Important Update
Because of COVID-19 our community is having to change and to be flexible. As we all work to adapt, we’re adjusting this RFP, so that it is still accessible to our community partners.
The due date for applications has been extended and is now May 8, 2020 11:59 pm in ZoomGrants.
Here is our revised timeline:
- RFP Closes in ZoomGrants: May 8, 2020 11:59 pm
- Last day to seek support from Technical Assistance providers: April 27, 2020
- Last day to ask questions via ZoomGrants: May 4, 2020
- Final decisions to applicants: June 13, 2020
- Contract negotiations with awardees: June 15- July 15, 2020
- Contracts begin August 1, 2020
We will continue to adapt as needed in response to the evolving situation. Meanwhile, do not hesitate to reach out to the Technical Assistance providers that are here to support RFP applicants, check out the FAQ in ZoomGrants that we update each week, and send any questions along via ZoomGrant messages.
We’re stronger as a community, and making sure all families are happy, healthy, safe, and thriving doesn’t have to mean social isolation. Let us know in the comments how you’re staying connected to those you love and care about.
The Expanding Help Me Grow King County: Partnerships to Support Families with Young Children funding opportunity is now open. This request for proposals (RFP) seeks to expand solutions developed by community organizations in partnership with families and fully integrate those into the fabric of King County’s social and health services to make sure families have access to supports in their language that reflect their culture. This RFP will fund programs and activities that center families, integrate approaches that prioritize transparent communication and shared decision-making with families, and build strong cross-organization collaborations
Click here to view the RFP and apply on ZoomGrants. This link will take you a ZoomGrants page. Create a log-in to view the RFP and apply.
Click here to read our earlier post for more context on this investment.
Need help applying? Get free assistance
Free technical assistance is available to support organizations in developing proposals. Providers offer a wide range of skills, areas of expertise, and language abilities
Click here to learn more about free assistance and view provider profiles.
Why Help Me Grow and Developmental Screening?
Best Starts for Kids has funded many new and expanded services to support families throughout King County with a focus on our most underserved communities, and now Best Starts for Kids wants to partner with community agencies to make sure these services are easy to access through Help Me Grow King County.
Help Me Grow King County is a community-driven resource and referral linkage system that guides families through the array of available services to connect children and their caregivers to appropriate, accessible, and timely services and supports.
Identifying developmental or behavioral concerns in children under age six through robust developmental screening and linkage is a key aspect of Help Me Grow King County
Trusted community organizations play a key role in helping families navigate resources to find timely, linguistically and culturally appropriate supports.
Investing in Two Approaches
This RFP will invest in two approaches:
Approach 1: Establish a Help Me Grow King County network of coordinated access partners
- Seeks partner organizations for a Collaborative CBO Partnership to inform and build a referral and linkage coordination program that connects families to a range of services to address families’ holistic needs
- Expand or begin a Family Connection Pilot Program that provides warm connections to serve entire families and their full range of needs where they live and play
Approach 2: Improve access to high-quality, holistic developmental screening and connections to services
- Expand or begin screening and referral services that make sense for the families served in their language and culture, including new and creative strategies to serve families where they live and play
- Create new training, coaching, or workforce improvement projects for childcare, early learning, home visiting, medical, mental health, and specialty care provider organizations that improve the quality of screening experiences and compassionate support provided to families
- Innovate transition support programs that address age-related service gaps, especially when families transition out of or may no longer qualify for programs at age 3
Available Funding
Best Starts for Kids will award up to $7,450,000 across all projects. Project budgets should be based on need and wherever possible identify additional supports (external technical assistance, technology needs, etc.). Maximum combined request is $400,000.
Eligibility
Organization types: This announcement is only open to not-for-profit organizations, community-based organizations, tribes and tribal organizations, schools and school districts, medical clinics, and public or governmental agencies serving communities in King County. Small non-profits and community-based organizations are strongly encouraged to submit proposals. Large institutions and private sector organizations must apply in partnership with community-based partner agencies that reflect their communities of focus. Best Starts for Kids prioritizes funding for programs and organizations with leaders and staff that reflect their communities and are actively guided by the communities they serve. Best Starts for Kids also prioritizes funding to organizations that continuously strive toward greater levels of equitable compensation and decision-making processes.
Organizations working in partnership: Partnerships are strongly encouraged to apply. One organization must agree to serve as the lead and contract administrator. Applicants under Approach 1 must work in continuous collaboration with the other entities funded under that approach and Help Me Grow Washington, which is a partnership between WithinReach; the Washington Communities for Children; the Department of Children, Youth, and Families; the Department of Health; and many key local and state partners.
Timeline
| RFP released | February 13, 2020 |
| Information sessions | Webinar February 20, 2020 February 28, 2020, Bellevue Library March 3, 2020,Federal Way 320th Library |
| Final day to ask questions via ZoomGrants | March 26, 2020 |
| RFP responses due | March 31, 2020 |
| Interviews with applicants | April 24, 2020 |
| Responses reviewed and rated | April 29, 2020 |
| Notice to selected and non-selected organizations | May 6, 2020 |
| List of selected organizations published | May 8, 2020 |
| Contract implementation | June 1, 2020 |
Info Sessions
Webinar information session:
February 20, 2020, 1:30 – 2:45 PM.
This is an online conference only. To join the presentation, click here. Audio via phone at 206.263.8114, conference ID #7967717#
In-person information sessions:
February 28, 2020, 11:00 am- 12:30 pm
Bellevue Library, 1111 110th Ave N, Bellevue, WA 98004
March 3, 2020, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Federal Way 320th Library, 848 S 320th St, Federal Way, WA 98003