Funding Opportunity

Now Accepting Applications: Best Starts for Kids Capacity Building Small Grants

King County Best Starts for Kids, is initiating a Request for Application (RFA) for a Capacity Building Small Grant opportunity for any current Best Starts for Kids Providers.

This small-grant opportunity is meant to support community-based organizations (CBO) that are current awardees of the Best Starts for Kids initiative. The funds will support the infrastructure needed to enhance the CBO’s capacity to provide services and programming. This includes the systems, resources, and processes that sustain the key functions of an organization.

Apply Now

Click here to view the RFA and apply on ZoomGrants. Create a log-in to view the RFP and apply.

A webinar for this funding opportunity will be held from 12:30 pm -2:00 pm on Tuesday 8/25 via Zoom. All prospective Applicants are encouraged to attend.

In order to be considered in the first round of application reviews, applications must be received using the link through ZoomGrants no later than 2:00 p.m. on September 4, 2020.

Highlights about this Request for Application include:

Examples of resources and items that could be supported by this funding opportunity may include, but are not limited to:

IT equipment (laptops, tablets, electronic devices, software);

Financial tracking systems;

Databases;

Consultation and professional services

Project management platforms;

Office equipment;

Subscriptions.

Items that will not be supported by these funds include:

Expenses such as, payroll, rent, and utilities, or other indirect costs associated with running the organization.

Capital expenses like building repairs, furniture, or property upkeep.

Advocacy work.

Capacity building services currently offered through the BSK Capacity Building program. This includes coaching, training, clinics and workshops on the following topic areas: equity & social justice, finance, human resources, organizational development, board development, marketing, legal, data & evaluation, and IT support. However, awardees may work with their current capacity building partners to identify projects or infrastructure that can be funded through these small-grants.

Funding

The total funds available in this small-grant opportunity are $300,000. Applicants may request up to $9,999 in their proposed budget. The amount of funding awarded to each awardee will be determined during the application review. Eligible applicants will be limited to one award per organization.

Period of Performance

The period of performance of any Letter of Agreement (LOA) resulting from this RFA will begin on the date that funds are distributed to the awardee and will end 90 days later. Funds must be expended within those 90 days. Amendments extending the period of performance, if any, will be at the sole discretion of DCHS.

DCHS reserves the right to extend the LOA for any time increments DCHS deems necessary.

Process

This RFA is an “open and continuous” process with a first initial close date of September 4, 2020. The review team will begin reviewing applications on September 24, 2020.

Applications received after that, starting September 30, 2020 will be reviewed every 4 weeks through September 13, 2021. Potential Applicants are encouraged to submit their application at anytime through ZoomGrants and will be reviewed during the next review round period. Applicants may only apply once through this time period. No further Letters of Agreement will be issued after Oct. 2, 2021. Timelines and due dates are subject to change.

RFA Timeline

RFA Release Date	August 7, 2020
RFA Information Webinar	August 25, 2020 \| 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
1st Round of Applications due	September 4, 2020 \| 2:00 p.m.
1st Review of Applications Begins	September 24, 2020
Ongoing Review of Applications	September 30, 2020 – September 13, 2021
1st Notification of selected and nonselected Applicants	September 30, 2020
Continuous rounds of application	Approximately every 4 weeks.

All dates are subject to change at DCHS’s discretion.

Questions

Interested parties may submit questions in writing through the Contact Admin tab in ZoomGrants prior to submitting an application. The DCHS response to all questions received will be posted as a RFA addendum on ZoomGrants.

If potential Applicants experience technical difficulties with ZoomGrants, please email the RFA Coordinator directly:

Kimberly Walker
BSK 5-24 Policy & Program Manager
kiwalker@kingcounty.gov

Applications

Applications must be clear, concise, written in English and submitted electronically through ZoomGrants in the order noted.

Applications shall be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward and concise but complete and detailed description of the Applicant’s abilities to meet the requirements of this RFA. Emphasis shall be on completeness of content.

Additional details that are critical to know, including Application Requirements, Evaluation Criteria and Award, Invoice and Reporting, and more are included in the BSK Capacity Building RFA posted as a PDF on ZoomGrants.