Request for Proposals

ACT - Addressing Challenges Together

I.  Introduction

Through this Request for Proposal (RFP), the Legacy Regional Community Foundation (Foundation) will provide funding to organization(s) to plan and implement programming that addresses the issues identified by the ACT | Addressing Challenges Together” Initiative.  ACT grew from “A Closer Look At Cowley Kids Data Walk conversations and a desire by community to change the conditions holding poverty in place.

There is often a divide between what we think we know and the reality of what is really happening. Digging into data zeroing in on kids and how poverty impacts health, education, and their potential for a successful future has been beneficial in moving our community to a common place from which we can diagnose the real circumstances of the situation and make progress in a skillful manner.

Legacy, A Regional Community Foundation stands in the gap for many issues in our community - acting as a catalyst and thought leader, convening people for action and providing necessary resources. In 2023, Legacy hosted a series of Data Walks and community conversations to further the work in addressing one of the Sustainable Development Goals through a grant from Charles S. Mott Foundation. As the backbone organization, Legacy serves as the funding and information repository while continuing to provide awareness education and administrative support.

Through the Cowley Kids Data Walk, we learned that many of the issues facing our community are “interTANGLED”.  Four core issues emerged from the Data Walk - Child Care, Health, Housing, and Resource Optimization.  Information was provided in nine areas (16 indicators) impacting the health, education and future of Cowley County kids.  Indicators with Cowley County-specific data vetted by the Kansas Health Institute were targeted.  

1.     CHILDCARE

a.     Access and Affordability

2.     DEMOGRAPHICS.

a.     Spotlight on Diversity

3.     EDUCATION

a.   Funding Adequacy

b.   Graduation Gap

c.   Mathematics & Reading

d.   Student Needs

4.     Housing

a.   Housing Affordability

b.      Lead Exposure

5.     Hunger

a.     Childhood Food Insecurity

6.     Mental Health

a.   Depression

b.   Suicide

7.     Poverty

a.   Children in Poverty

8.   Racial Disparities

a.     Social Deprivation (Concentrated Disadvantage)

9.     Vaping/E-Cigs (Youth Vaping).

Impact work is growing out of the new and collaborative work of community partners - including frontline service providers, non-profit directors, city/county/state officials, school district officials, private philanthropists and passionate community leaders.

II.  Who May Apply

Eligible applicants must be an established nonprofit organization or a public/private partnership/coalition that includes an established nonprofit organization willing to assume fiduciary responsibility for the grant funds.  Eligible applicants must be located within Cowley County.  The minimum requirements to apply for funding are as follows:

·         Eligible applicants must provide a letter of support from collaborating agencies/organizations affirming their intentions to participate in the initiative.

·         Eligible applicants must provide a brief overview of the activities and methods to implement to achieve the objectives of the initiative.  This summary should be accompanied by the letter(s) of support, a list of individual(s) responsible for program oversight and the population and organizations represented, a related timeline of activities and the total funding amount requested, not to exceed $5,000.

III. Available Funding and Grant Period

Applicants are eligible to apply for one 12-month grant up to $5,000.  The funding term will begin XXXX, and end XXXX.

IV. Grant Exclusions 

ACT – Addressing Challenges Together funding will not be used for:

·         Lobbying as defined by the US Internal Revenue Code (IRC), section 4945(d)(1).

·         And  of the following activities:

o    Medical research

o    Contributions to capital campaigns

o    Operating deficits or retirement of debt

o    Endowment programs not initiated by the Foundation

o    Activities supporting political candidates or voter registration drives, as defined in IRC section 4945(d)(1)

o    Vehicles, such as vans or buses

o    Medical equipment

o    Construction projects or real estate acquisitions

o    Direct mental health services

o    Direct medical services

o    Grants to individuals

o    Annual fund drives

o    Fundraising events

V.  Objectives and Requirements

A.  Objectives

Alarming statistics like the information sampling below charge this movement.

·         There are 31-40 children under the age of 3 for each childcare opening in Cowley County.

·         More than 1/3 renters in Cowley county do not have affordable housing.

·         1 in 5 children in Cowley County is food insecure.

·         More than 3/4 of children in poverty in Cowley County live in single-parent households.

The intended objectives for the ACT – Addressing Challenges Together RFP include:

·         Address work in a core issue area(s) which emerged from the Data Walk - Child Care, Health, Housing, and Resource Optimization

·         Create sustainable programming for maximum impact through collaboration and leveraging of resources

·         Learning from one another and coordinating together to eliminate duplication and create systematic change in Cowley County

·         Identify and measure indicators of progress

Applicants should consider these overarching objectives when proposing goals and activities.

B.  Reporting Requirements

Evaluation begins with the grant application and review process, so grantees begin work with the results in mind.  Evaluation benefits grantees by providing:

·         A clear statement of purpose

·         Focus on programmatic goals

·         A mechanism to identify mid-program corrections, if needed

ACT – Addressing Challenges Together grantees will be required to submit a final narrative report related to their progress regarding proposed activities and objectives.  Details regarding reporting requirements will be shared upon award.

VI. Application Requirements

Applications must be submitted using the application available on-line at

www.legacyregionalfoundation.org/apply-for-funding/request-for-proposals.  Applications will be structured around the following sections:

·         Section I – Applicant/Primary Contact Information

·         Section II – Budget & Budget Narrative

·         Section III – Program Implementation Questions

·         Section IV – Acknowledgement of Agreement Review

·         Attachment(s)

o    Letter(s) of Support

o    Roster of individual(s) responsible for program oversight and the population and organizations represented

If you have any questions related to the application process, please contact Yazmin Wood, Legacy CEO, at ceo@legacyregionalfoundation.org.