Application workshops will be offered for schools, nonprofit organizations and neighborhood organizations wishing to apply for a Mayor’s Educational Partnership Grant. Attendance at an application workshop is required. At least one (1) individual from the school or nonprofit organization and two (2) individuals who reside within the boundaries of the neighborhood organization must attend. Workshops will review the guidelines, instructions, and application. There is no limit to the number of workshops interested organizations may attend. Each workshop will cover the same information.

Please call the City of Orlando’s Office of Neighborhood & Community Affairs at 407-246-3787 to reserve a seat at one of the workshops listed below:

• Orange County Public Schools
  Thursday, November 8, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

• Orange County Public Schools
  Thursday, November 15, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

• Rosemont Community Center
  Tuesday, November 20, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

• Callahan Neighborhood Center
  Saturday, December 1, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

• Orlando City Hall
  Wednesday, December 5, 11:00 - 1:00 p.m.

• Orange County Public Schools
  Thursday, December 13, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

• Dover Shores Community Center
  Tuesday, December 18, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

• J.R. Smith Neighborhood Center
  Tuesday, January 15, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Courtesy Review

Courtesy application reviews conducted by the Office of Neighborhood & Community Affairs staff are offered from the time the applications are available until 5:00 p.m. on January 11, 2008. Courtesy reviews allow Neighborhood & Community Affairs staff to review the application and make recommendations regarding missing information, attachments, or other aspects of the grant application.

Please send the complete application to:

City of Orlando
Mayor’s Matching Grant Program
Office of the Neighborhood & Community Affairs
P.O. Box 4990
Orlando, FL 32802-4990

Please indicate that you are requesting a Courtesy Review in a cover letter with the application.

Application Deadline

Please submit the completed MEPG application with all applicable attachments (see Application Checklist) by 5:00 p.m., on February 1, 2008 to:

City of Orlando
Mayor’s Matching Grant Program
Office of the Neighborhood & Community Affairs
P.O. Box 4990
Orlando, FL 32802-4990

Please note: incomplete applications will not be considered and will be returned to the applicant.

Grant Notification & Awards Process

Purpose

Eligibility

Mayor’s Educational Partnership Grants (MEPG) are available to schools, private or public nonprofit organizations, civic/professional organizations or community organizations that provide direct education services or programs within the City of Orlando (henceforth sponsoring organizations). Sponsoring organizations must have been in operation for at least one (1) year with a minimum of two (2) staff persons working directly on the project. Documentation of nonprofit status is required at the time of application.

Eligible sponsoring organizations must be located in or provide services within the City of Orlando and must establish a partnership with a City of Orlando neighborhood organization to apply for the grant. Neighborhood, homeowner, condominium and resident organizations that are registered with the City of Orlando’s Office of Neighborhood & Community Affairs are eligible to partner with the sponsoring organization for the purposes of this grant. Both mandatory and voluntary neighborhood organizations are eligible to partner with the sponsoring organization.

The sponsoring organization is considered the lead applicant with primary responsibility for project planning, implementation, reporting, and grant closeout. The neighborhood organization is responsible for partner and volunteer recruitment and coordination and the role as historian, as noted on page 6.

Special Note: Any Orange County Public School (OCPS) applying for a grant must have the OCPS Board as the legal applicant; therefore the OCPS Grant Development Office must approve the application prior to submission. OCPS Grant Development Services (GDS) staff will assist in developing the proposal and help obtain School Board approval of the application. For assistance of further information, call the GDS office at (407) 317-3303.

Eligible Project Guidelines
Eligible projects must meet the following criteria:

• provide a public benefit to the neighborhood

• offer academic enrichment or educational enhancement opportunities for children or youth during non-school hours

• be planned, managed and implemented by the sponsoring organization, with the neighborhood organization as the partner

• directly involve neighborhood residents in all phases

• have goals which can be accomplished in 11 months or less

• involve adult supervised activities during non-school hours

• take place within the boundaries of the neighborhood

Eligible Sponsoring Organization Guidelines
Eligible sponsoring organizations must meet the following criteria:

• have no active projects in any Mayor’s Matching Grant program

• provides direct education services or programs within the City of Orlando

• be a school, private or public nonprofit organization, civic/professional organization, or community organization

• have a Tax Identification Number (TIN) or Employer Identification Number (EIN)

• have been a tax-exempt organization for at least one (1) year before applying for grant funds

• not discriminate and have democratically elected officers

• have a minimum of two (2) staff persons managing and implementing the project

• form a partnership with a City of Orlando neighborhood organization to implement the grant project

• complete the grant application, including all attachments and supporting documentation

• have experience operating or administering youth education programs

• assume primary responsibility for project planning, implementation, reporting, and grant close-out

• not use grant funds to supplant the organization’s operating budget

• ensure dollar for dollar match of the City’s award with a combination of cash, volunteer labor and/or in-kind goods or services (refer to Grant Match Guidelines on page 5)

• report all sources of funds used for the grant funded project

• submit quarterly project status reports and final report upon project completion

• contribute at least 25 percent of the grant match in volunteer labor

Eligible Neighborhood Organization Guidelines
Eligible neighborhood organizations must meet the following criteria:

• have no active projects in any Mayor’s Matching Grant program

• be located within the City of Orlando limits

• be registered with the City of Orlando’s Office of Neighborhood & Community Affairs

• have a majority of the organization’s members living in, or operating businesses in the neighborhood

• not discriminate and actively seek membership from neighborhood residents

• represent its neighborhood and have democratically elected officers

• have been organized for at least one (1) year before applying for a grant

• have general membership vote and approval of grant application at least 15 days before grant deadline (notarized minutes reflecting this vote must be submitted with the application)

• contribute at least 25 percent of the grant match in volunteer labor
  

Registering Your Neighborhood Organization

All neighborhood organizations must be registered with the City of Orlando’s Office of Neighborhood & Community Affairs in order to be eligible to participate in this grant program. Neighborhood organizations may call the City of Orlando Office of Neighborhood & Community Affairs at (407) 246-3787 to register or update their information.

Managing Grant Funds

Grant awards will be distributed to Mayor’s Educational Partnership Grant recipients in the form of quarterly reimbursements for approved grant related expenditures. Reimbursements will be made to the sponsoring organization by the Office of Neighborhood & Community Affairs each quarter pending the receipt of supporting documentation and proof of expenses for approved grant related expenditures from the previous quarter. Grant recipients may request an advance of up to 50% of the grant award at the time of application.

Neighborhood Approval

The neighborhood organization must have its general membership vote on and approve to partner with the sponsoring organization before submission.

Limitations on the Use of Grant Funds

• supplementing a sponsoring organization or neighborhood organization’s operating budget (funds are awarded by the City only for approved and designated project purposes)

• funding or supplementing other City of Orlando services or programs

• appreciation gifts, plaques, or certificates for City staff or elected officials

• equipment purchases (unless part of a neighborhood outreach program and approved by the Office of Neighborhood & Community Affairs)

• projects that advocate or impose religious beliefs, provide religious instruction, or restrict participation on the basis of religion

• project activities and events that are held in places of worship (i.e. sanctuaries, synagogues, mosques, temples, etc.) - auxiliary buildings such as classrooms, fellowship halls, gymnasiums, or meeting rooms may be used

• expenses without receipts

• food expenses of more than $250 (unless it is an essential part of a neighborhood outreach program and approved by the Office of Neighborhood & Community Affairs prior to spending)

• gasoline

• reimbursement to individuals

• phone bills/charges

Careful consideration of the sponsoring organization and neighborhood organization’s eligibility and true capacity to successfully complete the proposed project within eleven (11) months should be examined before applying for a grant.

• identify an accountable individual from the sponsoring organization to serve as the project leader to administer the grant, as well as a project team member from the sponsoring organization who will pledge to serve as an interim project leader, should the need arise

• designate one (1) individual from the sponsoring organization and two (2) individuals who reside within the neighborhood organization to attend an application workshop

• form a project team consisting of two (2) individuals from the sponsoring organization and a minimum of three (3) neighborhood organization volunteers

• participate in the MEPG project team orientation conducted by the Office of Neighborhoods & Community Affairs following the grant award

• attend a mandatory project planning and training session

• involve neighborhood residents directly in all phases of the project

• report all sources and amounts of funds used for the proposed project and explain how the funds will be used

• provide documentation (receipts, etc.) for all grant-related funds expended during the project and submit with quarterly reports

• be able to provide three (3) cost estimates for expenses of $250 or more from established vendors

• submit timely quarterly reports on the status of the project

• track and submit volunteer hours

• keep copies of reports for three (3) years

Project Guidelines

The purpose of the MEPG program is to provide sponsoring and neighborhood organizations with resources to implement projects they typically would not able to fund. Therefore, funds from the MEPG are not permitted to be used to supplant the sponsoring organization or neighborhood organization’s operating budget. Any equipment purchased through the MEPG program must be stored in a public location and be accessible to members of the neighborhood organization through the life of the equipment. Upon completion of the project, the sponsoring organization must publicize the times of availability, location, and individuals (i.e. sponsoring organization staff or representative) who can access the equipment for continued use by the residents of the neighborhood.

Project Development Guidelines

STEP ONE:
Select a community building program or project that provides academic enrichment or educational enhancement opportunities for children or youth during non-school hours.
Choose a program or project that will generate as much community support as possible and that addresses a known problem, concern, or opportunity for making positive change.

STEP TWO:
Determine Resources Needed
Determine all the resources that will be required, such as professional services, equipment, materials, supplies, volunteers, and services. Get at least three (3) estimates to ensure all prices are fair for the services rendered. Consider the quality of product or service and the scope of the project.

STEP THREE:
Create a Project Plan
The purpose of a Project Plan is to map the tasks and resources necessary to successfully complete the Mayor’s Educational Partnership Grant project in a timely manner. List the main tasks needed to implement and manage the project. Then put the tasks in the order they should occur and schedule them according to how long you think they will reasonably take to accomplish. Allow adequate time to publicize community participation events. When completed, the Project Plan will serve as a guide for the project and a tool for monitoring the progress of the project.

STEP FOUR:
Develop a Project Budget
After you list the needed resources, begin to estimate costs in order to do a budget. Get cost estimates for each budget item from more than one reliable source. Keep careful notes of all conversations with vendors or contractors that involve estimates.

STEP FIVE:
Determine the Match
Identify all possible match resources (cash, volunteer labor, and/or in-kind goods or services) and follow the Mayor’s Educational Partnership Grant guidelines for matching funds requested from the City of Orlando.

Project Planning and Budgeting

It is essential that sponsoring organizations properly plan and budget. The Office of Neighborhood & Community Affairs and the MEPG selection committee will look for a clear, justifiable relationship between the proposed project plan and the requested budget. The purposes of these tools are defined as follows:

• The purpose of a project plan is to identify the tasks and resources necessary to successfully complete a Mayor’s Educational Partnership Grant project. When completed, the Project Plan serves both as a tool to help manage the project, and a tool for the Office of Neighborhood & Community Affairs to monitor the progress of the project.

• The purpose of a budget is to estimate the cost of a project or program. It should accurately depict revenues, expenses, the nonprofit organization’s match, and sufficiently justify the amount of grant funds being requested. At least three (3) written estimates from established vendors must be submitted with the grant application for any expenses of $250 or more as documentation for the proposed budget.

A sample budget is provided in the instructions to assist you. If you need further assistance, please attend one or more application workshops, or contact the City of Orlando’s Office of Neighborhood & Community Affairs at 407-246-3787.

Grant Match

To qualify for the Mayor’s Educational Partnership Grants program, the value of the sponsoring organization’s contribution must equal the total amount being requested from the City of Orlando. The grant match is generated by a combination of cash, volunteer labor and/or in-kind goods or services as noted in the table below.

In-kind or cash donations from City of Orlando services, staff, or elected officials cannot be counted as match. In addition, professional services and labor must be furnished by established service providers, skilled professionals, laborers and/or businesses in order to be counted as match.

Project Team

The Project Team must have a Project Leader, an Alternate Project Leader, Partner Coordinator, Volunteer Coordinator, and Historian for a total of five individuals as defined below. Project team members should be carefully selected to ensure the success of the project. The neighborhood organization’s project team members must reside in the neighborhood in which the project occurs.

It is important to match the skills, expertise, and interests of each project team member’s role with the appropriate individual. Therefore, it is valuable for the Project Leader to solicit a diverse group of individuals who can contribute to the success of the project. There can be no more than one (1) family member on the project team at any time. Project team members may be changed or replaced at any time during the project upon written notice of the Office of Neighborhood & Community Affairs.

Project Team Roles - Sponsoring Organization

Project Team Roles - Neighborhood Organization

Neighborhood Organization Partnering Tips

The Mayor’s Educational Partnership Grant partnership is a working relationship between the sponsoring agency and the City of Orlando neighborhood organization for the purpose of achieving grant-related project or program goals. Neighborhood organizations work directly with the sponsoring agency as volunteers.

Neighborhood organizations can play a critical role in promoting the success of the MEPG program or project. They can help a sponsoring agency identify new opportunities to meet community needs, open up new avenues for involvement in the community, and assist the sponsoring agency successfully complete the project or program.

Here are some tips for sustaining a successful partnership with the neighborhood organization:

Help each other. The sponsoring agency can strengthen a partnership by supporting the neighborhood organization partner both inside and outside the partnership. For example, the sponsoring agency could mention the neighborhood organization in grant-related promotional materials, thank the neighborhood organization when the center receives grant-related awards or recognition, and offer to help the neighborhood organization whenever possible.

Successful grant proposals should represent innovative and promising ideas, reach a significant number of children or youth, and demonstrate broad-based community support. Programs or projects must offer academic enrichment or educational enhancement opportunities for children or youth and have measurable goals and outcomes.

The following table lists examples of both eligible and non-eligible academic and education-based programs and projects. This table is not exhaustive and is provided for informational purposes. Eligibility means that grant funds can be spent on these items or areas. The Office of Neighborhood & Community Affairs reserves the right to amend project eligibility criteria at any time. Eligible projects are subject to approval by the Office of Neighborhood & Community Affairs.

Each project will be evaluated on the basis of how well it demonstrates the MEPG program’s main purpose of improving neighborhoods by offering academic enrichment or educational enhancement opportunities for City of Orlando children or youth.

1. Identify needs in the community and be able to describe them specifically. Research and define a need for this project in the community or neighborhood. Support this need with evidence, such as tests, surveys, or research. Describe any needs or concerns of the neighborhood.

2. Define goals. What impact do you want to make on the community? What is the goal of the idea or project? What kind of change do you expect to make?

3. Plan for community participation before you develop the application. This will build support for the project. Consider contacting high school or college students who need to earn service learning hours in order to graduate.

4. Research regulations. Many projects may require permits, insurance, or background checks (if working with children) before proceeding. Find out what is needed before applying for a grant.