnesota and 50 percent in the seven county Twin Cities metropolitan area. Applicants must be 501(c)3 registered, Somali-led community-based organizations serving youth in a community located in Greater Minnesota. We plan to award one-year grants to implement projects beginning July 1, Small to mid-sized organizations with budgets less than $2 million are eligible to apply. Your organization will need to demonstrate a history of serving Somali youth ages The grant amount will not exceed $25,000 or 30 percent of an organization s most recently completed annual budget. Funding can be used for dedicated staff, consultant fees, and related costs to implement the following types of projects serving youth in a community located in Greater Minnesota: 1. Organizational development efforts to help your staff and board operate more effectively. 2. Program development activities for youth ages should be aligned with an organization s mission, must authentically engage youth, and model youth-adult partnership. An asset-based approach is preferred when offering prevention and intervention activities. Proposals will be accepted online only until April 1, 2017 at midnight. Any proposal received after this date will not be accepted. All proposals must be approved by an official agent or representative of the organization submitting the proposal. Selection Process: We acknowledge that there are multiple organizations that have a history of serving the Somali community. Selected applicants are those most closely aligned with grant criteria. Each application will be reviewed based on its own merits. Past funding from is no guarantee of future support

2 We use a community-led peer process to review completed applications. The board will make all final funding decisions based on recommendations from a panel consisting of community members. The board reserves the right to change the amount awarded to any selected project. Upon notification, project implementation will begin immediately. All project funds must be expended by June 30, will notify final funding decisions no later than July 1, tifications to organizations who were not selected will be made by July 1, Proposal Evaluation Criteria will only consider projects that provide culturally and linguistically relevant services to Somali youth. Review criteria include: 1. Organization's mission, and relationship to and experience working with youth from the Somali community; 2. Organization's capacity to provide positive youth development programs that offer high quality experiences for youth ages 14-24; 3. Organization's staff ability to recruit youth and assess, evaluate, and sustain its programs; and 4. Organization's operating budget and reasonableness of project budget. Culturally and Linguistically Relevant Services Definition: Funded projects must provide culturally and linguistically relevant programs or services for Somali youth and organizations. We define culturally and linguistically relevant as services that are understandable and provided in a manner that are compatible with cultural beliefs and practices and preferred language; delivered by an organization with a diverse staff and leadership that is representative of the demographic characteristics of the service area; and delivered by staff who undergo ongoing education and training in culturally and linguistically appropriate service delivery. Project Description Project Name* Character Limit: 100 Amount Requested* Character Limit: 20 Project Summary* Provide a one-sentence description of your organization. In addition, include a second sentence describing the primary activities of your proposal. Character Limit:

3 Project Narrative* Describe your project and how it relates to your organization's mission. Describe your organization's experience working with youth from the Somali community. Describe how funding will be used to plan and provide activities that reflect a positive youth development focus. Describe how your organization plans to sustain the project beyond the grant period. Character Limit: 5000 Project Goal and Objectives:* State project goal and objectives. Provide 3-5 clear and measurable objectives. Character Limit: 5000 Activities and Services* Describe primary activities and structure of programs. Describe frequency and duration of activities, location of events. Character Limit: 5000 Evaluation* State how you plan to measure the expected outcomes or the impact of the project to the corresponding objectives. Describe mechanisms for feedback, how you collect data, evaluate programs, and disseminate results. Character Limit: 3000 Geographic Focus* This application is limited to organizations serving youth in a community located in Greater Minnesota. Applications serving the Twin Cities Metropolitan area is a separate application process. Please provide the name of the community served. Character Limit: 250 Project Start Date* Character Limit: 10 Project End Date* Character Limit: 10 Formal Mechanisms to Engage Youth Outreach, Access & Orientation* Describe formal mechanisms for outreach, recruitment, and retention of participants. Describe potential opportunities and/or challenges when recruiting participants. Describe how you

4 determine who is eligible for the program. Describe your approach to program orientation of participants and how it has contributed to their successful participation in past programs. Character Limit: 3000 Program Quality* Describe your organization's approach to assess program quality. Describe how activities are age appropriate and involve youth to select or inform the design of activities. Provide an example, anecdote, or story that illustrates the quality of your program. Character Limit: 3000 Does your organization have a quality improvement plan? Does your organization currently use the Youth Program Quality Assessment (YPQA) tool? Please check which of these formal mechanisms your organization uses to engage youth: Governing board participation Advisory committees Youth councils Remember to save your work using the Save As Draft button at the bottom of the page

5 Organizational Background Information History, Mission, and Primary Youth Programs* Describe your organization s history, mission, and primary youth programs. Describe roles and responsibilities of staff in the project. Character Limit: 3000 Year Founded* Character Limit: 4 Client Records Retention* Does your organization have a system that ensures all client records are retained, secured, and stored so they are accessible for audit prurposes? Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement is interested in organizations that have a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The following questions will ask you to describe how the racial and ethnic composition of your organization s staff and board is reflective of program participants. Goal* Has the organization identified a goal that the board is or will be tracking and monitoring related to how the nonprofit leadership reflects and includes the population it serves? Example of Goal If yes, please provide an example of the goal identified by the organization and how it will be measured. Character Limit: 3000 Outcomes Please describe three (3) steps and their related outcomes that your organization will undertake to ensure racial equity and inclusion over the grant period. Character Limit: 1500 Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance* Your organization's policies and practices comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act

6 Anti-Terrorism Compliance* Your organization agrees that it will not promote, support, or engage in terrorism of any kind, nor will it make sub-grants to any entity or individual that engages in these activities. Tax Exempt Status* Funding is limited to community-based organizations registered with the IRS. Please indicate your status below. We define a community-based organization as a public or private nonprofit organization of demonstrated effectiveness that is representative of a community or significant segments of a community and provides educational or related services to individuals in the community. Date applicant received 501 (c) status* Character Limit: 10 Background Checks We are requiring all organizations to have a policy and set of procedures for obtaining background checks for all individuals within an organization supported by, paid or volunteer, that have access to youth in-activities. Acknowledgement* Will any individuals within your organization supported by in the proposed project engage youth ages 18 or younger? Background Check Proceedures* Have background checks been conducted on all individuals in your organization that are paid or volunteer who are supported with funding?

7 Evidence* Before a grant can be paid, we must receive a board-approved policy outlining procedures for background checks. If you answered no, it will be necessary to have background checks completed. Possible vendors include: Orange Tree Employment Screening, Hireright, and Talentwise. If you answered yes, please attach your policy and a list of procedures. File Size Limit: 3 MB Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System DUNS* Applications must include a DUNS number. You can obtain a DUNS number at no cost by calling the DUNS number request line at (866) or by applying online at The website indicates a 48-hour turnaround time on requests for DUNS numbers (however, it may require up to two weeks). Character Limit: 25 The following section requests information on the racial and ethnic composition of board, staff, and program participants about the applicant. Board Composition Race/Equity* Total Number of Board Members (Enter Whole Number) B: American Indian/Alaska Native* B: Asian/Asian American* B: Black/African/African American* B: Hispanic or Latino* B: Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander* B: White or Caucasian*

8 Board Composition Gender: Enter Whole Numbers B: Female* Character Limit: 3 B: Male* Character Limit: 3 B: Transgender* Character Limit: 3 Remember to save your work using the Save As Draft button at the bottom of the page. Staff Composition Racial/Ethnic Total Number of FTE Staff Total Number of Dedicated Staff for Program Activities Character Limit: 3 Staff Composition Race/Ethnicity: (Enter Whole Number) S: American Indian/Alaska Native* S: Asian/Asian American* S: Black/African/African American* S: Hispanic or Latino* S: Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander* S: White or Caucasian* Staff Composition Gender:

9 S: Female* S: Male* S: Transgender* Participant Composition Racial/Ethnic Total Annual Number of Participants Served. (Enter Whole Number)* P: American Indian/Alaska Native* P: Asian/Asian American* P: Black/African/African American* P: Hispanic or Latino* P: Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander* P: White or Caucasian* Participant Ages: Ages 14-15* Ages 16-17* Age 18* Ages 19-21*

10 Ages 22-24* Participant Composition Gender of Participants Served: P: Female* P: Male* P: Transgender* Education Level of Participants Served: 8th Grade and Under* 9th Grade-12th Grade* High School Graduate or equivalent* Post-Secondary Education* Other Demographics: Limited English Proficiency* Youth from Families Receiving Public Assistance* Foster Youth* Youth with a Disability*

11 Disconnected from School* Homeless or Runaway Remember to save your work using the Save As Draft button at the bottom of the page. Financial Capacity Financial Systems Is your organization affiliated or managed by any other organization? If yes, provide details. Character Limit: 250 Does your organization receive management or financial assistance from any other organization? If yes, provide details: Character Limit: 250 Business Procedures Does the applicant have written policies and procedures for accounting? t Sure Does the applicant have written policies and procedures for purchasing? t Sure Does the applicant have written policies and procedures for payroll?

12 t Sure Has a federal or state agency issued an opinion regarding the adequacy of the organization's accounting system for the collection, identification, and allocation of resources? t Sure Accounting System Which of the following best describes the accounting system? Manual Automated Combination Does the accounting system identify the deposits and expenditures of program funds for each and every grant separately? t Sure Fund Control Is a separate bank account maintained for grant funds? t Sure If grant funds are mixed with other funds, can the grant expenses by easily identified? t Sure t Applicable Attachments Project Budget Amount* Character Limit:

13 Project Budget Narrative* Complete the budget form template. While does not require matching funds, applicants are encouraged to use leveraged resources. reserves the right to prioritize resources to proposals that address racial equity and geographical location, and to increase or decrease the amount of the funding requested. Each proposal may request up to 30% of most recently completed fiscal year. Please include a list below of any additional public, private funders, or resources. Character Limit: 2000 Project Budget* Please include your project budget for this application by using the budget template provided. Access budget form HERE. File Size Limit: 6 MB Operating Budget for Most Recently Completed Fiscal Year* Character Limit: 20 Financial Statements* Please attach the following type of financial statement: Organization's annual revenue is up to $50,000: attach the most recent board approved financial statements; Organization's annual revenue is between $50,000 and $750,000: attach the most recent IRS Form 990; or Organization's annual revenues is $750,000: attach the most recent financial audit. File Size Limit: 3 MB W-9* File Size Limit: 3 MB Board List and their Affiliations* File Size Limit: 1 MB Authorization Please type the name and title of the person who has certified that the application to is complete to the best of their knowledge. Typing the name and title here is an electronic signature

14 Authorizing Signature* Character Limit: 100 Title* Character Limit: 150 Date* Character Limit: 10 Remember to save your work using the Save As Draft button at the bottom of the page