Information for CYFAR Proposal for 2011-16

We are applying for a federal CYFAR grant that involves 4H Youth Development and Family Living educators in two counties to provide leadership for an innovative and scholarly project designed to foster early childhood outcomes. Parents, families, teachers and schools in underserved and/or urban communities are key audiences and partners in this project. Direct funding (real dollars!) will bolster local efforts (roughly $25,000-$46,000/year for up to 5 years). Proposals from interested sites were reviewed to determine the two finalist project sites in Kenosha & Sheboygan. A state proposal is being created and due November 10, 2010. If funded, the project has an anticipated start date of May 2011.

Resources:

CYFAR Information

CYFAR grant description: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/nea/family/cyfar/cyfar.html

CYFAR RFP 2011 (30 p., 135 k)

Raising a Thinking Child & I Can Problem Solve

website: http://www.thinkingchild.com

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Model Program Description: OJJDP Model Programs - RTC

Myrna Shure's website with project descriptions: strengthening families website

CYFER Net:   http://cyfernet.org/

Project Appleseed website (a parental involvement resource which includes a parental involvement toolbox): www.projectappleseed.org

Research:

Harvard Family Research Project; Family Involvement Interest Area: http://hfrp.org/family-involvement

Harvard Family Research Project (April, 2010). Family engagement as a systemic, sustained, and integrated strategy to promote student achievement. .  FINE-FamilyEngagementCommentary (7 p. 110 k)

From Harvard Family Research Project (Winter, 2006/2007).  Family involvement in elementary school children’s education. Family Involvement elementary (12 p. 217 k)

Harvard Family Research Project (Winter, 2006/2007).  Family involvement in early childhood education
Family Invovlement early childhood (8 p. 170 k)

Original Application Materials:

The original county RFP Request for Proposals (8 pages, 40kb)

An informational WisLine took place on June 29th.  An archive of the phone call is attached as an mp3 file here: Informational WisLine

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: The project description states that principals will be asked to provide written support for the project – do I have to obtain written support for the application due July 26th?

A: No; for the initial proposal, counties are asked to identify potential school partners, but not to get written support.  After finalist counties are identified in the fall, we will ask for principal support before the final proposal is submitted to NIFA in October.

Q: Where will the money be housed – at the counties or at the state level?

A: The money and budget will be managed at the state level.

Q: Can we use money to hire staff?

A: Yes, CYFAR money can be (and has been) used to hire additional staff to work on the project.

Q: Have the evaluation methods and measures been determined?

A:  Raising A Thinking Child and I Can Problem Solve have validated evaluation tools that will be used.   The benefit is that there will be common tools used across both sites.  However, other evaluation measures can and will be developed in response to the individual project components proposed by the counties. 

Q: Should I include a logic model or put forward evaluation methods when completing the initial application?

A: No, we will develop the evaluation tools with the finalist counties.

Q:  Can we use the Spanish language “Raising a Thinking Child” curriculum for this project?

A: Yes.

Q: The project description states that each year, a cohort of 10 will be included in the program.  I anticipate that there will be large attrition (especially in urban areas).  Do you expect us to recruit 10 families, with the possibility that half (or less) will participate (i.e. a cohort of 5)? Or should we recruit more with the goal of having about 10 families participate (e.g. recruit 15 families for a cohort of 8)?

A: We agree that attrition will be a factor, especially for a long-term project such as this.  However, the goal is that in any one year, we would have at most 10 families start with Raising a Thinking Child (e.g. plan to recruit a few extra parents (e.g. 12) in anticipation of no-shows). 

Long–term attrition rates are factored in to the design of the study.  We will be adding 10 new families each year – therefore by the end of the project, if we had 100% participation (which would not happen), there is the potential of having a total of 50 families in the project.  A more realistic 50% attrition rate would mean 25 families in the evaluation, more than sufficient number for CYFAR grant expectations. 

Additionally, more families can be included in the programs, but will not be in the CYFAR evaluation.  For example, families should be encouraged to join the 4-H club experience even if they were not part of the evaluation project, Raising a Thinking Child, or even in I Can Problem Solve classroom curriculum.