NYSED / P-12 / Funding Opportunities / #GC23-020: Stronger Connections Grant Program (SCG)

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Announcement of Funding Opportunity
RFP #GC23-020: Stronger Connections Grant Program (SCG)

RECENT UPDATES Update 8/10/23: Questions and Answers Update 7/30/23: The due date for Stronger Connections Grant Program applications has been extended to September 15, 2023. Also, the due date for non-mandatory notices of intent has been extended to September 1, 2023.

Grant Application in PDF | Grant Application in Word
Questions and Answers – Posted 8/10/23

The Stronger Connections Grant Program is authorized under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022.

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Stronger Connections Grant Program is intended to support Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) and schools in establishing safe, healthy, and supportive learning opportunities and environments.

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to competitively award subgrants to high-need LEAs to establish safer and healthier learning environments, and to prevent and respond to acts of bullying, violence, and hate that impact our school communities at individual and systemic levels.

November 1, 2023 – September 30, 2026, with an initial Year 1 project period of November 1, 2023 – September 30, 2024.
Year 2: October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025
Year 3: October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026

All high need Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) with high need being defined as follows (a list of eligible LEAs is included in Attachment 5):

A “high-need LEA” in New York State for the purposes of the Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) program will be identified based on two criteria:

1. A minimum of 40% of students in the LEA eligible for free meals based on direct certification through: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Medicaid by means of the Community Eligibility Program (CEP), or through district submission of such data for students eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch; and
2. A minimum of 10% of the student population is chronically absent.

Each eligible LEA receiving a Stronger Connections subgrant must, after timely and meaningful consultation with appropriate private school officials, provide eligible private school students and educators services and other benefits that are equitable in comparison to services and other benefits provided with Stronger Connections funds to public school students and educators. (ESEA section 8501(a)(1), (3)(A)).

The New York State Education Department will award $69,314,328 to fund grants through September 30, 2026.

Complete applications must be submitted electronically via the SED Monitoring and Vendor Performance System (SEDMON) located within the Business Portal. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on September 15, 2023.

To access the application, complete the following steps:

1. Go to the Business Portal
2. Click on the Log In button;
3. Enter your username and password;
4. Click on "SED Monitoring and Vendor Performance System" under My Applications;
5. Select “View Surveys for Office of ESSA-Funded Programs”;
6. Find the application titled “Stronger Connections Grant Program RFP”; and
7. Click on the “view” to begin/continue to input information.

Please also mail one (1) original and two (2) copies of the FS-10 budget postmarked by September 15, 2023.

New York State Education Department
Attn: Erica Meaker
Office of ESSA-Funded Programs
320 EB
89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234

Questions and Answers – Posted 8/10/23

Proposals received from nonprofit applicants that are not Prequalified in the Grants Gateway by 5:00 PM on the proposal due date of September 15, 2023, cannot be evaluated. Such proposals will be disqualified from further consideration. Please see the “Prequalification Requirement” section for additional information.

The Notice of Intent (NOI) is not a requirement for submitting a complete application by the application date; however, NYSED strongly encourages all prospective applicants to submit an NOI to ensure a timely and thorough review and rating process. A non-profit applicant’s NOI will also help to facilitate timely review of their prequalification materials. The notice of intent is a simple email notice stating your organization’s (use the legal name) intent to submit an application for this grant. Please also include your organization’s NYS Vendor ID. The due date is September 1, 2023. Please send the NOI to SCGRFP@nysed.gov.

Program: Erica Meaker
Fiscal: Thomas McBride
M/WBE: Brian Hackett
SCGRFP@nysed.gov

Grant Application in PDF | Grant Application in Word
Questions and Answers – Posted 8/10/23

Last Updated: August 10, 2023