Encore Career Grant Information
Maximum Grant Amount
The maximum grant to any individual community college or college consortia
will be $25,000. Separate colleges within a larger community college district
are eligible to apply.
Eligibility
Community, junior and technical colleges that are accredited two-year institutions
offering associate degrees are eligible to apply. Community colleges
that received prior Community College Encore Career Project grants are not eligible
to apply for a second grant at this time.
Proposal Process
The deadline for submitting proposals closes on April 12, 2010.
Selection Considerations
Civic Ventures, in consultation with several outside advisors, will review
all submitted proposals based on the following considerations:
- Community college commitment: evidence of committed leadership,
buy-in across community college departments and assignment of personnel and
other community college resources
- Institutional capacity and readiness: experience and expertise
in adult workforce education, career transition services, social purpose career
training and credentialing and related areas
- Dedicated resources and adaptability for adults 50+: Understanding
of learning needs of 50+ students and clear plan for adapting programs and
developing a marketing approach for older adults
- Track record in education or healthcare services
labor market: identification
of local or regional labor market needs in education and health care, endorsement
of social sector employers and past history of placing graduates in relevant
jobs
- Well-defined partnerships: clearly
defined roles and responsibilities with partner employers, community leaders
and others involved in creating clear and specific pathways to encore careers
- Quality of proposed innovation: clarity
of program approach, placement within the community college structure and specificity
and design of course offerings or other strategies to prepare older adults
for documented workforce shortages
- Potential for impact: articulation of specific goals and
objectives, measurable results, such as a specific number of older adults enrolled
in degree programs or placed in specific education or health care career positions,
other qualitative or quantitative outcomes and commitment to measure older
adult students’ continued enrollment or employment
- Cost effectiveness: appropriateness
and adequacy of proposed budget expenses and information on other financial
commitments for proposal implementation
Proposals that create encore pathways to paid work in:
Health care
- Home and community-based health workers, especially
aides
- Nursing programs offering fast track or online
training
- Adjunct nurse educator training
- Clinical instructor training
Education
- Fast track K-12 teacher certification, in high need areas such
as math, science, special needs and English as a Second Language
- Adjunct faculty training, especially in the area
of developmental education for college success
- Training for paid positions in after-school programs.
Allowable Grant Fund Uses
Grant funds must directly support expenses associated with the community college’s
proposal to advance encore careers. Expenses may include: staff salary and
benefits; consultants to assist with program design and implementation; marketing;
materials development; meeting expenses; curriculum development or certification;
instructional support; assessment activities; professional development and
other expenses approved by Civic Ventures. No portion of the grant may be used
for indirect costs or recovery of shared or common costs of the grantee.
While there are no matching fund requirements, it is anticipated that community colleges will build on existing programs and resources. As such, the proposal narrative asks for an estimate of other financial and in-kind resources that will be used to support implementation of the proposal.
Expectations of Grantees
Community colleges that receive Encore Career Project grants will be expected
to:
- Make significant progress toward the accomplishment of their
stated goals and expected outcomes
- Submit program progress reports on a quarterly basis and
at the end of the grant period and financial progress reports every six
months
- Designate a lead staff person who will be responsible for
reporting and communicating with Civic Ventures
- Provide requested data and other information to contribute
to a national effort to promote and learn from the community college experience
Important Dates
| March 1, 2010 |
Request-for-proposal process opens for Encore Career Project grants |
| April 12, 2010 | Grant proposals due online |
| Early June, 2010 | Grant awards announced |
| July 2010-June 2011 | Period
of grant implementation (may be adjusted if mutually agreed to by grantee
and Civic Ventures) |
| July 2011-Dec 2011 | Compilation, analysis and dissemination
of learnings from the Community College Encore Career Project experience |
|
