Healthy Start 2006-07 RFA Cover Letter
October 30, 2006
Dear Prospective Applicant:
RELEASE OF THE HEALTHY START PLANNING AND OPERATIONAL GRANTS REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS
The California Department of Education (CDE) is seeking grant applications for the 13th cohort of Healthy Start, which assists schools and their collaborative partners in developing and expanding comprehensive, integrated, school-linked services and supports. The California state budget has allocated $10 million in funding for Healthy Start grants to serve students in kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) and their families. Grants will be identified through a competitive Request for Applications (RFA) review process.
As stated in Education Code sections 8800-8807, the purpose of Healthy Start is to encourage the integration of children’s services by promoting interagency coordination and collaboration among the state agencies responsible for the provision of support services to children and their families. The RFA includes two separate Healthy Start funding opportunities. One is a new type of grant called the combined planning and operational grant, which is available for seven years. The second is the Healthy Start operational grant, available for five years.
Combined Planning and Operational Grants
The combined grants provide $50,000 in funding for up to two years of planning and $400,000 in funding for up to five years of implementation. They are appropriate for broad-based, school-community initiatives that would benefit from the development of an inclusive, collaborative assessment of community needs and strengths; the use of effective services; and integrated evaluation plans.
Operational Grants
Operational grants provide local community collaboratives the opportunity to implement their plan to measurably improve the achievement and well-being of young people, families and communities, as well as the opportunity to enhance the effectiveness of the systems that serve and support them. Operational grants provide $300,000 in funding (with an additional $100,000 in start-up funds) for up to five years.
The RFA is available on the CDE Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r8/healthystart06rfa.asp. The CDE must receive all completed applications for funding no later than February 2, 2007. In addition, the CDE encourages each applicant to submit a letter of intent to file an application to the CDE by December 1, 2006, using the appropriate form included in the RFA. The RFA details the funding structure, collaborative planning strategy, eligibility and programmatic requirements for the collaborative planning and operational grants, and technical assistance resources. Please note that an information session is scheduled for November 15, 2006.
We hope that this opportunity will enable schools and communities to collaborate in order to provide a more comprehensive array of culturally appropriate, integrated, and accessible supports and services for students and families. If you have any questions regarding this RFA, please contact the School Health Connections/Healthy Start Office at 916-319-0914 or by e-mail at healthystart@cde.ca.gov.
Sincerely,
Sue Stickel, Deputy Superintendent
Curriculum and Instruction Branch
SS:cb
1430 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814