Implementing Child Care Capacity-Building Plans Grant is sponsored by Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) in partnership with Child Care Aware of Kansas. Aids communities with established child care task forces in executing strategies to enhance access to child care in their area. Communities should apply for funds outlined in their goal plan (excluding major renovations).

Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Sample form, not for offline completion. Visit https://commonapp. grantplatform.

com to apply. # Child Care Capacity Accelerator The information in your User Profile is the default 'Applicant Information' for all grant applications you submit. This information will be visible to reviewers and also included in the final downloadable PDF of your application after you hit the submit button.

Please update and review the content in your User Profile prior to submitting your Each grant application also asks for a contact name and email address of the person who can answer questions about the specific project for which the application is being submitted. You can choose for this contact to be the same or a different person than the one listed in your User Profile.

Also, you can change your profile information at any time by clicking on your avatar at the top right of your browser window. In the Your Application Name field, please list the Lead Applicant Organization Name . We strongly recommend that you only open the CommonApp in one web browser at a time; do not use the back button; draft and save your application info outside of the application and then copy and paste to save and submit.

You can download a pdf copy of your application at any time for review. The Child Care Capacity Accelerator RFP Find more information at the All in for Kansas Kids Communities page Project Lead for this Application / First and Last Name We ask for a contact name for each grant application you prepare in case it differs from the person who registered the Kansas CommonApp account.

The Contact for this application listed here should be the person who can respond to communications with clarifying or additional details about the project. Please ensure the rest of your profile information is up to date.

It can be accessed from the avatar at the top right corner of your browser window Project Lead for this Application / Title Project Lead for this Application / Email 1 of 18 Project Information If select Fail , a comment is required to identify the reason(s) the application is not eligible for review and Please list which criteria were not met by the applicant in your comment: Unauthorized use of funds Procurement standards not met Increase in capacity for Birth-5 year olds not met Hours of operation not met Project Lead for this Application / Phone Number Is the fiscal agent for this project different than entities identified in the User Profile?

As noted in the RFP Guidance , the KCCTF seeks to expand licensed child care slots in a community with support for the child care workforce front of mind .

Applicant organizations must be able to comply with Kansas Child Care Licensing laws and regulations and projects can involve child care facilities located in single-family dwelling or The following questions are asking for specific details on your project facilities and staffing Is this a multi-site project?

Facility Address Information Provide the physical address for the facility location(s) funding will be used to construct, expand, or renovate (even if the same in your User Profile). Facility Name Street City County Zip Code Facility Operation Days and Hours Provide days and hours of operation for each facility.

Please note : facilities supported with this funding must operate full-day (generally a minimum of 9 hours/day) and year-round (generally a minimum 5 days/week). Facility Name Operation Days Operation Hours Which of the following best describes your proposed facility project?

Operations and Construction > ***Please note***: Licensed facilities that do not operate full-day or serve children birth to 5 years are NOT ELIGIBLE (e.g., > Preschools and School Age Programs). Refer to the KDHE licensing options for more information. For your project, is there lead paint to be abated/remediated?

Lead paint poses a significant health hazard. Particularly in a child care setting, it is difficult to justify the risk and expense of lead paint abatement and remediation rather than building new. My project does not contain construction.

Do your local procurement policies meet or exceed federal procurement procedures as outlined in this All recipients of federal grant funds are required to have written procurement procedures. All procurements, regardless of dollar amount, must be conducted to provide “maximum open and free competition. ” procurement practice.

The KCCTF recommends utilizing procurement procedures outlined in this document, which is a summation of relevant principles and requirements from Public Law 103-355 Project Information / Child Care Services Describe the services that the facility will offer in addition to direct care for children enrolled and families.

This may include services such as on-site screening, nontraditional hours, coordinated health and/or social services, child/family events, community events, or anything else unique to your project and your community. Project Information / Child Care Assistance Do you plan to enroll with DCF to serve families receiving child care assistance?

Please explain why you do not plan to enroll or are unsure about enrolling with DCF to serve families receiving child Project Information / Child & Adult Care Food Program Do you plan to participate in the Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)? Please explain your decision to not participate in the CACFP or why you are unsure about participating. Project Information / Staffing Describe the project staffing plan.

In your staffing plan response, be sure to speak to approaches and strategies on the following: * Roles/assignments *(identify a qualified primary care provider (day care homes) or program director (child care centers), if known)* * proposed wages for child care facility staff, * Utilization of statewide or local resources to support professional development and increase quality of care.

Project Information / Recruitment and Retention Describe strategies the project will use to recruit and retain highly qualified professionals. In your response, please include plans for how you will collect and utilize data on staff turnover.

Be sure to note how your strategies will relate to factors such as: * the local community environment (workforce availability and competitive wages) * program and licensing policies * professional development opportunities * coaching/mentorship As noted in the RFP Guidance , the purpose of this funding is to support community approaches to addressing child care capacity , specifically through capital investments in physical child care facilities, supporting the launch or expansion of operations, and ensuring implementation of sustainable solutions.

Communities will utilize the funding to build or make critical improvements that create additional licensed child care capacity that aligns with health and safety requirements and addresses systemic challenges to sustained The following questions are asking for a summary of your project and at least three specific goals, objectives, and timeline for completion of your project.

If awarded, applicants will be asked to report on these stated goals in progress updates Provide a concise description of the project and children to be served. Include the projected number of additional children you’ll be licensed to serve as a direct result of this project. **This is a summary we can use to publicly describe the project.

** Describe the first goal you aim to achieve with your project, noting required questions in the sidebar. **For each Goal, you must include:** * Measurable Objective (s) * List of Activities to reach those objectives * Person(s) Responsible * Timeline for completion Describe the second goal you aim to achieve with your project, noting required questions in the sidebar.

**For each Goal, you must include:** * Measurable Objective (s) * List of Activities to reach those objectives * Person(s) Responsible * Timeline for completion Describe the third goal you aim to achieve with your project, noting required questions in the sidebar.

**For each Goal, you must include:** * Measurable Objective (s) * List of Activities to reach those objectives * Person(s) Responsible * Timeline for completion Describe the fourth goal you aim to achieve with your project, noting required questions in the sidebar.

**For each Goal, you must include:** * Measurable Objective (s) * List of Activities to reach those objectives * Person(s) Responsible * Timeline for completion Describe the fifth goal you aim to achieve with your project, noting required questions in the sidebar.

**For each Goal, you must include:** * Measurable Objective (s) * List of Activities to reach those objectives * Person(s) Responsible * Timeline for completion As noted in the RFP Guidance , strong proposals will reference approaches and solutions that are both based on community needs and data and seek to meet that identified The following questions are asking for details on your local community's need for child care, and how your community provided input* on your project.

*Community/public input obtained prior to the application submission date. Community Needs / Child Care Characteristics Describe the underlying characteristics of child care within the community and how your project addresses those Illustrate your ongoing community needs and explain how your project supports the priorities identified by the community.

Be sure to explain how you plan to monitor child care trends over time (i.e. changes in child care capacity and types of care available in your community). You can use local data collected and/or refer to the reliable data resources provided on the All in for Kansas Kids - Communities webpage to support your narrative.

Capital Improvements / Need Describe the need for capital improvements (new construction, renovation, expansion), if applicable, to expand child care capacity in the community. Be sure to address how you know capital improvements are a necessary part of your community's child care capacity solution, specifically noting preferences of local families for center or home-based care (if known).

*Note:* If your project is not requesting funding for capital improvements, please write "N/A" in the text box. Capital Improvements / Proximity Describe proximity of the facility project to other child care facilities, businesses, and community-based services.

Be sure to address what consideration has been given to the impact of your project on surrounding child care facility owners/ operators, as well as family needs for other services or businesses nearby. *Note:* If your project is not requesting funding for capital improvements, please write "N/A" in the text box. Community Needs / Efforts Describe prior formal or informal efforts to address the community child care needs.

Be sure to speak to how you identified needs for these prior efforts, what progress was made, and gaps that remain. Does your community have formal action plan that includes proposed solutions for child care? A formal action plan documents the execution of the project plan and work that must be done to complete the project goals, including the action steps that are involved in getting from the start of the project to the finish.

Please describe strategies your community has identified to address child care capacity needs. Describe methods to collect community input that informed this project. Be sure to speak to how the voices or input of local businesses (including existing child care facility owners/operators), families, the child care workforce, and community members at large informed the project.

As noted in the RFP Guidance , applicants should demonstrate experience and readiness , particularly with community collaboration, managing capital and/or development projects (if your project includes construction), ability to respond to federal reporting requirements, and provide high-quality early learning programming.

The following questions are asking for details on your overall organization(s) and project readiness based on the goals of the Accelerator opportunity. Readiness / Project Staffing Summary Describe the applicant's ability to successfully oversee and complete the project Be sure to address the ability to manage operations following completion.

Readiness / Project Staffing Details Identify the individuals directly involved in managing and executing the project (both internal/external to the lead organization if applicable) . Describe each individual's role on the project and direct applicable experience. Readiness / Project Expertise and Experience Describe the applicant’s expertise, direct experience, and fiscal accounting principles.

Be sure to address how experience and expertise specifically relates to the project (e.g., child care facility operation), construction and renovation, capital grants and publicly funded contracts, federal reporting requirements, and ability to comply with state licensing requirements and local codes (zoning, fire) for child care businesses.

Readiness / Project Experience with Data Describe the applicant's experience collecting data and storing data to ensure privacy and security. Collaboration Describe the established community collaboration (e.g. child care task force, early childhood coalition, etc.) or core workgroup focused on child care.

In addition to the description of the overall collaboration, please address the following: * Describe the structure of the collaboration * Describe the agreed-upon decision-making process * Identify when the group/collaboration was established and how often the List members, organizations, and sectors represented in your Collaboration described above.

Member Name Organization Sector (e.g. child care, public health, business, faith based, etc.) Community Champion / Name, Organization, Title Identify the project Community Champion that will be directly involved throughout the life of the project and funding A Community Champion is someone who consistently monitors the broader community needs and is committed to identify solutions driven by the needs of the community.

Community Champion / Role and Involvement Describe the individual's involvement with the community in general. Be sure to note their connection to collecting input and data as it relates to community assessments and planning, experience with child care facility operations, and/or any other information relevant to the project.

As noted in the RFP Guidance , projects should result in increased child care capacity and have a positive impact to meet unique community needs. The following questions are asking for details on the impact of your project on the local child care capacity and workforce. Impact / Child Care Facility Supply Describe how the project will improve the supply of local licensed child care facilities serving children birth to five.

Support your response with timely and reliable data (ex. Child Care Aware Point in Time Data, local scans or surveys), including how the facility increase will compare to demand/need for child care capacity in the community/service area(s). Impact / Child Care Capacity Indicate how many NEW child care slots your project will add for each age range.

Ages of Children Number of Children 2 Toddler: 12 months - 2 1/2 years 3 Preschooler: 2 1/2 - 5 years 4 School Age: 6 - 12 years 5 Older School Age 13 - 16 years Reminder: While Accelerator projects may have greater community benefit, they MUST add licensed slots for children ages birth to Describe how the project will support families in the community.

Be sure to explain how your project will support families - including enrollment in child care, family engagement activities, family navigation to other services, and/or overall support for working families. Describe how the project will impact recruitment and retention of child care professionals in the community.

Be sure to address specifically how your project will support child care workers - including outlining any wage or benefit packages, recruitment or retention tactics, and family-friendly workplace tactics - and how your project will impact the workforce of the ***existing*** child care facilities in your area. Describe how this project will address employers’ needs for child care in your community.

Be sure to indicate the proximity of the child care facility to any major employers within the community or surrounding As noted in the RFP Guidance , the Accelerator goals include building an overall thriving and sustainable child care ecosystem and specifically investing in community projects with a sound sustainability plan. KCCTF will make awards based on the case for need, readiness, impact, and sustainability potential .

The following questions are asking for details on how your project will be sustained - and even expanded - following the investment of Accelerator funds. Project Sustainability Plan / Overall Describe the overall project sustainability plan. Project Sustainability Plan / Community Describe how the facility operations, will promote sustainability of service in the community.

Be sure to address specifically how the **staffing plan will promote sustainability without negatively impacting other local businesses and child care facilities**.

Include as many specifics as possible, including but not limited to: * recruitment and retention * compensation levels (wages and benefits) * professional development opportunities for staff * increasing quality of care and interactions for children * meaningful family and community engagement * quality initiatives Project Sustainability Plan / Families Describe how your project will ensure long-term attainability of child care for families in your community.

Be sure to explain how your project will make child care attainable **long-term** for families from all socioeconomic backgrounds in your community. Be sure to cite data - particularly income, family need, and child care cost information - to support your Project Sustainability Plan / Collaboration Describe how your collaboration structure (e.g., coalition, task force, workgroup) will be sustained, as necessary.

Be sure to address the ongoing role of the collaboration to continually monitor, advise, and make recommendations related to the implementation of the project. As noted in the RFP Guidance , the KCCTF does not have the capacity to be the sole funder of any project.

While there is no set minimum or maximum award amount, KCCTF aims to make awards in the range of $250,000 to $2,000,000 that help create long-term, transformational change for child care and encourages communities to submit collaborative projects that significantly close the child care capacity gap. Award amounts will be equitable yet customized based on the application and content, evidence, and impact.

The KCCTF expects communities to leverage public-private partnerships to launch and sustain projects, and strong proposals will contain solid The following questions are asking for details on your project funding request. Construction and operation funds # Innovation Communities (OPTIONAL) The following questions should be filled out ONLY if you are applying for the Innovation Communities opportunity. This is an OPTIONAL add-on request.

All Child Care Capacity Accelerator applicants are eligible to apply for the Innovation Communities add-on. To apply for the Innovation Communities add-on, you must also apply for the Child Care Capacity Accelerator grant. It is strongly recommended that you review the Innovation Community guidelines prior to completing this portion of the application.

Please complete all questions. Applicants must also submit a completed budget using required template under Those communities selected for the Child Care Innovation Communities initiative will receive support to help implement and evaluate the specific innovation strategy they have chosen. Participants will be expected to complete specific requirements related to their innovation strategies.

Review the Innovation Communities Guidelines and the Total Accelerator Grant Request List other funding and contributions the community has identified to support the project. Funding Source Cash or In-kind? Is this project still viable if awarded less than the requested amount?

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) - Prior Funding Has the applicant received any federal ARPA funding to specifically meet child care capacity needs for children birth to five years, for either this project or other projects? FAQ document for more information.

Technical assistance can be requested by completing the Technical Assistance If selected, communities will receive: o Funding to implement and test strategies from the identified innovation categories o Ongoing project support including monthly innovation coaching sessions o Support in developing a sustainability plan for each strategy o Promotional toolkit to support communications about project By applying for the Child Care Innovation Communities, you agree to the following requirements if selected: o Completing regular reporting requirements o Participating in co-creation session to develop shared project metrics o Attending monthly innovation coaching sessions o Attending grantee learning sessions o Promoting project and lessons learned with local partners, collaboratives, and/or media if applicable The Innovation Communities Optional Add-On will be reviewed separately from the rest of the Accelerator application.

If you are applying for the Innovation Community Add-On, you must answer all questions in this tab even if the information was provided in earlier sections of the application. Innovation Category Selection Please select up to two innovation categories.

Applicants may propose one strategy for implementation per Infant/Toddler Incentives Workforce Recruitment and Retention Non-Traditional Service Hours or Targeted Populations Public/Private Funding Partnerships Innovation Strategy Implementation Please describe your proposed strategy within your chosen innovation category and how you will implement it during the project period (July 2023-July 2024).

If you have selected two innovation categories, please describe each proposed strategy. Innovation Guidelines If you will engage any team members or partners not previously described, please include their role in your Please describe what makes you uniquely qualified to implement your chosen innovation strategy. If you selected two categories, please describe specific qualifications for both categories.

Increased Child Care Capacity Please describe how your chosen innovation strategy/strategies will increase the number of licensed child care slots in your community. Please include the estimated change in the number of slots. If you selected two categories, please provide separate responses for each strategy.

Please describe how your proposed strategies align with your broader Child Care Capacity Accelerator Innovation Communities Total Project Request Per the Innovation Communities guidelines , the maximum award amount is $250,000. *All Innovation Community projects must be completed by July 2024. * *You must also submit an Innovation Communities budget.

This can be uploaded as Attachment 2. 1 in the Attachments section. * Attachment 1: Project Organization Chart This is a PROJECT organizational chart.

The chart should include functions of the project, the relationship to one another, and names and titles of individuals relevant to the project. Click "Select File” and upload the Project Organization Chart titled "Attachment 1". **Accepted formats:** .

doc, . docx, . pdf Attachment 2: Project Budget & Budget Narrative Applicants must complete and submit the **Accelerator Budget Worksheet - linked here** providing detailed costs and timeline for expenses.

Costs for each category should be based on valid estimates and must be separated for construction and operation, if both apply to the project. Refer to this **budget guidance document** as needed. The explanation of project expenses - Other Revenue Sources - other sources of revenue for the project to ensure the 25% match requirement **Accepted formats:** The populated template linked above (.

xls, . xlsx) Attachment 2. 1: Innovation Communities Project Budget & Budget Narrative (optional) If you are applying for the Innovative Communities add-on, please complete and submit the **Innovation Communities Budget Worksheet**.

Please note budget should only reflect expenses for proposed Innovation Communities project. The template includes 2 tabs and each must be complete: - Budget template linked above (. xls, .

xlsx) Attachment 10: Proof of Collaboration Submit three letters from local partners and/or investors that include specific details about how the partner will contribute to or support the proposed project. Click 'Select File' and upload a file containing at least three proof of collaboration letters titled Attachment 10. *Note*: Please load 3 letters as one document.

**Accepted formats**: . doc, . docx, .

pdf # Acknowledgments and Assurances # Resources and Best Practices # Statement of Intent and Due Authority As an authorized representative of the Child Care Accelerator Applicant, I hereby submit this Application to the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund and acknowledge it may be reviewed and is accessible by the SPARK Committee, Kansas Office of Recovery, and Kansas Department for Children and Families.

I represent that the information and financial data contained herein are true and correct to the best of my knowledge.

I understand the following conditions apply to this Application: Additional information may be requested I authorize the Kansas Office of Recovery to independently verify any information contained in this Application; Acceptance and consideration of this Application does not constitute commitment for financial assistance by the I assure the alignment of this project with the Child Care Accelerator project purpose, goals, and target outcomes.

I assure this project will be constructed in accordance with the Child Care Accelerator grant program and all applicable I assure that all work performed and all material furnished for the project shall be in reasonable conformity with the plans, specifications, and any authorized revisions thereto, which have been approved by the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund as the Authorized Administrator of the Child Care Accelerator grants.

As the Child Care Accelerator grant project lead, or as an authorized representative of the Child Care Accelerator applicant, I certify that I have the due authority to submit this application on behalf of : (enter Lead Applicant Entity Name) Type your first and last name in the field below.

The authorized person for the application must read, agree, and sign the statement above for this to be considered an official Child Care & Community Data Kansas Point-In-Time Child Care data from Child Care Aware of Kansas Kansas Health Matters provides community health-related statistical data, local resources and gives communities the tools they need to read and understand the public health indicators that affect the quality of lives.

Annie E. Casey Foundation provides strategies, national and community-level data, grant opportunities, resources and tools to help strengthen communities. Kansas State Department of Education provides education reports.

available, facilitate community conversations and planning efforts, troubleshoot challenges, or just offer words of encouragement and support. Child Care Aware of Kansas Child Care Community Partnership Grants provides technical assistance and funding opportunities for Kansas communities working to address access to affordable, high-quality child care.

Kansas Department of Health & Environment provides steps and resources to open a licensed child care facility. Kansas Department of Health & Environment Facility Requirements: Laws, Regulations, and Policy Exceptions for licensed & group day care homes. KDHE - Local Surveyors Local county surveyor list and contact information.

Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities KCCTO is a statewide training office dedicated to provide quaility, accessible, professional development opportunities to famiy child care providers, child care center staff, and other early education professionals throughout Kansas. Kansas Department of Health & Environment a collection of various professional development training, coalitions and collaborations, grants, and tool kit resources.

Procurement Policy Best Practice All recipients of federal grant funds are required to have written procurement procedures. All procurements, regardless of dollar amount, must be conducted to provide “maximum open and free competition” procurement practice).

The KCCTF recommends utilizing procurement procedures outlined in this Best Practice document which is a summation of relevant principles and requirements from Public Law 103-355 and 2 CFR General Grant Development/Writing Best Practices Bring together the stakeholders who will impact or be impacted by the project to define the need and begin discussing a proposed approach.

Identify key partners and secure their commitment early in the process. Gather the data you will need to make your case. Get your team ready—secure the resources you need to prepare your application.

Develop a work plan/timeline based on specific requirements and due dates. Begin gathering letters of support and other documents, as required. It’s usually best to have one primary writer so the writing style is consistent.

Use your original abstract/summary as your foundation and add detail within each component. Remember you are telling a story—create a flow that makes your application easy to read and that builds your case from one section to another. Don’t commit to more than you can do within the budget allowed.

Be bold in your ideas but realistic in your commitments for this grant. Submitting the Application Plan to have several people review your draft and provide honest feedback—ideally including a “cold reader” who’s not familiar with your project. Check the application carefully against the Application Guidance to make sure you’ve answered all the questions and included everything that’s required.

Make sure spelling and punctuation are consistent and correct throughout. > Plan to submit at least a day before the deadline, in case of technical glitches or last-minute delays. > Take a very deep breath and congratulate yourself on a job well done!

Technical Assistance is intended to provide an opportunity for applicants to ask questions and think through concerns or challenges. Technical Assistance is not intended to complete, edit, or directly respond to content in an application. Rather, it is a tool to guide applicants in their work by providing clarity for specific questions.

Please note that utilization of Technical Assistance has no influence on the application review process and scoring or final award determination. How to Request Technical Assistance - All questions and requests for technical assistance must be submitted via the Technical Assistance Request Form . The technical assistance team will respond directly to individuals as quickly as possible via email, with follow-up phone calls as needed.

Information from technical assistance conversations may be used to populate additional applicant and grantee resources to ensure shared learning. The KCCTF will host a series of live Q&A webinars to address questions. Dates and times are outlined below, as well as on the All in for Kansas Kids - Accelerator website .

Questions and requests for accommodations may be submitted to ccaccelerator@ku. edu . You must register for the webinars to receive access details (registration information is below).

Webinars will be recorded and posted for those unable to attend. > Brief intro to RFP and then Q&A > Tuesday, March 21, 2023 > Thursday, April 6, 2023