Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS)

ACLS/EEC Funding Opportunity

November 1, 2012 Dear Program Directors, I am pleased to announce that, through our collaborative work with the Massachusetts Department of Early Education & Care, a funding opportunity is available to Community Adult Learning Centers. As you may recall, this RFR has been posted before but during time periods that were challenging for our programs. Adult Learner Centers are eligible to apply for up to $5000/year for 2 years to provide parents of young children with the literacy skills needed to support their children's success. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to use an innovative approach that features IBM's Reading Companion software. Please note that the submission deadline is November 30th. Please click here to view the RFR. The purpose and priorities of the grant follow: Purpose of the Grant:
EEC seeks to supplement existing adult literacy programs with the addition of a proven family literacy resource. This resource is intended to engage and support a minimum of 25 families of children with high needs per grantee to promote school readiness for their children through the provision of specific adult literacy activities including use of the IBM Reading Companion software, and the provision of information and techniques to enable parents to support literacy development in their children. EEC is grateful to IBM for its partnership and generosity in this initiative. Priorities:
EEC seeks to invest in programs with a documented record of success in supporting adult learners in improving their English language and literacy skills. These programs must:

Provide information and techniques to parents that assist them in supporting the early development of language and literacy skills in their children;
Take intentional measures to respect and protect the home language of non-English speaking families while supporting parents' role in helping their children develop early language and literacy skills;
Identify parents of young children to inform them of the availability of services and provide the support they and their children need to develop English language and literacy skills;Assist parents in the use of the IBM Reading Companion Program, and in making the program available for use by their children;
Monitor the improvement in parents' and children's language and literacy skills.

EEC is providing this Supporting Family Literacy funding through its Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge grant. Key information follows:

Multi - year grant
Project Duration: January 2, 2013 - December 31, 2014

Grant awards: up to $5,000/year to up to 20 Community Adult Learning Centers
Please note the RFR timelines below:

Submission of Intent to Bid: (encouraged but not required)	Nov. 23, 2012	4:00 PM
Submission of Written Inquiries (Questions): Applicants must submit written inquiries to RTTTProcurement@MassMail.State.MA.US	Nov. 9, 2012	4:00 PM
Response to Written Inquiries (Q & As)	Nov. 16, 2012	4:00 PM
Submission Deadline: Applicants must submit proposals to: RTTTProcurement@MassMail.State.MA.US	Nov. 30, 2012	4:00 PM
Follow-up:	December 7, 2012	4:00 PM
Grantees Submit Final Documentation (if required):	December 14, 2012	4:00 PM
Bidders are Notified of Preliminary Approval (subject to completion of signed agreement with IBM):	December 21, 2012	4:00 PM
Grant Start Date:	January 2, 2013 or upon Completion of signed letter of agreement with IBM, whichever is later

ELCG Project 4.3 Supporting Family Literacy
Through this competitive Grant Application, EEC seeks to supplement existing adult literacy programs with the addition of a proven family literacy resource. Please note the following:

A link to the Q & As generated for the first RFR can be found under the on-line RFR Timeline. Any references to dates are specific to the first RFR. Dates for deliverables, etc. have been changed in the 3^rd RFR.
Scroll all the way down to the bottom for the RFR itself and all of the required forms and appendices.
Applicants should continue to check the EEC website regularly for any new information/updates/changes, etc.

I encourage you to take advantage of this unique funding opportunity!
With Literacy in Mind, Anne Serino, Massachusetts ABE State Director
Adult & Community Learning Services
Dept. of Elementary & Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148

Last Updated: November 7, 2012