[NEW] There is an eligibility question that asks for a “site name.” We don’t operate with sites, per se. We operate in the schools during the school year and for our summer program we rent outdoor space. We are in the process of narrowing our options for the camp location and it’s not “our site” anyway. What should we list for site location in the application?
Provide the location address for one of your expected sites.  We understand that some programs have more than one site, and that those sites may be parks or rented spaces. The primary objective with requesting the site information is to understand where programs are being offered and confirm that the sites are in Washington. If you’re funded and need to edit the site information in the spring (provided it’s still in the same vicinity) that won’t be a problem.

[NEW] Our music summer camps promote the social connections and physical activities required in the RFP, through workshops that include self-defense, dance parties, performance and movement elements. Would breaks outdoors (scheduled into the day, and both structured and unstructured play time) be considered competitive for this grant, to meet the “outdoor activities” requirement? While not being a sports or environmental education program, we incorporate significant physical movement and play time into our programming.
What you describe sounds like it would meet all three programmatic requirements of the funding: social connections, physical activities, and outdoor activities.

[NEW] How do we confirm our eligibility for the 2022 Summer Program Fund grant?
When you begin the actual online application, you’ll be required to confirm your eligibility before you’ll be able to provide information about your organization, priority populations, and summer program. You must confirm that your organization: 1) will provide a 2022 summer program for young people; 2) will adhere to Washington State Department of Health protocols; 3) is a nonprofit community-based organization, a small business or a public agency; and 4) will serve young people ages 4-21 in Washington State, enrolled in or receiving services provided by a K-12 school.  Regarding programming, you must confirm that you will: 1) include activities designed to strengthen social connections among young people; 2) include physical activities; 3) include outdoor activities; 4) be provided on multiple days and/or over multiple weeks; and 5) be provided in-person or mostly in-person.

[NEW] We are a new non-profit organization interested in applying for the summer program fund. We have submitted our application for 501c3 status with the IRS and are currently waiting for approval. Do we qualify for the grant?
Your organization is not required to provide proof of 501(c)(3) status, but it must be a nonprofit community-based organization, a small business or a public agency. Please be sure to include your EIN  in your application. 

[NEW] We are in the process of becoming a fiscal sponsor to another nonprofit organization. The agreement will not be finalized before the submission deadline but will be finalized by the award of the grant. Are we eligible to apply?
Yes, you’re eligible. Upload a letter that explains the timing of the fiscal sponsor process. If the organization you’re sponsoring is successful in receiving funding, we’ll need verification that the fiscal sponsor relationship is in place before the funding decisions are made.

[NEW] We run two summer programs, one in Central Kitsap and one in North Kitsap.  Do we fill out two applications or just one? And if one application, would we combine the information for BIPOC and priority populations, since we’re getting these numbers from OSPI?
Each organization may only submit one application, (unless an organization is the fiscal  sponsor applying on their own, and also serving as fiscal  sponsor for another applicant). Regarding data for multiple sites, the data you use should reflect the young people you intend to serve. Rather than think about data for Central Kitsap separate from data for North Kitsap, think of the full group of young people who will be served at the two sites, and provide the data that you think best represents those young people who will participate in your summer program.

When you say that each organization is required to serve young people under 21, what if our organization serves both people under and over 21? Would we still qualify?
You would still qualify, but the funds awarded would need to be used only for services to young people under 21. In other words, we understand that different age groups may be served together in your program, but these funds must only support your young people who are under age 21.

Can organizations who are designing new (never been done before) summer programs submit an application?
Yes, as long as your organization meets the eligibility to apply, and the program you’ll provide meets the programmatic requirements.

Would an overnight 5 day/4 nights summer camp be eligible?
Yes. Given that it’s multi-day even though not multi-week.

Would a child daycare program for children with disabilities qualify?
Yes, provided all of the eligibility and programming requirements outlined in the RFP are met. This includes delivering summer programming that serves young people ages 4-21 who are connected to the K-12 system. 

Are colleges and universities eligible for funding?
Colleges and universities are eligible for funding to provide summer programming to young people ages 4-21, who are connected to the K-12 system for educational supports. The college/university must meet the eligibility and programmatic requirements outlined in the RFP.

Is the funding open to school/camp programs in South Africa?
Programs must serve young people from Washington.

Our program would serve children from birth to 12. Does that qualify?
You may apply for funding for summer programming for young people ages four and older, provided the program meets the requirements. These funds will not support summer programming for children under age four.

Can my organization qualify if our program already receives partial OSPI funding?
Yes.

Are tribes eligible to apply?
Yes.

Can young people who are homeschooled qualify as enrolled in the K-12 system?
Yes.

We are a brand new 501(c)(3). Are we eligible to apply?
Yes, as long as your summer program meets the requirements.

Would the priority population of youth with disabilities, including physical, developmental, and/or intellectual disabilities; or special health care needs be inclusive of neurodivergent young people, including those who have high-functioning autism?
Yes.

What criteria are you using to determine if a business qualifies as a small business?
Applicants considering applying as small businesses should consult RCW 19.85.020 that includes the small business definition, to make their own determinations on eligibility. Specifically:, “small business” means any business entity, including a sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity, that is owned and operated independently from all other businesses, and that has fifty or fewer employees”

Our organization has multiple affiliates across the state.  They each have their own 501(c)(3) and their own tax ID numbers. Would each affiliate be eligible to apply separately for these funds?
Yes, any affiliate that has its own 501(c)(3) may submit an application. 

We are a nonprofit that received a 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant for afterschool and summer programming. We are implementing a summer program for our grantee sites. While we partner with the school district, we would be the applicant for the 2022 Summer Program Fund and we are responsible for our own programming. Are we eligible?
Yes, your nonprofit organization is eligible as long as you are the applicant and funds are used to provide 2022 summer programming that you deliver. We understand that nonprofits may partner with school districts in a number of ways to provide summer programming for young people. However, school districts may not be the recipient of these funds directly or through a subcontract.

If this summer funding is designed to serve K-12 students, why aren’t school districts eligible to apply?
OSPI has other funds dedicated to support summer programming in school districts

We received funding from the 2021 Summer Program Fund. Are we eligible to apply again for the 2022 Summer Program Fund?
Yes.

Could a child care center apply for these funds to provide a summer program that includes social connections and physical and outdoor activities?
Yes, as long as other eligibility and programmatic requirements are met.

The company I work for is a community-based organization and otherwise fits the criteria outlined, but we are not non-profit.  Would we qualify to apply for this fund?
Nonprofit community-based organizations including religious organizations, will be prioritized for 2022 Summer Program funding. Small businesses and public agencies are eligible to apply. If your company is a small business as defined in the RCW then you are eligible to apply.

We offer a summer program, inclusive of outdoor and physical activities and social connection. The program does not include religious instruction; however, we may include activities such as saying a prayer at a meal or using a biblical character in a lesson. Would we be eligible?
No. Funds to religious organizations may not support religious programming or materials, nor can participation in religious activities (such as prayers or lessons with a religious purpose) be a required component for youth participants.

[NEW] We are a fiscally sponsored nonprofit, and have a copy of the agreement from 2017 that established the relationship. Is that documentation sufficient, or do we need something current?
You need to submit a current letter from the fiscal-sponsor organization that confirms the fiscal-sponsor relationship and that also includes the sponsoring organization’s EIN (employer identification number).

If we don’t have staff hired and children enrolled in the summer program yet, how are we going to estimate demographics for this application?
Explain what is typical of your program, if you’ve offered it before, and who you intend to serve. If you expect that 2022 will be different than 2021 or other previous years, discuss that in your narrative, specifically your outreach plan and target communities. Please present the demographics of your existing staff and use the narrative to explain if you expect that demographics for new staff to be hired may differ from demographics of the existing staff. 

Besides being listed on the Elevate WA website, does receiving an award open up any avenues for families of youth to find out about the existence of our programming?
Although programs are occasionally featured in SOWA communications, the primary avenue it opens up is the program directory.

We anticipate different data for the populations we serve in future years than we saw this past summer due to the COVID conditions we were operating under. Should we provide our estimates in the data section or leave the data section blank and explain in the narrative portion? For example, this summer we had 30% of our camp participants that were BIPOC but in our non-COVID times we were closer to 50% BIPOC and we anticipate getting back to that.
You may provide data for the population you expect to provide in 2022, given your expectation that it would reflect previous years, although not 2021. Include a brief explanation in your narrative so that reviewers have the full picture.

Does the reference to  “engage” refer to marketing, recruitment, and retention? Or what will happen in the program once it begins?
We’re asking you to tell us about the young people in your community and how you’ll connect with them. To a great extent” engage” refers to recruitment. In the first narrative question you’ll be able to tell us about your prior experience with the youth you’ll serve, specifically how you will do outreach and connect with them.

Can you say more about what you want to hear in response to the question about how we plan to implement our program? Is this mostly a timeline question?
We want to hear about your implementation plan. Your answer to this question should include discussion of the tasks required to operationalize including hiring staff, recruiting young people, and delivering programming. 

Can we use a mix of data – such as census and school data – for proxy data?
Yes, provided you have a reasonable methodology which you believe is accurate.  In the narrative, you can further explain how the data relates to your program’s youth population.

We have an organization that may be interested in applying for this (we are the org’s fiscal agent). The applying org doesn’t have a board of directors yet. Should we answer the questions about board composition based on our board as the fiscal agent?
Yes, as fiscal agent, your board should act as board until the applying organization for which you are a fiscal sponsor has a board of its own. 

If our proposed summer program targets a different demographic than our regular (September to June) programming, should we report the expected demographics of the summer-specific programming, or of our overall program?
Report the demographics for the summer program. 

I’m having trouble accessing the online application because of a firewall setting at my work. Is it possible to submit my application in a word document?
We’re sorry you’re having trouble, but all applications must be submitted online. We will not accept submissions in any other format. 

If the security or firewall settings at your workplace do not allow access to the online application, we advise trying a computer or device in a space with less restrictive security settings such as a local library or a home computer. 

Can we use data sources from regional health district reports?
Yes. In your narrative explain why this is a relevant data source for your program and include the information that you do have about your young people. 

Do we need any kind of letter from our larger organization if we are applying as a program of that organization?
No.

Our summer program is fiscally sponsored by a nonprofit organization.  Does this mean that if we are applying for our own nonprofit we still need a letter?
If you are currently fiscally sponsored by another organization and are applying for your own nonprofit status but have not received it, you still need a letter from your fiscal sponsor.

For a particular program, is there a minimum percentage of youth required to be BIPOC or from families in poverty?
No. We are trying to support programs that are serving young people in all the priority populations; there’s no minimum specific to any one priority population.

So for example, if a program has 50 BIPOC/poverty youth and 50% are NOT BIPOC/poverty, that is ok?
Yes.

Do we provide demographics for all the young people we serve, or just those who we expect will participate in Summer 2022?
2022 summer funding prioritizes young people furthest from education justice, as defined by the priority populations outlined in the application. You should provide this information for the young people who will participate in your 2022 summer program, to the best of your ability.

How is SOWA distinguishing among staff, volunteers, leadership and board members?  Some of the people in our organization serve in multiple roles.
We understand that the distinctions among roles are not always clear cut, particularly in smaller organizations. In question #2 we ask applicants about the percentages of individuals in each role category whose identities/lived experiences fall within any of the priority population categories:

1. Staff and volunteers working directly with young people should include staff who have no program oversight or supervision responsibilities and volunteers who serve no role other than working directly with young people.
2. Program leaders are those who oversee and supervise programming. They may also work directly with young people, but they have leadership responsibilities within the program.
3. Board members are volunteers. Those volunteers who work with young people in the summer program but also serve on the board of directors, should be counted as part of the board of directors.

Can the online application be saved so that we can do part of it and then return to finish it later?
Yes. There are directions provided in the application on how to save your work part way through, and return to finish it later. However, the application also provides a template for downloading which allows you to compose all of your answers offline, and then paste them into the online application.

Is it possible to get a copy of our application once we’ve submitted it?
Yes. Applicants will get a PDF copy of their applications after they hit submit. Wait on the confirmation page for one minute as it downloads.

What is a UBI (unified business identifier)?
A UBI number is a nine-digit number that registers you with several state agencies and allows you to do business in Washington State. A UBI number is sometimes called a business license number. You apply through the Washington Department of Revenue. Business Licensing and renewals FAQs | Washington Department of Revenue

What is an EIN (employer identification number)?
An EIN is a federal tax identification number.

If we do not collect data about our young people, will that hurt our application?
We know that some programs don’t collect data about their young people. We want to make this funding as accessible as possible, while also understanding the priority populations being served. For organizations that do not collect data, the narrative response in the application will be particularly important. In your answer, be as specific as possible about the youth communities you serve and what you know about them.

What if we collect some data on our young people, but others are estimates?
We understand that for some organizations, data collection is a mix. In the application, please indicate the data source that most accurately describes your organization’s data collection currently. Explain the distinctions in your narrative.

What time on December 6th is the application due?
The online application must be submitted by 11:59 PM on Wednesday, December 6, 2021.

Are economic and racial inequities for the students being considered equally or is there weight placed on one or the other?
These data were weighted equally in determining the goals for distribution of funds by region.

My organization has both established summer programs for youth furthest from educational justice, and new initiatives for our camps that are designed to increase diversity, equity and inclusion, and racial justice in particular. Is it more competitive to apply with something established, or something new that will potentially increase racial equity in our organization?
Keep in mind that the demographics of the young people served will be considered by the reviewers, as well as the representativeness of the staff and board. We recommend that given your program model, you decide which approach would be the best fit – established programs or new initiatives.

I assume all programming should be offered to the youth free of charge?  Free tuition/no fees, not reduced tuition and fees?  Is there any guidance for what to do if youth sign up but don’t show up and participate as expected?
There is no requirement that programming be offered free of charge. Do keep in mind that reaching the priority populations is important to consider in fee-based programs, as well as whether the fees may be a barrier to young people being able to access the programming. 

Can any of the outdoor activities be in Oregon for our Southwest Washington students? So many of the things in Portland would be more meaningful for students than things they can do here on their own.
The requirement is that the funds serve Washington’s young people. There are no restrictions on having those young people participate in activities outside of Washington State. 

How can we name specific physical activities if we don’t have a plan yet?
The reviewers will need to see a sufficient plan in order to determine whether your program meets the requirements.  We understand that you’ll add details over time. 

We typically end our events with “good night. sleep tight. don’t let the bed bugs bite. God bless you.” Would that be considered religious programming?
We would not consider that general statement to be religious programming.

How long can summer programs run?
We are defining summer programs as those provided to young people between school years. The end of the summer program is when school starts in your region and young people return to classrooms.

We already have a summer program that runs Monday-Friday, six hours/day. We’d be adding program pieces with this funding. Should we describe our full summer program, or just the pieces we’ll be adding with these funds?
You should describe your full summer program, which will allow reviewers to better understand the context in which young people will experience the components – social connections and physical and outdoor activities – that are required by the 2022 Summer Program Fund. If the program pieces you will be adding will introduce social connection, physical or outdoor activities to your program then please explain that.

Does contact hours mean in-person hours?
Contact hours relate to the programming you provide for young people which may be fully in-person, or a hybrid of in-person and virtual. 

If our program serves young people from more than one region, should we talk about it that way or should we try to focus on just one region?
If the program for which you’re requesting funding spans multiple regions – such as a camp that draws young people from two or more regions – talk about that in your narrative. There’s an opportunity in the application to designate all of the counties you serve. We will consider the regions in which young people are served when determining geographic equity, so it’s helpful to fully understand all of the regions served by summer programs.

Is there a requirement for program length?
There is not a set requirement but the program must be offered over multiple days or weeks, rather than as a one-time activity. We know the number of hours and days will vary by program.  You will be asked to indicate program duration, days per week, and length of day for your program through a dropdown menu in the application.

Our organization offers multiple summer programs that vary in terms of program duration and hours. How should we respond to the questions in the application asking about program duration and program-day length?
We understand that for some organizations, you may offer multiple summer programs that differ in their structure and dosage. Please select the summer program most representative of your organization’s offerings to respond to the checkbox questions regarding program duration, number of days per week the program is offered, and program-day length.

Please note that for the demographic section, you should provide information for young people across all of your organization’s summer programs.

Our program has a strong component of building social connections among young people, but we do not offer activities that are outdoor or physical. Would our application be competitive?
No. To be competitive, programs must support social connections among young people and also provide outdoor and physical activities.

If young people participate in physical activity right before they come to us (in the morning for example, before an afternoon program), would that be acceptable?
No. The summer program must meet all of the programmatic requirements directly. 

Our summer program works with young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Numbers of young people participating are lower than for other summer programs serving similar ages.  How would this be scored?
In your narrative, explain why the program design is appropriate in terms of the number of young people served, based on what you know about your population. 

The RFP states: these funds may not be used for 1:1 programming. Can you clarify what you mean by 1:1 programming?
One of OSPI’s goals for this funding, (which was directed by the legislation), is that it be used to support social connections among young people. Summer programs that focus solely or primarily on 1:1 (one adult to one youth) activities would not meet the eligibility criteria.

Can you provide an example of activities that would be included as “physical activity”?
Reviewers will be looking for applicants to describe how they’ll provide opportunities for young people to actively move their bodies and expend energy.  

The RFP is focused on summer programs that provide social connections and physical and outdoor activities. What about other types of summer programming?  Is that all we can do?
We understand that programs offer a spectrum of summer opportunities for young people. To be eligible for this funding, strengthening social connections among young people and engaging them in physical and outdoor activities must be priorities for programs; these components may be  integrated into your summer program. 

The application asks programs to note all types of programming they provide. In addition, the narrative will require that you explain exactly what will be offered to young people specific to strengthening social connections, as well as the specifics of the physical activities, and the outdoor activities you will provide. 

Do young people need to be enrolled in summer school, or receiving services like summer meals provided by a K-12 school? Or do they just need to be enrolled in the local K-12 public school district in general?
They do not need to be participating in summer school or receiving any summer specific services provided by a K-12 school system.  They just need to be enrolled in, or receiving services from a K-12 school at some point during the school year.

Our summer program engages students in the arts while preparing them with skills to stay engaged in school. We take our students outside on walking excursions to gather items found in nature (leaves, ferns, sticks and branches, tree bark) to use in their projects. I wonder if this would meet the requirement to “engage young people in physical and outdoor activities.”
In addition to outdoor activities, there must also be physical activities which may or may not occur outdoors. Reviewers will be looking for applicants to describe how they’ll provide opportunities for young people to actively move their bodies and expend energy through physical activities.

How many kids do we need to serve in our summer program in order to receive funding?
There will be different approaches to summer programs, based on many factors. There is not a required number of young people who must be served, or set requirements for contact hours or program duration. The application will ask you to quantify the number of young people you will serve, as well as contact hours, duration, and program type. 

Will we receive all of our funding up front, or will some be delayed to a second payment? Is this a cost-reimbursable contract?
The bulk of funding will be up front, but you may receive a second, smaller payment upon submission of a closing report. This will not be a cost-reimbursable contract.

Can funds be used to pay for lunches?
Yes.

Must the funding be directed to new programs or can it be applied to existing programs which we intend to offer in Summer 2022?
Funding may be directed to new or existing programs as long as they meet the programmatic requirements and those costs are not addressed by other funding sources.

Is there any guideline about how many youth contact hours are expected per $1000 of funding?  For example a formula of number of youth served, or hours per youth?
No. Reviewers’ scoring of priority youth population to be served is heavily weighted. As we determine award amounts, we do apply a bit of a weighting for number of youth and total number of contact hours (taking into consideration hours/day, days/week, and total number of weeks). We also understand that there are considerations for the needs of youth served and the costs of the actual programming. Our overall recommendation for all applicants is that they apply for what they need within the range.

We spent twice as much in 2021 as 2020, will our reward be tied to the amount we spent in 2020 as that is the last full fiscal year for our organization.
Award sizes are not tied to your organizational budget. We’re asking that you tell us what you need and in determining award sizes we’ll look at the number of youth, the number of contact hours and geographic equity considerations.

May we ask for a range of funding? We’re concerned that if we ask for too much money we may not be funded at all.
Please do not request a range.  Specify the amount you need within the $10,000-$50,000 range. The requested amount is not a consideration in whether an application is deemed successful.  For applications that meet the programmatic requirements and are recommended by peer reviewers, we’ll make determinations on award size based on geographic funding equity goals as well the number of youth and the number of contact hours. Successful applicants may receive awards that are less than the requested amount .

We are currently the fiscal agent for an “incubating” organization that will eventually become its own 501c3. The incubating organization will be carrying out the direct services. Should we fill out the operating budget based on the incubating organization’s budget or on our budget as the fiscal agent?
The organizational budget information requested in the application should be for the organization that will be carrying out the program, not the fiscal agent.

Could we use part of the funds to provide scholarships for youth that may be facing monetary hindrances?
Yes.

Are these funds only available for Summer 2022, or will they be available in future summers?
At this point we have no information about future availability of funds.

Is this federal funding distributed by the state or Washington State funds?
These funds were originally federal funds but their use for the 2022 Summer Fund Program – including the requirements of social connections, physical activities and outdoor activities – was determined by the state legislature.

My organization intends to request the maximum amount of funds: $50,000. Is it possible that we would receive funding but for a smaller amount?
Yes, it’s possible that even if an application is successful, the amount of funding an organization receives could be less than they request. Adjusting funding may be necessary to fund more programs, and to meet equity goals for geography and priority populations.

How long do we have to spend the funds?
These funds should be used for expenses that are specifically related to your Summer 2022 program, which are not funded by other sources. All funds must be expended between the date you are notified you will receive funding and September 30, 2022.

What are the restrictions on uses of funds? Can these funds be used to purchase equipment?
There are a limited number of restrictions. Funds may not be used for lobbying, political or religious activities/instruction. They may not be used toward an expense that is already covered by another funding source. (No double dipping.) Funds also may not be used for equipment with a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit acquisition cost more than the lesser of your organization’s capitalization level or $5,000. 

If our organization is partnering with another organization to provide our summer program, can we ask for funding that will be shared with this partner?  Or is the expectation that we spend the entire funding within our organization?
Your organization may subcontract with another organization, or share the funding. You do not need to describe the budget specifics, but you should mention your relevant partnerships in question #3.  All funding must be used toward 2022 summer programming. 

Can more guidance be provided regarding how much to ask for? 
2022 summer programs may request between $10,000 and $50,000. You should base your request on the amount of funding you need to support or partially support summer 2022 programming that meets the criteria described in the RFP. 

What budget forms or budget information will we be required to submit?
No budget forms are required. The budget information we need is: 1) your organization’s total operating expenses for your most recently completed fiscal year; 2) the end date for your fiscal year; and 3) the amount your program is requesting, between $10,000 and $50,000, which must be used for 2022 summer program expenses that are not covered by any other funding source.

Can we use the funds for expenses that will assist in our summer program, but aren’t specific to it, such as computers?
No. These funds should be used for expenses that are specifically related to your summer 2022 program that are not funded by other sources.

Can we apply the funds to transportation expenses?
Transportation expenses specifically related to your summer program are allowable provided you carry appropriate insurance.

Can we use the funding for multiple 2022 summer programs, or multiple sites?
Yes, as long as each program meets both the eligibility and programmatic requirements. However, only one application is allowed per organization, and funding requests per organization can’t exceed $50,000. You’ll want to describe each of the multiple programs or program sites in your application narrative.

How will SOWA determine which programs receive funding?
The primary goal of this funding is to expand opportunities for young people furthest from educational justice and support their engagement in summer programs. Those programs must: 1) include activities designed to strengthen social connections among young people; 2) include physical activities; 3) include outdoor activities; 4) be provided on multiple days and/or over multiple weeks, and: 5) be provided in-person or mostly in-person. 

Along with reviewers’ scores, equitable representation among priority populations statewide and equitable geographic distribution will be criteria in SOWA’s review. Among competitive applications that meet the review criteria, small organizations will receive added consideration in SOWA’s final funding recommendations to OSPI.

How will SOWA determine how much funding programs receive?
All of the same criteria discussed above will be considered, as well as the number of young people engaged and the number of contact hours.

If our organization is headquartered in one region, but the location we are focusing on for the summer program is in a different region, which region will the funds be coming from? 
To meet the commitment to equitable geographic distribution, 2022 Summer Program funding will be distributed based on where summer programs will provide services, not where organizations are headquartered.

How many programs will receive funding?
The number of programs funded will depend on multiple factors, including: the total number of applications received; the total funding requested; equitable representation among priority populations statewide; and equitable geographic distribution.  We expect to fund 100-150 summer programs in 2022.

Must all the funds be applied only to the summer program?
Yes.

Will proof of insurance be required at the time of applying, or not until we are notified of the award?
Proof of insurance will be required after you’re notified of an award, as one of the contract requirements.

Under “Certifications” it talks about entering into a contract with School’s Out Washington. Please expand on what this is. What kind of contract?
All successful applicants will be required to sign a contract with School’s Out Washington. A sample contract is included here, for information purposes only. Please be aware the final contracts may have slight variations from the sample contract. If that is the case, changes will be highlighted for selected applicants before contract signatures are required.

Per the RFP, funded applicants will need to provide evidence of sufficient insurance. Can you provide more information about what constitutes sufficient insurance?
Funded applicants must comply with the insurance requirements set by OSPI in the insurance section of the General Terms and Conditions of the contract. Organizations funded through the 2022 Summer Program Fund will be considered subcontractors of SOWA in SOWA’s contract with OSPI. As such, funded organizations must carry insurance that meets OSPI requirements, including liability insurance that meets contracted limits, workers’ compensation insurance, and auto insurance (as appropriate.)  Prior to disbursing funds, SOWA will require certificates of insurance that name SOWA and OSPI as additional insureds.

Also under “Certifications”, it specifies the right to access the 990 Form and other financials for records for six years. Why is that and why is this necessary?
Our contract with OSPI requires records of both the contractor (SOWA) and all subcontractors (funded applicants) to be maintained for six years and for SOWA and OSPI to reserve the right of inspection and access.

I am interested in applying to be a reviewer. Will SOWA accept applications from potential reviewers outside of Washington?
We will accept applications from potential reviewers outside of Washington, provided they have experience related to youth development in Washington. We expect that reviewers most likely to be selected will be based in Washington who, in addition to meeting criteria for representation from priority populations and experience with application reviews, have regional knowledge and a thorough understanding of Washington’s youth development ecosystem. The peer reviewer application link can be accessed here.

Due to conflict of interest would peer reviewers be allowed to apply on behalf of an organization?
Applicants can still review proposals, however, they would not review the application they submitted.  Reviewers will be asked to disclose conflicts of interest prior to reviewing applications. The conflict-of-interest information will allow SOWA to avoid conflicts of interest when assigning applications for review. Reviewers would also not review those of organizations to which they or their spouses or partners have affiliations as staff, consultants or board members.

What is the approximate total time commitment to be a reviewer?
The time commitment will be approximately 13 hours. Reviewers will need to commit one hour for orientation and anti-bias training, ten hours to review and score approximately 20 applications, and two hours for a meeting with the other reviewers who scored the same set of applications.  Reviewers will have over three weeks for independent review of applications, from approximately December 22, 2021 until approximately January 16, 2022. Final review meetings will be convened the last week of January, 2022. 

Will reviewers be compensated?
Yes, reviewers who participate in the training, complete reviews on all assigned applications, and participate in the final review meeting will receive a $250 stipend.

Will the peer reviewer training be recorded? 
Yes. The recording will be available on the 2022 Summer Program Fund webpage.