1. COLLEGE SPARK WASHINGTON 2012 Community Grants Program Application Webinar 12/22/201110:00 AM 1/4/20122:00 PM

2. Introduction This Webinar is aimed at helping you better understand what information we need from you in response to our application questions. We hope this makes applying easier for you. Please ask questions along the way

3. AGENDA Overview of Requests Application Timeline Application Questions Budgets and Financials Reporting

4. Overview LOI (number of requests, total dollar amount) Applications (Number/total dollar amount) College Spark Mission Community Grants Program Funding Objectives: Building organizational capacity Learning about college readiness and degree completion

5. Application Timeline Webinars 12/22/11 and 1/4/2012 Two hard copies and online version of Application and attachments due to College Spark by January 27, 2012. April 23, 2012 Grant awards announced May – June: Finalize measurable objectives and distribute Grant Agreements

6. Online Application Questions Carries Forward from LOI: Could be used in public communication from College Spark Should make project clear to a reader unfamiliar with your organization or students Brief Project Description Amount requested for Year 1, Year 2, and Total Should match the amount you requested in your LOI Total project cost Funding Request Percentage of students served that are low income College Readiness, Degree Completion, or Both Planning, Capacity-Building, or Research/Evaluation Geographic reach of the program/project Grant Type, Area of Focus, Students and Region

7. Online Application Questions New Information for Application: Founding Date Mission Services Population Served Organization Basics Governance Fiscal Period Operating Budget totals # of full-time staff, part-time staff, volunteers Organization Structure Project Start Date Project End Date Project Timeline

8. Narrative Attachment You will download narrative application questions that match your grant type: Capacity-Building Planning Research/Evaluation Some differences in wording and specifics, but all these narrative sections cover similar themes of information.

9. Narrative Attachment Questions What prompted you to do…? Give a baseline of current student outcomes Explain how the idea for a new strategy (or plan or research) emerged Talk about the need for this specific project – not the needs of students generally What will you do? Be specific Five W’s Try to focus on the nouns and verbs more than the adjectives Why are you doing it? Explain how and why the new strategy (or plan or research) will make you more effective What about your project is an enhancement or improvement over the status quo? Explain how and why student outcomes will improve

10. Narrative Attachment Questions Research Not looking primarily for research describing the need What research indicates your specific strategy is a good approach? Looking for promising, not proven. Give us evidence your idea is promising. Students Percentage that are low income How status as low- income is determined Specific data collection method to demonstrate students are low-income Participation Voluntary or mandatory? Mandatory for whom? If voluntary, how are students recruited? How do you ensure students most in need of service are the ones who access it?

11. Narrative Attachment Questions Project Outcomes What will be different for students and/or for your organization because of your project? How will you demonstrate outcomes have been achieved? Baseline or appropriate comparison group is required Consultants, tools, and assessments Partnerships Partners needed? Role of Partners Will a partnership be enhanced or improved? Letters of support required Qualifications Why is your organization the right one to do this work? Experience Expertise Staffing Resources

12. Narrative Attachment Questions Learning / Dissemination What will you learn from this project (whether it accomplishes your goals or not)? Who else could benefit from that knowledge? How will you share that knowledge with others? Sustainability One-time costs or ongoing Lower scoring plans: largely grant funding Higher scoring plans: reallocating existing resources Technical Assistance How can we help you aside from money? Convening with other grantees Recommend consultants Other supports

13. Narrative Attachment Tables Activity (What activities or services will take place during grant period?) Quantity and/or Time (When will activities take place and/or how many will participate in the activity?) Project Outcome (What will be different for students, families, schools/organizations because of the activities listed above?) Measurement Method (How will you know if these outcomes are achieved? Capacity-building proposals should include a comparison, such as a comparison to a baseline measure, a pre/post-assessment, or a comparison of similar outcomes between participants and another relevant group of students.) Targeted Completion Date (Which points during the grant period will you measure this outcome?) Target Audience (Who could potentially benefit from the lessons learned through this project?) Dissemination Method (How will you share information with stakeholders? Are there convenings, conferences, ongoing work groups, websites, or ways of distributing printed information that will be most effective?) Targeted Completion Date (Which points during the grant period will information be shared?)

14. Budgets and Financials Organizational Level Finances Program or Department Level Financials Project Budget Allowable expenses Broken out by year Include other sources if applicable

15. Reporting on grants Timeline What should you report? Requesting technical assistance (now or in the future!) Requesting changes to work plan or budget

16. Follow up Reports What information will you not know until after the grant period has ended? Will it help us learn more about the effectiveness of your strategy? Will it cost money to provide that information?

17. QUESTIONS and COMMENTS Rachel Clements rachel@collegespark.org (206) 461-5480