Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools



AR 3240 Grant Funding December 2011 I. Introduction. The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education encourages its employees to seek grant funding for activities aligned with the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School district’s goals and priorities. School and central office staff interested in submitting a competitive grant proposal must complete the appropriate grant application checklist and follow the procedures specified herein prior to submitting the grant application for funding. This AR applies to all competitive grant proposals, and does not apply to non-competitive grants such as state and federal allotment or formula grants. II. In-Kind Donations. All equipment and/or technology that is donated to the WS/FCS must also meet any standards for equipment or technology imposed by the Technology and/or Operations Departments prior to construction or placement of such equipment or technology on WS/FCS property. III. Review by the Grants Administration Team. Grant applications that involve any of the following areas must be sent to the WS/FCS Research and Evaluation Department for review and approval prior to submission: 1. hiring of staff; 2. contracting for services; 3. indirect costs; 4. in-kind contributions; 5. matching funds; 6. sustainability agreements; 7. cooperative agreements with outside agencies; 8. purchases or lease of technology or other equipment; 9. an evaluation of grant activities or a request for data which would require support from central office staff; and/or 10. submission to any local foundation for funding. IV. School-based grant applications. Individuals working in a school must complete a CHECKLIST: Intent to submit grant form and submit it to the Principal. Grant applications that do not involve any of the specified areas may be approved for submission at the discretion of the principal. The school shall maintain copies of the checklists for such submissions and approvals. If a grant is funded, a copy of the checklist and approval must be forwarded to Research and Evaluation. If the grant application does involve any of the above areas, the grant application checklist and APPLICATION: Intent to Submit Grant must be forwarded to Research and Evaluation for processing. V. Central office department-based grant applications. Individuals working in central office departments must complete a CHECKLIST: Intent to submit grant form and submit it to the departmental supervisor. Grant applications that do not involve any of the specified areas may be approved for submission at the discretion of the supervisor. The department shall maintain copies of the checklists for such submissions and approvals. If a grant is funded, a copy of the checklist and approval must be forwarded to Research and Evaluation. If the grant application does involve any of the above areas the grant application checklist and APPLICATION: Intent to Submit Grant must be forwarded to Research and Evaluation for processing. VI. Review by Grants Administration Team: Research and Evaluation Department. The WS/FCS Research and Evaluation Department shall receive each grant application that involves any of the areas identified in Section III, and involve members of the Grants Administration Team as needed to expedite review of the application. The Research and Evaluation Department shall notify the individual submitting the grant application of approval to apply for the grant as soon as possible. VII. Timeline for Submission of Grant Application. Individuals seeking review and approval of a grant application from their principal, central office director or the Grants Administration Team should submit the grant application no fewer than two weeks before the competitive grant’s application deadline. VIII. Review of Grant Applications with Regard to the Areas Specified in Section III. The Grants Administration Team shall review and approve, suggest changes, or disapprove the grant application on the basis of adherence to district practices in these areas: 1. A grant to hire staff requires review by the Human Resources representative on the Grants Administration Team, and: Benefits for staff hired through the grant must be covered by the grant. The grant must be worded to make clear that no preference in hiring will be made based on gender, age, race, sex, or any other protected class. The grant should be worded to make clear what skills are needed. The grant should be worded to make clear what licensure is required. Whenever possible, grants to hire staff should be for employment terms of less than six months. Human Resources must grade salaries so that pay is equitable within the district. Positions created by a grant are only guaranteed for as long as the grant is funded. 2. The use of a Contract for Services requires review for legality by the School Attorney’s Office and review by the Financial Services representative to the Grants Administration Team. To be eligible, the persons/agency must meet federal independent contractor guidelines as well as federal wage guidelines. All contracts entered into on behalf of the Board of Education must also comply with Board Policy 3330. 3. Whenever indirect costs must be calculated, review by the Financial Services representative to the Grants Administration Team is required. Indirect costs refer to a specific percentage of the grant that must be set aside to pay for the management of the grant. 4. In-kind contributions need review by the affected department(s). In-kind contributions often involve operations staff such as electricians and carpenters, or physical space and utilities. All equipment and/or technology that is donated to the WS/FCS must meet any standards for equipment or technology imposed by the Technology and/or Operations Departments prior to construction or placement of such equipment or technology on WS/FCS property. 5. Matching funds refer to funds (typically state or local) used in support of the grant activities or programs. Any grant application involving matching funds requires review by the Financial Services representative to the Grants Administration Team. 6. Sustainability agreements are statements about the district commitment or desire to continue support for the activities the grant started after grant funding has ended. In these cases a long-term plan is needed. Depending on the specific areas involved in sustaining the grant, a number of departments may need to be involved in the review, such as Instructional Services, Financial Services, Human Resources, or Technology. Any final agreement must be reviewed for legality by the School Attorney’s Office. 7. Cooperative agreements with outside agencies need to be reviewed by the affected department(s), to ensure that any obligation on the part of WS/FCS will be able to be met. Such agreements often require a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Any final MOA or MOU must be reviewed for legality by the School Attorney’s Office. 8. Any grant involving the purchase or lease of equipment and/or technology requires review by the Purchasing and/or Technology representative to the Grants Administration Team to ensure optimum pricing, appropriate quality and durability, and that appropriate plans for maintenance and service are in place. Examples of equipment and technology include but are not limited to: computer hardware and software, phones, copiers, and fax machines. Purchases and leases must comply with Board Policy 3320, Administrative Regulation 3320, Administrative Regulation 3325, and Board Policy 3330. Purchases or constructed items must meet industry and safety standards. Grant writers should be aware that a purchase order is required for any purchase using funds in a district-budgeted account, but checks may be written from school accounts. 9. Evaluation plan/data requests. Usually an outside evaluator is required for large grants. WS/FCS Research and Evaluation Department or other central office staff may be involved in these evaluations and will assist in gathering the necessary data from the appropriate department. IX. Changes to Original Grant Application. Any changes to original grant must be consistent with the original intent and purpose of the grant and reviewed by the principal or supervisor who approved the grant submission. X. Process for Large-Scale Grants. “Large-scale grants” refer to those that entail a number of the areas identified in Section III resulting in the need for review by the Grants Administration Team. A sound process must be followed for planning, writing, administering and closing out any large-scale grant. Before the decision to apply for a large-scale grant is made, the grant writer should convene a Planning Team to think through the major components of the grant and any long-term implications for the WS/FCS. The WS/FCS Research and Evaluation Department is available to provide information and resources regarding this process. XI. Online Resources for Grant Writers. The WS/FCS shall develop and maintain online resources for employees interested in pursuing grant funding. These resources shall be maintained by Research and Evaluation through the input of the Grant Writing Teams. Adopted: October 2011 Revised: December 2011 Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School System ................
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