Q & A regarding
the 2008-2009 RFP process - Updated 12/11/2007
As new questions arise, they
will be posted here.
School-based Services
| Fiscal Budget, Audit, Matching Funds, and Funding Limits | Small and
Emerging Applicants | Narrative, Attachments, Forms and Contracts (Post
Award) | Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) | General Questions
School-based Services
Q. The RFP states
that OFCY does not wish to spend limited resources supplementing services
provided by school funds. What do you mean by an in-school program?
A.
OFCY does not fund "core" educational program or materials.
For example, classes that take place during the school day and are
part of the school curriculum.
Q. Which organization
and school sites are eligible to apply for school-based after-school
enrichment services?
A.
Any non-profit or public agency that fits under OFCY eligibility guidelines
is eligible to apply. All eligible OUSD and charter schools must have
Prop 49/ASES or 21st century funding to qualify for OFCY funded service
provision under the school-based after school strategy.
As
per RFP guidelines, OFCY does not accept fiscal pass-throughs whereby
a school site or CBO applies for OFCY funding to facilitate compliance
with the law, and subcontracts the majority of their programming and
staffing components to another CBO or individual.
Q. Can more than
one community-based organization apply on behalf of ONE Prop 49/ASES
or 21st Century Site under the After School School-Based strategy? Or
put another way, can one Prop 49/ASES or 21st Century school sponsor
more than one organization to apply to provide school-based after school
enrichment services?
A.
No. OFCY accepts only one application per school site under the school-based
after school enrichment services grant. The applicant is submitting
a proposal to act as a "lead agency" for OFCY funded services.
Duties of a lead agency include the planning, budgeting, and coordination
of multiple activities on a daily basis for an average of 90 children
or more. Staffing includes a full-time site coordinator and multiple
providers of various services.
Q. Can our organization
apply for the school-based after-school enrichment grant if the school
site does not have Prop 49/ASES or 21st Century funding?
A.
No. Only school sites that have received Prop 49/ASES or 21st Century
funding are eligible to receive OFCY after school enrichment services
funding. (See other RFP funding strategies for additional options
to provide services to an Oakland based school site).
Q. How do I know
if my school is receiving Prop 49/ASES funding?
A.
Check on the California Department of Education's website for a list
of Prop 49 and 21st Century funded OUSD and Charter Schools in Oakland.
Q. Is a charter
school or OUSD school with Prop 49/ASES or 21st Century funding eligible
for funding under OFCY's "community-based after school strategy"?
A.
No. Non Prop 49/ASES or 21st Century funded school or OUSD sites are
NOT eligible to apply as community-based sites under the OFCY after
school strategy.
Q. Does OFCY require
the OUSD Grants Face Sheet?
A.
Yes. OFCY requires that applicants submit a Grants Face Sheet that
includes the names of the school sites you intend to serve, and their
principals' signatures. See next question for links to download the
appropriate OUSD forms.
Q. If I am applying
to work at a school site, do I have to supply the OUSD Grants Face Sheet
in addition to a Letter of Agreement Attachment K?
A.
Applicants under all strategy areas EXCEPT for Early Childhood proposing
to operate OFCY funded services at Oakland Unified School District
school sites must submit their full OFCY proposals with OUSD Grants
Face sheet (CBO and Principal signatures) to the OUSD office. The
day of submission is January 9th for applicants under OFCY's school-based
after school strategy, and January 10th for applicants under all other
OFCY funded strategy areas.
For
1) Physical and Behavioral Health and Summer Enrichment and 2) Older
Youth applicants, we accept the OUSD Grants Face sheet in lieu of
a Attachment K Letter of Agreement.
For School-Based After School proposals, we require both a grants
face sheet AND Attachment K letter of agreement. See RFP for more
details.
For Early Childhood, we require a letter of agreement between the
site administrator And CBO partner. We do not require a Grants Face
Sheet as part or the proposal process.
To
download OUSD After School, School-Based Program Guidelines click
here.
To download OUSD Early Childhood, Older Youth, and Summer Enrichment
Program Guidelines click here.
To download OUSD Grants Face Sheet click here.
Fiscal
and Budget, Audit, Matching Funds, and Funding Limits
Q. Is there a difference
in maximum funding amounts between after school services and other OFCY
strategies, or is that a typo?
A.
Except for the After School (school-based and community-based) strategy,
all other OFCY strategies, including Early Childhood, Career and College
Readiness and Youth Leadership, Summer Enrichment, and Physical and
Behavioral Health have maximum funding limits of $300,000 for collaboratives,
and $175,000 for single agency applicants. If you are applying to
provide after school services, please refer to that RFP for details.
Q. Can our organization
as either a 501©(3) or a public agency (i.e. OUSD or Parks and
Recreation) operate as a fiscal pass through whereby the majority of
our funding for programming and staffing is subcontracted to another
501(c)(3) or lead agency?
A.
As per RFP guidelines, OFCY does not accept fiscal pass-throughs whereby
a public agency i.e. school site or 501(c)(3) applies for OFCY funding
to facilitate compliance with the law, and subcontracts the majority
of their programming and staffing components to another CBO or individual.
Q. What if I do
not have a current Audited Financial Statement?
A.
OFCY will accept Audited Financial Statements for 2006-2007. You must
include as part of your proposal a statement indicating that a 2006-2007
calendar year Audit will be completed and submitted to OFCY by March
2008.
UPDATE:
Only one (1) copy of the Audited Financial Statement will be
required at the time of proposal submission.
Q. My organizations
is new and has not completed an Audited Financial Statement, what should
I submit?
A.
As stated in the RFP requirements, if your organization budget is
under $100,000 you may submit a CPA Review of Financial Statements
with Cover and/or Management Letter. If your organization budget is
more than $100,000 you must submit an Audited Financial Statement
with Cover and/or Management Letter.
Q. My organization
budget is between $100,000 and $375,000 and I can not afford an Audited
Financial Statement or CPA Review of Financial Statements. What should
I do?
A.
If your budget is $100,000 or more, as per OFCY RFP requirements,
we must receive an Audited Financial Statement with Cover and/or Management
Letter. The audit can be for the 2006-2007 calendar year IF you include
in your proposal a statement indicating that a 2006-2007 calendar
year Audit will be completed and submitted to OFCY by March 2008.
Q. I am confused
about your matching requirement percentages. Can you give me an example
of how it would work?
A.
A minimum of 25% match is required for OFCY funded programs. The 25%
calculation should be based on your total project budget, and not
the propose OFCY grant amount. (This means that OFCY would fund up
to 75% of your total project budget). For example, if the total project
budget is $100,000, OFCY would fund up to $75,000, and a minimum of
$25,000 in matching funds would be required.
NOTE:
Correction made for the fiscal portion of the November 29th Bidders'
Conference PowerPoint.
Q. I am applying
as a youth-to-youth grantmaking project. How should I calculate my required
match?
A.
OFCY requires 25% match on the administrative part of the budget.
There is no match requirement for funds earmarked for youth grants.
Q. If my program
serves Oakland and San Francisco youth, can the funding received for
those youth from both cities be counted as match funding?
A.
Yes. However, OFCY funds must be used only for services to Oakland
youth.
Q. Can volunteer
time be used as a match?
A.
Yes. OFCY permits "in-kind" donations, such as volunteers'
labor to be counted toward match. The amount of non-cash or in-kind
match is limited to 5% of the program cost. Proof of match must be
provided, if you are awarded a grant.
Q. Is there a limit
to how many volunteer hours we can use towards the matching portion?
A.
The amount of non-cash or in-kind match is limited to 5% of the program
cost. Please keep in mind that your volunteer hours should be based
on past volunteer hours. You should also be able to document those
hours, if your proposal is funded.
Q. What if I have
more than a 25% match? Would it be to my benefit to show it all?
A.
The budget should show the costs for the proposed budget. A match
that is greater than 25% may be indicative of greater capacity within
an organization and may create a project with greater impact. Remember,
organizations receiving grant awards will be required to document
the full match amount shown in the proposal.
Small
and Emerging Applicants
Q. Can we apply
with a fiscal sponsor who is not based in Oakland?
A.
Yes. OFCY does not have a policy baring applicants from using non-Oakland-based
non-profits as fiscal sponsors. However, it is important that youth
served by these proposals are youth that live in, attend school, or
receive services in Oakland.
Narrative, Attachments, Forms, Contracts (Post Award)
Q. Where can I call
to get an updated copy of our organizations 501(c)3 letter of non-profit
status?
A.
The IRS can be reached at 877-829-5500. You will also receive a hard
copy in the mail in about 2 weeks.
Q. For attachments
that are not applicable to us, like the subcontractor budget form, should
we just leave them out, or include them with a note that they don't
apply?
A.
We prefer a note indicating that it does not apply.
Q. Why is there
no space on Attachment E for me to write up my subcontractor budget?
A.
Each subcontractor, in addition to the Lead Agency, working on a school
site fills out their own Attachment E form.
Q. Do subcontractors
have to provide a narrative of their expenses as part of Attachment
D?
A.
Yes, each subcontractor provides a narrative that explains their expenses.
Q. If my program
is operating on multiple school sites do I need to complete a separate
Attachment E, School Site Activity Form, for every school site?
A.
Yes. Please refer to the RFP for more information.
Q. Attachment F,
Demographics, asks for several characteristics. What if I don't know
the answer to them all?
A.
Only provide answers for characteristics of children that you know
the answers to - either because that is the target population for
your program, or because past experience with the program population
enables you to predict who you might serve.
Q. If I am working
on a school site, do I fill out the demographic information on Attachment
F for the whole school?
A.
No, just complete information for your program.
For
more questions on providing enrichment services at an Elementary or
Middle school site, please refer to the School-based section of the
FAQs.
Q. For Attachments
N, Letter of Response to OFCY Evaluation Results, do we still have to
complete this if the program we are applying for is different from the
program that was evaluated in 2006-2007?
A.
No. As long as the program proposed for OFCY funding is not the same
program. For example, the new program serves a different population,
is under a different strategy, and/or is an after school program operating
at a different school site from the one evaluated.
Q. Where do I find
my evaluation results?
A.
Use the OFCY 2006-2007 evaluation (Part 1 Overview of all funded programs)
provided by CCPA. If you do not have a copy, we have them available
here at our office and on our website.
Q. Can we use US
Census Data when compiling demographic data?
A.
Yes. You may also explore the California Department of Education's
website for relevant information.
Q. How can I find
out which District my schools and programs are located in?
A.
Visit www.oaklandnet.com and select "City Council" Department.
Then select "GO" and "Council Locator Tool" and
plug in the address. Or copy and past this link into your browser:
http://www.oaklandnet.com/oit/cdst/distmain.cfm
Q. Do we have to
complete the Living Wage Ordinance for staff?
A.
Yes, if the total funding you received from the City of Oakland (not
just OFCY) is $100,000 or greater. If your total City of Oakland funding
is less than $100,000 you do not have to complete a Living Wage Ordinance.
Q. Do I have to
adhere to the Living Wage Ordinance if I have youth interns?
A.
No. Student workers are considered interns and not considered permanent
employees of an organization.
For
Contract and Administration specific questions for Post Award Requirements,
pleased contact Vivian Inman at vinman@oaklandnet.com OR (510) 238-6261
Oakland
Unified School District (OUSD)
For
OUSD specific questions, please contact Valerie Williams at valerie.williams@ousd.k12.ca.us
Q. Can CBOs include more than one school site on the Grant Face Sheet?
There is more than one place for a principal to sign at the bottom?
A.
Yes. CBOs can include more than one school site on the Grant Face
Sheet form and more than one signature. To download the OUSD Grants
Face Sheet click here.
Q. What is the process
for signature approval to operate my program on a school site?
A.
Please see OUSD Guidelines sheet for After School programs here.
Please see the OUSD Guidelines sheet for all other programs here.
For specific questions, please contact Valerie Williams at Valerie.williams@ousd.k12.ca.us
Be
aware that OUSD requires your attendance and FULL proposals at their
offices on January 9th for providers in the after school strategy,
and January 10th for providers applying under all other strategies.
General
Questions
Q. Can applicants
obtain their final score after the RFP review process?
A.
Yes. Feedback will be given to applicants.
Q. My program serves
15-24 year olds. When completing my budget do I count the funding streams
received on the older populations in my OFCY RFP budget numbers to meet
the funding match requirement?
A.
Yes, as long as OFCY funds are allocated towards services for the
15-20 year old population.
Q. My program provides
Career and College Readiness activities to children who are 13-18 years
old, but your RFP guidelines stipulate that programs target 15-20 year
olds. Should I apply under the After-School strategy?
A.
The RFP listed age parameters for the proposal guidelines. If the
population you serve is close to the age posted under the RFP guidelines,
and the program strongly matches the RFP stated objectives for that
age-range, then apply for that strategy, even if the ages do not perfectly
align. OFCY funds must, however, only support program activities for
children 0-20 year of age.
