Announcement and Guidelines: 2009-2011

Projects for 2009-2011
Application Deadline: June 19, 2009

The New York State Library announces a 2009-2011 grant program to help public libraries and public library systems develop or expand library services to parents, children, and caregivers.

The Family Literacy Library Services Grant program is a State-funded, competitive grant program providing up to $300,000 each in years 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 for family literacy library projects. The funds for 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 will be determined in the State budget, which is scheduled to be adopted by March 31 of each year. The grant cycle runs July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2011.

Applicants must be public libraries or public library systems. Libraries and systems are encouraged to collaborate with other libraries, library systems, schools, cultural organizations, community groups, social service agencies and local businesses for public library-based programs. Letters of Support from partner organizations are welcome and are to be submitted as attachments to the online application.

New for 2009-2011

Theme

2009-2011 project proposals must be Early Literacy based. Early Literacy is defined as projects designed to serve children ages birth through five years and their parents or caregivers.

Online Application

The application process for the 2009-2011 Family Literacy program is now online.  Applicants and those interested in the program must obtain a user name and password in order to access the application.

The application must be submitted online and the following documents are submitted in paper format with original signatures in blue ink:

  1. Cover page—requires original signature of applicant (library or system) director. Submit two, each with original signature.
  2. Board certification—requires original signature of applicant board president (library or system). Submit two, each with original signatures in blue ink.
  3. Budget forms: Form FS-10 as part of the application. Later in the cycle Form FS-10A (if any amendments are necessary) and Form FS-10F (final budget). Submit three forms, each with original signature in blue ink.

Please note the following:

  1. The project cycle will cover a period through June 30, 2011). The official project start date is July 1, 2009.
  2. Each application will require submission of FS-10 Budget forms – three copies, each with original signatures in blue ink, for FY 2009-10, and three copies, each with original signatures in blue ink, for FY 2010-11. Unexpended funds from 2009-10 cannot be used in FY 2010-11.
  3. Projects must include components for families, including parents and/or caregivers and children, ages birth to 5 years.

Project Purpose:

  • Enable public libraries and their community partners to offer programs, services, and materials to encourage early (ages birth – five) family literacy activities.
  • Support the Regents Learning Standards which require that students be exposed to and learn to express themselves for academic, social, and citizenship purposes.  For information on the Regents Learning Standards see: How do the Learning Standards align with Early Learning?
  • Help families use the public library as an integral part of their child’s early literacy development.
  • Develop models for planning, evaluation, and community needs assessment.

Past Projects

  • Hands-on Discovery Learning Centers were developed modeled on Multiple Intelligence Theory to promote early literacy competencies in three- and four-year-old children.
  • Kindergarten Readiness programs for parents and preschoolers developed pre-literacy skills with supporting resources materials in a variety of media.
  • Encouraging Math and Science Literacy in Toddlers trained children’s librarians, parents and adult educators to use stories, rhymes and songs to introduce young children to basic science and arithmetic concepts.
  • Male caregivers attended early literacy workshops and learned to share books and stories with their children.
  • Las Familias y la Biblioteca offered early literacy programs and library activities for Latino immigrant families with preschool children. It included a component for library staff, Spanish language classes, as well as opportunities for parents and young children

For program ideas, see reports on previously funded Family Literacy Library Services projects.

NOTE: Previous year programs cover family literacy projects for all ages. 2009-11 projects must focus on Early Literacy for parents/caregivers and children ages birth to 5 years.

What Can Be Funded?

  • Partnerships with pre-school, school, parent, and/or community organizations
  • Library services and materials for underserved populations including off-site services
  • Development of model planning or evaluation tools for library services to parents and children ages birth to 5 years.
  • Projects that support and promote the Regents Learning Standards
  • Library materials for children and/or parents
  • Project equipment
  • Project personnel
  • Supplies
  • Contracts for services, e.g. planning, publications, project assistance
  • Evaluation and publication of a report for project replication
  • Other purposes directly related to project's success

Grant Funds May Not Be Used

  • To replace funds for existing programs or staff.
  • For building modification, construction.
  • For overhead and administrative costs.

Two-Year Projects

  • The first year will include such activities as: partnership development and coordination, start-up activities, developing evaluation tools and beginning of project activities. The second year continues implementation, builds on first year results and evaluates results of the entire project.
  • The application narrative, budget narrative and the timeline must show project plans for both years.
  • Grant funds are awarded annually as required by law. The annual award minimum is $10,000 and the maximum is $45,000.

Reporting

  • Project Directors are required to respond to periodic e-mail questionnaires on the grant's progress, changes and any problems throughout the grant year.  Any changes in project director or key staff must be reported immediately to the Family Literacy Program Coordinator at the State Library.
  • An Interim Report is required in April of 2010 covering the initial months of the project. After submission and approval of the Interim Report, 90% payment for Year Two of the project can be released.
  • A Final Narrative Report and a Final Expenditure Form (FS10-F) will be required at the end of each fiscal year.
    1. for the period July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010 (due July 31, 2010)
    2. for the period July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011 (due July 31, 2011)

Who Can Apply?

  • Public and association libraries that are members of a public library system
  • Public library systems

How Much May Be Requested?

  • The minimum amount that may be requested is $10,000 per year.
  • The maximum amount that may be requested is $45,000 per year.

Project Evaluation

Family Literacy Library Services projects will demonstrate that the project is effective in meeting the needs of children ages birth – five years and their parents or caregivers.

Each Family Literacy Library Services project must have an outcome-based plan for evaluation in place at the beginning of the project so those involved in the activities will know how to gather data to assess the results. The plan must be described in the application and evaluation activities must be included in the project timeline.

The applicant and partners should focus on desired results for the users of the project services or products.  The evaluation plan will answer at least two questions:

  • "How will the library know the project is successful or achieves the desired results for the users?"
  • "What will the library measure to help determine the project’s success?”

Applicants must choose measures that document both outputs and outcomes.

  • Outputs are a direct program product such as number of workshops given, number of participants served, and types of materials developed. Outputs are typically measured in numbers because they are basically quantitative.
  • Outcomes show changes in the target audience skills, attitudes, knowledge, behavior or status as a result of the activities of the project.  Measuring outcomes requires project planners to focus on the desired change for the participants and plan for how best to measure that change.  

More information on outcome-based evaluation measures.

Publications and Other Products

By completing and submitting the application, the applicant agrees to the following requirement:

All products, regardless of format or method of distribution and including Internet web sites, which are created totally or in part under Family Literacy Library Services grant/contract, must include the following acknowledgement:

"This publication (product) was supported by (or "in part by") funds from the New York State Library’s Family Literacy Library Services grant program."

In addition, flyers and other announcements of library programs and services must carry an acknowledgement such as the following:

"Supported by (or "in part by") funds from the New York State Library’s Family Literacy Library Services grant program."

Project directors are responsible for conveying this information to all partners and participants.

Evaluation Criteria and Award Methodology

Each application will be scored and rated individually by at least two reviewers (who may be from outside the State Education Department) according to the points indicated in the Application questions and noted below.  When all review forms have been submitted, State Library staff will produce a list of applications in order by average score and a list in order by average rating (see below for definitions of score and rating).

The State Library staff may ask for a meeting of reviewers to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of applications.  If, after that meeting, individual reviewers change their scoring or rating of specific applications, the State Library will collect that information and will rank in order by average score and average rating. An application must receive a final average score of at least 60 to be considered for funding.

Funds will be allocated first to applicants with the highest score, then to applicants with the next highest score, then to other applicants in succeeding order from highest to lowest. Applicants will receive funding for the maximum amount of their allowable budget until funding runs out.

If there is a tie between the scores of two or more applications AND there is insufficient funding for all the applications at that score, then the application with the higher average rating will be used to break the tie. The applicant with the higher average rating will receive funding up to the higher of (a) funds remaining in the State Literacy program (as long as the State Library determines that a viable grant project can be operated for that amount of funding) or (b) the maximum amount of the allowable budget.

After the award allocation has been completed, a recommended list of awards will go to the Coordinator of Statewide Library Services for review and then to the State Librarian for final approval. Following the State Librarian’s approval, the awards will be forwarded to the State Education Department’s Grants Finance office for payment.

Definitions:

Score: Each question in the grant application is worth an assigned number of points. Using a review form, each reviewer scores each application. The maximum score is 100.

Average score is the average of the reviewers’ scores.

Rating: After scoring each application, each reviewer gives the application an overall rating using the following scale:

Highly Recommended 9 or 10 points;
Recommended 6, 7, or 8 points;
Not Recommended 2, 3, 4, or 5 points;
Not Eligible 1 point.

Average rating is the average of the reviewers’ ratings.

Narrative questions have the following points assigned: Scoring Total -- 100 points

Question

Section of the Narrative

Points

1

Abstract

5

2

Planning/ Need/ Target Audience/ Collaboration

20

3

Project Description

25

4

Evaluation/ Outcomes

20

5

Continuation and Statewide Dissemination of Results

10

6

Budget Narrative

20

 

Total

100

Payment Schedule

For year 1, the first payment of 90% will be released when the FS-10 Budget Form has been processed.  The final 10% will be paid upon receipt and approval of the Final Narrative Report and the (FS-10-F) Final Expenditure form at the end of year one.  For year two, the first payment of 90% will be released after the Interim Report is approved. The final 10% for year two will be paid upon receipt and approval of the Final Narrative Report and Final Budget Expenditure.

NOTE: The actual payment schedule and final amounts available for the Family Literacy Library Services Program grants depend on passage of the New York State budget and the final allocations made by the New York State Legislature.

Timeline

Task

Date/Time

Deadline for submission of applications

Submitted online to the Division of Library Development by 5:00 p.m. on June 19, 2009

Evaluation and review period

Ends July 31, 2009

Approval of awards by State Librarian

By August 7, 2009

Approved awards forwarded to SED Grants Finance

By August 14, 2009

Applicants notified of grant awards

on or after September 11, 2009

Deadline for Application Submission

  • Submit online: completed applications must be submitted online by 5 p.m. on June 19, 2009.  NOTE:  Applications must be submitted through the online system – no other form of submission will be accepted.
  • Items to submit in paper format by 5:00 pm on June 19, 2009 : 1) Cover page (two with original signatures; 2) Board Certification (two with original signatures) and 3) Three copies FS-10 with original signatures in blue ink by U.S. mail or another carrier. These items may be printed from the online application.
  • Mail to: Tiffany Allen, New York State Library, Division of Library Development, Albany, NY 12230

To Apply:

Questions:

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Last Updated: June 16, 2009 -- asm