Multi-Year Grant Information

Introduction

The Idaho Legislature established the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund in 1985 to support efforts designed to prevent child abuse and neglect within the state. The Children's Trust Fund (ICTF) holds the vision that all Idaho children are valued and develop in a safe and nurturing environment. A unique public-private organization, the ICTF is dedicated to the prevention of child abuse and neglect through funding, educating, supporting and building awareness among community based organizations who share our mission. The ICTF believes that:

• Idaho’s children are the state’s greatest asset. Keeping them safe from abuse and neglect is our mission. Too often children suffer abuse and neglect with wide and far-reaching consequences that afflict for a lifetime
• Preventing abuse and neglect is critical to protecting Idaho’s children. Prevention efforts begin with shifting the focus from targeting family risks and deficits to building family strengths and resiliency.
• Nationally, 84% of abused children are abused by a parent. Research shows that the best way to prevent child abuse is to educate, inform, support and work with parents to help them build strong, healthy families. Therefore the majority of the funding dollars distributed by the ICTF are allocated to providers who embed effective prevention strategies into their parenting and early care and education programs to strengthen and support parents and families.
• Adults are responsible for protecting children from abuse and neglect, therefore child abuse prevention projects that target teaching children how to protect themselves from abusive adults is not be a funding priority for the ICTF.

Multi-Year Grant Program: Cycle 3

• The ICTF will award Multi-Year (Cycle Three) Grants beginning October 1, 2010 and running through September 30, 2013 to community-based programs focused on the prevention of child abuse and neglect.
• Grantee programs should be carefully designed with strategies for preventing or reducing the occurrence of child abuse or neglect based within the positive protective factors framework and using, whenever possible, evidence-based curriculum and evaluation tools.
• Total maximum funding for each Cycle 3 funded program will be $40,000: $14,000 for Year 1, $13,000 for Year 2, and $13,000 for Year 3 which will be dependent upon documented progress toward targeted outcomes, and successful completion of required reports and a renewal application each year.
• By state statute, the ICTF does not fund direct treatment or therapy programs for abused children.
• The ICTF Multi-Year Grant Program prefers funding child abuse prevention programs that will not necessarily require on-going ICTF financial support.
• The goals for Multi-Year Grants are:

  • To develop, maintain, and sustain services that are effective in preventing child abuse and neglect by strengthening families;
  • To strengthen services that reach out to underserved Idaho populations;
  • To promote awareness of child abuse and neglect prevention throughout Idaho;
  • To become a leader in the field of prevention with a willingness to collaborate with a variety of community resources in order to provide the best services to strengthen all families;
  • To encourage the development and attainment of measurable results;
  • To involve local communities and stakeholders in sustaining child abuse prevention services in their communities after expiration of the grant cycle.

Program Eligibility Requirements

• Programs must be located in Idaho or provide services to residents of Idaho.
• Grants are available to public or private non-profit and faith-based organizations, government agencies, (e.g. schools or health departments) or qualified individuals who provide community based educational or service programs designed to reduce or prevent child abuse and neglect.
• Programs must have an Employer Identification Number (EIN), and an identified fiscal agent.
• Programs must provide certificates of commercial general liability insurance and worker’s compensation insurance with their grant application.
• Programs must have strong organizational capabilities and experience administering grant funded projects.
• Programs must be willing to collect, maintain and report various demographic and programmatic data about their services.
• Program must be willing to partner with participant parents and clients to increase participant involvement and leadership in their organization.
• Programs must show evidence of participant satisfaction with the services provided by their project.
• Programs must demonstrate community cooperation or collaboration.
• Program outcomes and outcome accountability must be identified. A logic model presenting program’s strategies, outcomes and measurement must be included. Evidence of progress toward measurable outcomes will be required.
• Programs must embed protective factors into the strategies they use to strengthen families in order to prevent child abuse and neglect.
• The applicant organization must be willing to work closely with ICTF staff and complete and implement a sustainability plan.
• Organizations may submit only one application for the Multi-Year Grant Program each cycle.

Letter of Intent to Apply

• Applicants must submit a “Letter of Intent” by March 22, 2010 in order to apply for a Multi-Year Grant.
• Please thoroughly read the Multi-Year Grant Information and Application before submitting your letter of intent.
• Please submit a letter (no more than 2 pages) stating your organization’s intention to apply for a Multi-Year Grant.
• Include in the letter:

  • Applicant information including contact information
  • Applicant’s mission statement
  • What service category will you be applying for?
  • Will you be serving an underserved population?
  • Briefly describe your project considering:

    • Is the curriculum or service you will be using or providing evidence- based or evidence-informed?
    • How will your project strengthen families in order to prevent child abuse and neglect?
    • How will ICTF funds be used?

• For additional information and technical assistance please call ICTF Grants Manager Wickes MacColl, 208-386-9317 or email maccollw@dhw.idaho.gov
• Letters of intent must be received in the office of the ICTF by 5:00 p.m. on March 22, 2010.
• Please mail letters to: Idaho Children’s Trust Fund, P.O. Box 2015, Boise, ID 83701
• To hand deliver or FedEx letters, use the street address: Idaho Children’s Trust Fund, Alexander House, 304 W. State Street, Boise, ID 83702
• Faxed or electronic letters will not be accepted.

Project Criteria

• Proposed project services must fall under one of the following service categories and be designed specifically to reduce or prevent child abuse or neglect.

  • Home visiting services for parents / primary caregivers
  • Parent / primary caregiver education and/or support services
  • Crisis nursery and/or planned or crisis respite care services for primary caregivers of children
  • Education, information, or services targeting adults and or communities partners designed to prevent child sexual abuse

• Additional rating points will be given to projects providing services for underserved populations. Underserved populations may face barriers to services such as being more comfortable with a language other than English, having a different cultural background than the majority populations, lack of transportation, lack of education, geographic isolation, low income, mental, physical or developmental impairment, lack of available services and so forth.

  • Hispanic families,
  • Tribal families,
  • Children or a parent with a disability,* and o
  • Rural communities.

  *An individual is considered to have a "disability" if s/he has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. This applies to persons who have impairments that substantially limit major life activities such as seeing, hearing, speaking, walking, breathing, performing manual tasks, learning, caring for oneself, and working.

• Proposed projects should be designed in a way that will help to solve challenges that are specific to the targeted population; e.g., services for Hispanic families should take into consideration the possibility of specific language barriers and cultural issues.
• Proposed projects must be designed using research based or best practice methods. Research must be cited in the grant application.
• Proposed projects must offer strategies to strengthen families in order to reduce the occurrence of child abuse and neglect. (http://www.strengtheningfamilies.net/index.php/about)
• Each proposed project must have well-defined short, intermediate, and long-term outcomes that are measurable.
• Proposed projects should be designed with the possibility of replication in other areas of the state.

Funding Available

• Funding for ICTF grants comes from private donations, income tax check off and from a Federal Community Based Child Abuse Prevention Grant. Funding for grants from the ICTF is subject to availability.
• The ICTF anticipates distributing funding in the amount of $200,000 for Cycle Three (3) of the Multi-Year Grant Program: $70,000 for Year 1, $65,000 for Year 2 and $65,000 for Year 3.
• No Multi-Year Grant will exceed $40,000 in grant Cycle 3 (2010 – 2013).
• Each applicant shall receive written notice of the ICTF Board’s determination to grant or deny the application.
• The ICTF’s grant cycle begins on October 1, 2010 and ends on September 30, 2013.

Geographic Distribution

• Multi-Year Grant applications will compete on a statewide basis. While the ICTF would like to be able to fund Multi-Year Grants in all regions of the state, this is not possible at the present time.
• ICTF assures equal opportunity for community based child abuse and neglect prevention programs in all geographic regions of the state.
• Programs will be asked to identify where services will be provided; within specific counties, cities, tribal areas, or statewide.
• The ICTF’s geographic regions are as follows:

  • North: Boundary, Benewah, Bonner, Kootenai, Shoshone, Latah, Clearwater, Nez Perce, Lewis and Idaho counties.
  • West: Adams, Washington, Payette, Gem, Canyon, Owyhee, Valley, Boise and Elmore counties.
  • Ada: Ada County
  • Central: Blaine, Camas, Gooding, Lincoln, Jerome, Minidoka, Cassia, Custer, Lemhi, Butte, and Twin Falls counties.
  • East: Clark, Jefferson, Fremont, Madison, Teton, Bonneville, Bingham, Power, Bannock, Caribou, Oneida, Franklin and Bear Lake counties.

  

  Timeline

  Monday, February 1	Multi-Year Application and Letter of Intent posted on Idaho Children's Trust Fund website.
  Monday, March 22	Letter of Intent due in the Idaho Children's Trust Fund office.
  Thursday, April 1	Responses to the Letter of Intent will be mailed from the Idaho Children's Trust Fund office.
  Monday, May 3	Multi-Year Applications due in the Idaho Children's Trust Fund office.
  June	Applications reviewed by Multi-Year panel.
  July 26 and 27	ICTF Board Meeting – The Board makes final grant decisions.
  Monday, August 2	Multi-Year Grants awarded to selected programs.
  August	Award Letters and Contracts sent to grantees
  September	Contracts due in ICTF office.
  Friday, October 1	Multi-Year Grant Cycle begins

  Closing Date

• All applications must be received in the office of the ICTF by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 3, 2010.
• Please mail applications to: Idaho Children’s Trust Fund, P.O. Box 2015, Boise, ID 83701
• To hand deliver or FedEx applications, use the street address: Idaho Children’s Trust Fund, Alexander House, 304 W. State Street, Boise, ID 83702
• Faxed or electronic applications will not be accepted.
• Please send an application in electronic form to maccollw@dhw.idaho.gov for e-files.

Application Organization and Format

• The application format requirements are:

  • Type or word process the document
  • Margins must be at least one inch
  • Use Arial, Times New Roman, or other easily readable font
  • Use 12 point font size

• There is no page limit for the grant application, however, be aware that it is to your benefit to keep your application brief and succinct.
• If you want a copy of the application form in a word document, please email: maccollw@dhw.idaho.gov
• Please use paper or binder clips to secure your application; do not staple, bind, rubber band, or use folders of any kind.
• Please do not include additional flyers, brochures, or attachments beyond what is requested in the grant application.
• Include the original (original authorized signature and original commitment letters) and seven (7) complete copies of your grant application.
• Please submit your application with all materials in the following order:

  • Application Form
  • One Page Summary
  • Applicant Information
  • Project Information
  • Budget Forms
  • Budget Narrative
  • Project Logic Model
  • Two Letters of Commitment
  • Certificate of commercial general liability insurance
  •  Certificate of worker’s compensation insurance
  • Completed W-9 Form

Application Selection and Awards Process

• Applications will be reviewed based on their focus on child abuse and neglect prevention; the strength of the applicant’s organizational capabilities and qualifications to implement the proposed project; community need for proposed services; project design, achievable outcomes and related logic model; adequate budget detail; and collaboration with other agencies.
• Multi-Year Grant applications are reviewed by appropriately qualified panel members, and then recommendations for funding are presented to the ICTF Board.
• Applicants may be contacted by staff members during the review period for clarification of items in their application.
• The Board makes the awards based on the panel’s recommendations and the Board’s discretion.
• Staff may provide information to the Board about an applicant’s prior grant history with the ICTF. In addition, the Board will consider project distribution among and within geographic regions when making final funding decisions.
• The Board reserves the right to reject any or all applications and to negotiate the award amount, outcome evaluation process, authorized budget items, and specific programmatic goals prior to entering into a contract.

Contract Requirements for Funded Projects

• Requirements for Multi-Year projects funded by the ICTF may be rather stringent. The applicant should seriously consider their ability to meet the requirements outlined below, and throughout this document before deciding to apply.
• Grantees must agree to evaluate their project using the “Outcome Measurement” model. This includes the development of a Logic Model, measurement tool(s), the collection and maintenance of data and a final written report describing in detail the results of the Outcome Measurement process. (Technical assistance will be provided by the ICTF.)
• Grantees must agree to attend various trainings provided by the ICTF during the time period of the grant, as well as present the results of their project at a workshop during the ICTF’s annual Strengthening Families Training Institute in the final year of Cycle 3.
• Grantees must agree to annual site visits by ICTF staff and Board members.
• Grantees are required to collect uniform participant socio-demographic information, administer participant satisfaction surveys and collect anecdotal stories about the impact of project involvement.
• Grantees are required to develop and implement a sustainability plan.

Reporting and Payments

• Three program and finance reports will be due at the ICTF office each year. 
   

  February 15	Report 1 (reflecting October – January)
  June 15	Report 2 (reflecting February – May)
  October 15	Year End Annual Report (October-September)

    

• A final project report will be due to the ICTF office within 60 days following the end of the contracted period for the grant. (November 30, 2013 for Grant Cycle 3)
• ICTF grant payments are made on a reimbursement basis; either monthly or quarterly, once services or activities have been completed, as required by the fiscal agent of the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund, the State Department of Health & Welfare.
• A funded program may spend less than their yearly allotment and carry over funding to the next year, providing that all funds are spent by the ending date of the contract. A funded program may not spend more than their Year 1 allotment in the first year.
• Reporting requirements and payment procedures will be specified in more detail in the contract between the successful applicants and the ICTF.

Tips for Responding to this Proposal

• We recognize the time and effort required to complete the application. In deciding whether or not to proceed, please make use of the technical assistance provided by the ICTF staff for help in clarifying any questions you may have.
• Please read the entire Multi-Year Grant Program document and grant application before proceeding to write your grant application. If you want a copy of the application form in a word document, please email: maccollw@dhw.idaho.gov
• Clearly show the relationship between the respective components of your application; e.g. exhibit a clear linkage between the community need, the proposed project, and how the proposed outcomes will make progress toward reducing child abuse and neglect.
• In the budget proposal and budget narrative, clearly indicate which project resources you are asking the ICTF to fund.
• Answer all questions in the proper order on the application, or respond with “N/A” if a question does not apply to your program.
• Please answer all questions individually, writing the question, and then your answer.
• Number all pages of your grant application.
• Do not include additional flyers, brochures, resumes or attachments beyond what is requested in the grant application.

Logic Model and Protective Factors

Logic Model definitions and several examples of each are given for your use. Protective Factor explanation follows. (The Logic Model Forms can be found on ICTF website for Multi-Year Grants)

Vision: A participant focused, broad statement of well-being

• Educated and nurturing parents
• Safe, healthy children

Population Served: Description of the participants

• Spanish speaking parents with children birth to six in Idaho, Region 3
• Early Care and Education providers in Idaho, Region 7
• The families lack safe, affordable housing

Population Needs to be Addressed by Services: Needs that this program intends to address

• Parents need to know stages of child development
• Fathers need positive discipline tools
• Parents report being unable to navigate systems such as schools, Head Start, WIC, TANF etc.

Services: What services will you provide?

• Parenting classes offered weekly for six weeks
• Strengthening Families materials and Modules 1-3 training
• Weekly parent-child labs in a developmentally appropriate classroom

Research and/or Assumptions: Logic or research that support your project’s intentions.

• Parenting classes have been shown to increase knowledge of child development and positive discipline strategies (http://www.nurturingparenting.com/research_validation/index.php)
• Evaluations indicate that children who receive this service have significantly higher scores on the Early Childhood Social Skills Inventory than children in a comparison group.
• Strengthening Families research indicates that each of the protective factors is essential, but most important is what they do together to create stability in families. http://www.strengtheningfamilies.net/

Resources – based on the services you identify: What resources do you need to carry out these services?

• Money, space, staff, materials, office support, etc
• Strengthening Families Trainer’s box
• Bus fares or tokens, snacks for the children, diapers and wipes

Program Strategies (include activities, training, and curricula that specifically and intentionally build protective factors in order to strengthen families): What strategies will you use to connect the protective factors to your program?

• Teach parenting skills (Nurturing Parenting)
• Provide Parent/Community Cafes (Tuesday night meetings for 6 weeks)
• Provide Child Care for toddlers and babies during evening parenting classes
• Two-hour, twice-weekly home visits with peer mentor

Your program DOES NOT need a strategy to connect to each protective factor.

Protective Factors: Protective factors are the strengths and resources that families can draw on when life gets difficult. Taking those good characteristics and building on them is a proven way to strengthen the entire family and thus decrease the likelihood of maltreatment. Each of the protective factors is essential, but most important is what they do together to create stability in families.

Outcomes: What one or two changes do you believe will occur in the lives of your program’s participants as a result of your services? Outcome statements are written by determining: WHO will do WHAT in the Short, Intermediate, and Long Term?

Short Term Outcomes (First level of change that can be achieved in a short period of time, 6 months, primarily changes in knowledge, attitudes, beliefs or values):

• Parents identify at least 3 effective alternatives to corporal punishment
• Facilitator plan 3 Stewards of Children, Child Sexual Abuse Awareness and Prevention community trainings
• Early Care providers partner with parents in discussion about child development

Intermediate Outcomes (The link between the short-term outcomes and long-term outcomes; primarily changes in behavior, skills and conditions):

• Parents will use their knowledge of child development to set appropriate boundaries and apply appropriate positive discipline for their children 0 – 36 months.
• Facilitator gives Stewards of Children training to 3 faith based community centers and provides follow-up support over the next 6 months.
• Head Start center schedules Parent Cafes twice monthly for the next three months with the intention of discussing each of the protective factors associated with strong families.

Long Term Outcomes (The overarching, broad statement of the project’s intended goals):

• Parents who apply their knowledge of child development will be more likely to use age appropriate positive discipline for their children resulting in healthier family dynamics and reduced chances of child abuse.
• Communities who are trained in the prevention of Child abuse and neglect take a proactive role to protect children and educate other youth serving organizations about child sexual abuse and prevention.

Indicators: What would I see, hear or read that would tell me the outcome was being achieved?

• Parents clearly express their expectations
• Parents use positive discipline techniques when their rules are broken
• 80% of participants describe appropriate methods of educing inappropriate behaviors

Measurement Tools: What form of measurement will you use to measure your indicators? (A scale, survey, check list, questionnaire, or other measurement tool.)

• Protective Factor Survey
• AAPI (Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory) from Nurturing Parenting
• Attendance rosters and case notes

Technical Assistance

• Technical assistance regarding the grant application will be available by telephone or email through April 30, 2010. To request technical assistance, please call our office at 208-386-9317 or email Wickes MacColl, Grants Manager at maccollw@dhw.idaho.gov.

Thank you! We look forward to reading your application.