We are excited to share that the Best Starts for Kids Community-Based Parenting Supports – Lactation and Perinatal Support Services and Birthworkers Professional Development request for proposals (RFP) is now open! This funding opportunity closes on Wednesday, October 12 at 2PM, please submit your application by then.
Click here to view the full funding opportunity details and apply.
Note: please create a log-in to view details and access the ZoomGrants webpage.
About this opportunity:
Birthing children can be a beautiful and magical journey. However, many families in King County, especially Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Pacific Islanders, face significant challenges on their journey, including but not limited to: higher rates of Cesarean delivery, preterm birth, and infant and maternal death.
At Best Starts, we know it’s important to meet families where they are and provide culturally relevant support services to catalyze strong starts in early childhood. By investing early, we promote healthy born babies and establish a strong foundation for lifelong health and well-being.
Our Community-Based Parenting Supports (CBPS) strategy provides community-centered, peer-based services to pregnant people, families and caregivers caring for children aged birth to five. CBPS services are offered by peer-based providers that share families’ lived experiences, culture, and language to build social-emotional support, improve health outcomes, and connect to community information and resources.
This RFP seeks multiple community-based partners to deliver support in one or more of the following areas, focusing on Indigenous, Black and African American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Latinx populations and birthworkers:
- Perinatal Support Services: provide culturally relevant educational perinatal support services.
- Lactation Support Services: provide culturally relevant educational lactation support services.
- Birthworkers Professional Development: provide training, technical assistance, and peer learning opportunities to build the knowledge and skills of birthworkers.
Read more about CBPS by checking out our one-pager on the strategy. To find more information about the funding opportunity, click “show library” in the ZoomGrants link to learn more.
See the full RFQ document, section III for more information about this opportunity!
Eligibility:
This funding opportunity is open to nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations, tribes and tribal organizations, and public or governmental agencies serving communities in King County. Small nonprofits and community-based organizations are encouraged to submit proposals.
Funding Available:
We have budgeted up to $2,764,460 for this project over a period of three years. The expected number of awardees is two to six, depending on the amount of funds requested. The maximum funding request per organization is $1,500,000 ($500,000 annually).
| Program Area | Available Funding | Maximum Request Per Organization | Anticipated Number of Awards |
| Lactation and Perinatal Support Services | $ 2,764,460 over a period of three years | $ 1,500,000 ($500,000 annually) | 2-6 |
Attend our information session:
We strongly encourage anyone interested in applying to attend our information session to learn more:
- Monday, September 19, 10 am – 12 pm, Pacific Time
Learn more about this funding opportunity and access meeting details for the information session within the full RFP document here.
Note: you will need to create a log-in to access the information session meeting link within the ZoomGrants webpage.
Timeline:
| RFP Issued | August 31, 2022 |
| Information Session | September 19, 2022, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm |
| Final day to Submit Questions via ZoomGrants | October 5, 2022 |
| Final Day to Initiate Request for Technical Assistance | October 6, 2022 |
| RFP Application Due | October 12, 2022 by 2:00 p.m. |
| Applications Reviewed | October 17 – November 25, 2022 |
| Notification of Selected and Non-Selected Applicants | November 30, 2022 |
| Contract Anticipated Start Date | January 2023 |
Do you have any questions?
If you have any questions about this funding opportunity, you can submit a question before Wednesday, October 5, 2022 through the Contact Admin tab in ZoomGrants. The response to all questions received will be posted as an RFP amendment on ZoomGrants.
If potential proposers experience technical difficulties with ZoomGrants leading up to the due date, please email your proposal to the RFP Lead, Phillip Thompson, at phithompson@kingcounty.gov to avoid a late submission.
Would you like support? Access Best Starts technical assistance!
Free application support is available for organizations interested in applying for this Best Starts funding opportunity! Best Starts partnered consultants can support by: helping to determine appropriate fit between your work and this funding opportunity, providing guidance on how best to answer application questions, supporting your application development (including editing and reviewing), and supporting you in explaining your qualifications in the most clear and concise way.
If you are interested in partnering with a technical assistance consultant, learn more here.
1. Check out our funding calendar
This calendar shares upcoming funding opportunities staggered throughout the year. Subscribe to our blog and newsletter to the right of the calendar to receive notices whenever we post a new funding opportunity.
2. Watch our latest recorded info sessions
If you were unable to make it to the info session for an open funding opportunity, check out the recordings and slideshows here.
3. Save the date for our next open house!
Mark September 28, 2022, on your calendars for our next Best Starts virtual open house! More information about our sessions and how to register to come.