REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

$1.5 Million Available in Emergency Education Relief Grants 
for St. Thomas/St. John District

Funded by the CARES Act

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, December 10, 2021
Overview 
 
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) allocated $850 million to Outlying Areas, U.S. Virgin Islands included, to support and provide funding for emergency education relief through subgrants and educational programming. The Education Stabilization Fund (ESF), established as part of the CARES Act, authorizes the allocation of funding to the Outlying Areas to provide state educational agencies (SEA’s), local educational agencies (LEA’s), institutions of higher education (IHEs), and other education-related entities with emergency assistance as a result of the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). 
 
The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) was awarded ESF funding from the USVI Office of the Governor that will be sub-awarded to St. Thomas/St. John district local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and other education-related entities* in need of emergency assistance and education relief as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds will be awarded to carry out emergency educational services to students, provide childcare and early childhood education, provide social and emotional support, and protect education-related jobs.
Summary of Funding

Up to $100,000 is available to fund eligible entities (proposals which are collaborative efforts of two or more entities may be considered for grants of up to $200,000).

  • Grants are available to state and local educational agencies, education-related entities*, and institutions of higher learning to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
  • Funding will support the capabilities of these agencies to continue to provide educational services to their students and support the ongoing functionality of the institutions.  
  • Applicants must indicate how they have been adversely impacted by the pandemic in their submissions and/or how their project addresses or mitigates the impacts of COVID-19 on the St. Thomas/St. John district, consistent with the provisions of the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF). 
  • Subawards will be provided to support the following activities:
  • Providing safer, in-person learning opportunities for students.
  • Supporting students’ social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs.
  • Addressing the educational inequities that were exacerbated by the pandemic.
  • Addressing Academic Impact of Lost Instructional Time (Evidence based summer enrichment, extended day, after school programs, and other intervention programs)
  • Supporting technology infrastructure and professional development and training that will improve capacity to provide comprehensive distance education that will have lasting effects.
  • Providing childcare and early childhood education
  • Protecting education-related jobs
  • Applicants may apply for up to $100,000 in funding. 
  • Collaborative applications (2 or more entities) may apply for up to $200,000 in funding, and the primary applicant must meet all eligibility requirements. 
  • As required by federal guidelines, organizations will be required to have a DUNS number in order to obligate funds (though applications can be submitted without one). A DUNS number can take up to two business days to receive. You may acquire a DUNS number from the D&B D-U-N-S Request Service for U.S. Federal Government Contractors and Assistance Awardees.
  • System for Award Management (SAM) registration is encouraged, but not required.
  • Cost sharing/matching is not required.
  • CFVI is committed to equitable grantmaking and will consider geographic diversity and the importance of reaching underrepresented communities in its funding decisions.

*An education-related entity is an entity that provides services that support preschool, elementary, secondary, or higher education.
Period of Performance 

The period of performance will begin on January 1, 2022 and must end on or before August 31, 2022.
Eligibility

Eligible organizations must be:

  • State agencies that oversee or directly provide early childhood education services; 
  • Public agencies or private entities that coordinate or directly provide early intervention services under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); 
  • Government agencies that oversee or provide vocational rehabilitation services; 
  • Government mental health agencies;
  • Government Higher Education Boards; 
  • Centralized Government agencies that administer insurance and pension costs for employees of IHEs and LEAs;
  • Education-related non-profit organizations;  
  • Non-public schools; 
  • For-profit schools;  
  • For-profit charter management organizations; 
  • Nonprofit and for-profit child-care centers; 
  • Public libraries;  
  • Community centers; and 
  • State or local agencies coordinating food services for students and their families.

The following are not eligible to apply:

  • Political or advocacy organizations
  • Foreign entities
  • Individuals
Application & Evaluation Process

  • Applications must be submitted using the application in CFVI’s online grant portal.
  • Applications must be submitted by 11:59 pm AST on December 10, 2021.
  • All new applicants must create a new account.
  • Returning applicants should log in using their previously created account.
  • You may preview the application form here
  • The grant portal will not accept applications after the deadline. Once the application has been submitted, an automatic email receipt will be sent confirming that all application materials were successfully received. 
  • Applicants will be notified regarding decisions on or before January 7, 2021. 
  • All awards will be publicly announced via the CFVI website and circulated to local news outlets. 
  • All applications will be reviewed by an evaluation committee composed of members with experience and expertise in education and grantmaking.
Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

  1. Alignment with the primary purpose of CARES funding
  2. The importance of the entity as a provider of educational programming
  3. The importance of the proposed activities to the general public and the feasibility of successfully completing the proposed activities within the period of performance.
  4. The experience and qualifications of the project team.  
  5. The accessibility and appeal of the project to the intended audience.
  6. Overall evaluation of the quality of the project as a whole.
  7. Priority will be assigned to eligible applications which address childcare and early childhood education.

CFVI staff members and peer reviewers will evaluate applications based on eligibility and completeness. Peer reviewers are experts with relevant knowledge and expertise to assess the educational services and programs identified in each application. CFVI and peer reviewers will assess applications in accordance with the eligibility criteria outlined above. 

This process may be updated or amended to reflect changing circumstances. For the most up-to-date version, visit cfvi.net/grants-scholarships/grants/.

Note: Applications from organizations with past due reports owed to CFVI will not be considered. 
Reporting

Recipients must comply with the following reporting requirements:

Final financial and performance report due no later than by 9/15/2022 (or within 90 days of project completion, if the project is completed sooner) 
Contact

Applicants with additional questions are encouraged to contact Davica Brathwaite, CFVI Grants and Programs Manager, at davicab@cfvi.net.
About the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands
Since 1990, the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) has been a catalyst for positive change in the territory through initiatives committed to youth, learning, family support and the environment. With a professional staff and a volunteer Board of Directors composed of community leaders, CFVI is a trusted advocate and supporter of programs that ensure opportunity and sustainability for current and future generations. CFVI is a registered non-profit organization entirely supported by individual donors, grants, trusts, corporate donations and estate planning. For more information, visit cfvi.net.
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