Innovations in Digital Equity & Access (IDEA) Grant

Innovations in Digital Equity & Access (IDEA) Grant is sponsored by ConnectALL Office, Empire State Development. Funds innovative, community-centered initiatives to improve digital equity outcomes including expanded digital literacy, broadband access and adoption, device access, privacy/safety, and accessibility of services.

NYS Consolidated Funding Application ConnectALL – Digital Equity Program: Innovations in Digital Equity & Access (IDEA) Grant Is the Applicant responding to the ConnectALL Digital Equity Program: Innovations in Digital Equity & Access (IDEA) Grant Application? Has the Applicant operated for a minimum of three years in New York State serving New York residents? This is a conditional question.

If Yes is selected then Q_550 will be displayed What is the applicant's DBA name? This is a conditional question based on the answer to Q_12603 . This question displays when selecting the answer: " Yes " Contact ZIP Code (please use ZIP+4 if known) Primary Contact Phone Number.

(please include area code) Additional Project Contact First Name Additional Project Contact Last Name Additional Contact Telephone Number (please include area code) Additional Contact Email Address Upload a PDF file of the Applicant Entity/Organization’s latest Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax Form (990 Form). Name the file using the following naming convention: “ApplicantName_990_MM. DD.

YY”. Upload a single PDF file containing copies of audited or certified financial statements for the last three fiscal years. Name the file using the following naming convention: “ApplicantName_FinancialStatements_MM.

DD. YY”. Upload a single PDF file containing current resumes of maximum three key personnel leading implementation of the Proposed Project.

Name the file using the following naming convention: “ApplicantName_Resumes_MM. DD. YY” Complete and upload the Project Costs & Detail Template (in Excel format).

Name the file using the following naming convention: “ApplicantName_ProjectCostsAndDetail_MM. DD. YY” Upload three Letters of Support from local, county, and/or Tribal governments whose jurisdictions overlap with the proposed project and/or public, private, and nonprofit entities.

All letters must be signed and dated no more than six months before the date of application submission. Letters that do not specifically reference the project for which the Applicant is seeking funding will not be accepted. Combine multiple files into a single .

zip file if needed and name the file using the following naming convention: “ApplicantName_LettersOfSupport_MM. DD. YY”.

Applicants will generally be required to contribute a match of not less than 10% payable in cash towards the total project cost in the form of equity contributed. Equity is generally defined as cash injected into the project by the Recipient and should be auditable through financial statements or accounts, if so requested by ESD. Equity cannot be borrowed money secured by the assets in the project.

In the event an Applicant attests that they cannot fulfill the cash-match equity contribution requirement, the Applicant must request a waiver as part of the application process to contribute less than 10% cash-match or to make in-kind contributions in lieu of cash contributions. Applicant must provide a justification for any such waiver request which ESD, in its sole discretion, will consider.

If applicable, upload the Match Contribution Waiver Request using the following naming convention: “ApplicationName_MatchContributionWaiverRequest_MM. DD. YY”.

Upload a PDF file of the Applicant’s 501 (c) (3) form and/or other qualifying certification, establishing the applicant as either a nonprofit organization that is exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3) of the US Internal Revenue Code or otherwise eligible as per the RFA. Name the file using the following naming or like convention: “ApplicantName_501c3_MM. DD.

YY” EIN (enter as digits only, no dashes or spaces) Choice Options: Not-for-Profit Entity, Community Anchor Institution, Digital Equity Coalition or Network, County, City, Town, Village, Tribal Nation, Other Local Political Subdivision, Other (please specify) This is a conditional question.

If Not-for-Profit Entity is selected then these questions will be displayed: If Other (please specify) is selected then Q_19297 will be displayed Applicant Entity Type – Other (please specify) This is a conditional question based on the answer to Q_19296 .

This question displays when selecting the answer: " Other (please specify) " Please select the response that applies to your organization: Choice Options: My organization is prequalified in the Statewide Financial System (SFS), My organization is registered in the Statewide Financial System (SFS), My organization is not registered or prequalified in the Statewide Financial System (SFS) This is a conditional question based on the answer to Q_19296 .

This question displays when selecting the answer: " Not-for-Profit Entity " If the Applicant is a Not-for-Profit Entity, did you upload a PDF file of 501 (c) 3 as requested? This is a conditional question based on the answer to Q_19296 . This question displays when selecting the answer: " Not-for-Profit Entity " Describe your organization’s experience administering state and federal grants.

Provide up to three specific examples of grants your organization has administered. These examples should reference the type of grant, grant purpose, grant amount, period of performance, reporting requirements, and the overall grant impact. Describe how your organization managed the grant and how each example is relevant to this application.

Successful Applicants will demonstrate that they have the financial and operational capacity to administer the proposed project, including a minimum of three years conducting comparable or related work in New York State, demonstrated experience and proficiency with government grants and directing projects of comparable financial scale and complexity to what the Applicant has proposed.

Provide relevant detail to demonstrate this capacity. If the proposal aims to scale impacts through a Partnership, list all identified Partners that are necessary to deliver the proposed project. Explain how the Applicant identified the Partner(s), the specific skill or expertise of the Partner(s) that is needed to complete the project, and summarize the Partner role and responsibilities and management structure of the Partnership.

Please provide a brief (1-2 line) description of the proposed project. Summarize the purpose, scope, and intended outcomes of the proposed project. Include a description of how it aligns with the Digital Equity Program priorities.

Measurable objective(s) to be addressed by the proposed project: Choice Options: Availability and affordability of consumer devices and technical support for those devices, Awareness and adoption of affordable broadband options, Digital literacies and skills, Online accessibility and inclusivity of public resources and services, Online privacy and cybersecurity Program outcome area(s) to be addressed by the proposed project: Choice Options: Education, Economic well-being, Health and access to care, Civic engagement, Access to essential government services Describe the rationale for the proposed IDEA project by addressing each of the following: 1.

What specific digital equity gaps and opportunities will the project address? 2. How does the project align with identified Measurable Objective(s) and Outcome area(s)?

3. How does the proposed project represent a new resource, service, or capacity to address the gaps and opportunities identified? 4.

How was the proposed project informed by local need? Describe any community engagement conducted and/or how community feedback will inform the proposed approach. How will the proposed project accomplish the stated outcomes?

Include examples of prior success the proposed project builds upon. How will you evaluate the impact of the proposed project and what data and/or metrics will you use to track progress? Include previous program monitoring and evaluation experience and provide links to past reports or case studies, if applicable.

How will you share innovations and improvements with peer organizations and what experience do you have sharing knowledge with peer organizations? What is your plan to sustain or expand activities and/or impacts beyond the grant period? Please provide the total operating budget for the Applicant organization: Please note that the Applicant must contribute at least 10% of the Total Project Cost.

If you are requesting a waiver to the Applicant equity contribution, please confirm that you have uploaded the waiver form: Choice Options: Yes I have uploaded the waiver form, I am not requesting a match waiver Identify the goods, services, materials, equipment, or other contracts the Applicant will need to procure to execute the project. What are the New York State regions to be served by the proposed project (check all that apply)?

Choice Options: Capital Region, Central NY, Finger Lakes, Long Island, Mid-Hudson, Mohawk Valley, New York City, North Country, Southern Tier, Western NY What are the counties to be served by the proposed project?

Choice Options: Albany, Allegany, Bronx, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Erie, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Kings, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Nassau, New York, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Putnam, Queens, Rensselaer, Richmond, Rockland, St.

Lawrence, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westchester, Wyoming, Yates Select population(s) to be served by the proposed project.

Choice Options: Low-income individuals/households, Older adults (60 and older), Immigrants and refugees, Individuals with disabilities, Incarcerated individuals, Formerly incarcerated individuals, Individuals with language barriers, Racial/ethnic minority communities, Residents of rural areas, Veterans, Youth, All individuals/households, Additional group(s) not listed above If applicable, please specify the other population(s) to be served by the proposed project.

Estimated total number of individuals to be served or reached over the grant period by the Proposed Project How many individuals do you serve today? Enter your name to certify that you/the Applicant understands that funds for this Program will be disbursed in arrears as reimbursement following completion of milestones and submission of invoices and proof of payment.

Failure to enter your name may result in your application being deemed ineligible. By entering your name in the box below, you certify that you are authorized on behalf of your organization and its governing body to submit this application.

You further certify that all of the information contained in this application and in all statements, data and supporting documents which have been made or furnished for the purpose of receiving assistance for the project described in this application, are true, correct and complete to the best of your knowledge and belief.

You acknowledge that offering a written instrument knowing that the written instrument contains a false statement or false information, with the intent to defraud the State or any political subdivision, public authority, or public benefit corporation of the State, with the knowledge or belief that it will be filed with or recorded by the State or any political subdivision, public authority, or public benefit corporation of the State, constitutes a crime under New York State Law.