NYSED / P-12 / Funding Opportunities / 2023-2025 New York State RECOVS: Recover from COVID School Program

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Announcement of Funding Opportunity
RFP #GC23-012

2023-2025 New York State RECOVS: Recover from COVID School Program

RECENT UPDATES Update 9/12/23 – Extension: On Tuesday, September 12, 2023, NYSED posted an update to Q122 of the first RECOVS Q&A Summary. Tuesday, September 19, 2023, at 5:00pm is the extended RECOVS RFP deadline for complete electronic application submissions. As a reminder, completed applications must be received through the Survey Monkey Apply portal. If applying for both grants, a separate and complete application must be submitted for each Mental Health RECOVS Grant and Learning Loss RECOVS Grant. Applicants that have already submitted may choose to revise and resubmit their application(s) based on the updated RFP. Otherwise, NYSED will review the application(s) that the applicant already submitted. If an applicant chooses to resubmit their application(s), they must clearly indicate on the application cover page that this application replaces one previously submitted. For assistance, please contact recovsrfp@nysed.gov.

Application in PDF | Application in Word – Revised 9/12/2023
Instructions for SurveyMonkey RFP Application Portal
Questions and Answers – Revised 9/12/2023
Questions and Answers Part 2 – Revised 9/12/2023

New York State’s enacted budget for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2022-2023 provided a $100 million appropriation over a two-year period to establish the 2023-2025 New York State Recover from COVID School Program Grants (RECOVS). At $50 million per year over two years in competitive funding awarded between Mental Health RECOVS Grants and Learning Loss RECOVS Grants, this funding, combined with the required applicant-provided 100% matching funds and/or in-kind contributions, will allow for school districts and boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES) to address student well-being and learning loss in response to the trauma brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Accomplished through the distribution of Mental Health RECOVS Grants and Learning Loss RECOVS Grants that are 100% matched with applicant-provided funds and/or in-kind contributions, the purpose of the 2023-2025 New York State RECOVS: Recover from COVID School Program is to support schools in addressing student well-being through expanding mental health supports in schools and/or addressing learning loss exacerbated by the pandemic.

Individual school districts, individual BOCES, a consortium of school districts, a consortium of BOCES, or any combination of these entities may apply for either or both Mental Health RECOVS Grant and Learning Loss RECOVS Grant. If applying for both, a separate and complete application must be submitted for each grant.

School district and BOCES applicants will use NYSED’s prescribed criteria to propose activities that are aligned with each RECOVS grant’s required objectives, sub-objectives, outcomes and reporting. The required Mental Health RECOVS Grant objectives charge school district and BOCES applicants to:

• MH.Obj.1) Expand student access to school-based mental health professionals, evidence-based and evidence-informed interventions, programming, services, supports and practices that promote mental health and wellness;
• MH.Obj.2) Improve capacity for school staff and students to identify mental health concerns and increase help-seeking behaviors;
• MH.Obj.3) Implement a variety of evidence-based and evidence-informed school-based mental health interventions and practices that are culturally, linguistically, and trauma responsive while promoting student diversity, equity, and inclusion; and
• MH.Obj.4) Ensure financial stability and continuation of student access to evidence-based and evidence-informed school-based mental health interventions, programs services, and supports beyond the second and final year of the RECOVS Mental Health Grant Program.

The required Learning Loss RECOVS Grant objectives charge school district and BOCES applicants to:

• LL.Obj.1) Expand student access to academic recovery professionals, evidence-based and evidence-informed interventions, programming, services, supports and promising practices that counter learning loss;
• LL.Obj.2) Improve capacity for school staff and students to identify learning loss, and increase student and staff resourcefulness and skills in seeking, receiving, and providing academic recovery supports;
• LL.Obj.3) Implement a variety of evidence-based and evidence-informed school-based learning loss and academic recovery practices that are culturally, linguistically, and trauma responsive while promoting student diversity, equity, and inclusion; and
• LL.Obj.4) Ensure financial stability and continuation of evidence-based and evidence-informed school-based academic recovery opportunities for students continuing to experience learning loss beyond the second and final year of the RECOVS Learning Loss Grant Program.

The project period for the 2023-2025 New York State RECOVS: Recover from COVID School Program’s Mental Health RECOVS Grantand Learning Loss RECOVS Grant is two (2) years beginning November 1, 2023 and ending October 31, 2025. Only expenses incurred during this period will be eligible for coverage with these State funds.

All New York State public school districts and boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES) are eligible to submit single or joint applications for either or both Mental Health RECOVS Grant and Learning Loss RECOVS Grant.

In the form of applicant-provided funding and/or in-kind contributions, a minimum 100% match of the applicant’s requested RECOVS grant award is required to be eligible to apply for either grant. A grant application will be disqualified that requests more funding than the applicant is able to match.

An eligible applicant may be an individual school district, an individual BOCES, a consortium of school districts, a consortium of BOCES, or any combination of these entities.

• The lead applicant of a consortium functions as the fiscal agent and fiscal manager of the participating school districts and/or BOCES.
• If a BOCES applies as the lead applicant of a consortium, it is required to also function as the consortium’s coordinator of data collection, reporting, monitoring, technical assistance and professional learning.

Prioritized Applicants:
Awards will be prioritized for eligible applicants proposing to serve students from high-needs school districts as per 2021-2022 economically disadvantaged student data reported to NYSED by school districts in the Student Information Repository System (SIRS.)

• At or above 70% economically disadvantaged, applicant will score 10 of 10 points;
• Between 54% and 69.9% economically disadvantaged, applicant will score 6 of 10 points;
• Between 0% and 53.9% economically disadvantaged, applicant will score 0 of 10 points;
• Data not provided, applicant will score 0 of 10 points.

If applying for both grants, a separate and complete application must be submitted for each Mental Health RECOVS Grant and Learning Loss RECOVS Grant.

For the purposes of this grant, charter schools, nonpublic schools, and community-based organizations (CBOs) are not eligible to apply for these funding opportunities. CBOs interested in collaborating with school districts and/or BOCES to deliver collaborative programming and/or services may inquire with potential school district and BOCES applicants.

Grant Awards: Approximately $100 million over two years ($50 million annually), subject to continued availability of state RECOVS funding.

100% Match Requirement: Used for the same purposes as requested RECOVS grant funds, a minimum 100% funding match is required from any combination of each applicant’s federal, state, local, and/or other resources. An applicant may not apply for a grant award amount higher than the applicant is able to match.

For each Mental Health RECOVS Grant and Learning Loss RECOVS Grant, applicants may apply for up to $1,200 per student per program year for two years in grant award funds described in the corresponding application; the total of which the applicant will 100% match. The first year’s grant award will be the second year’s maximum grant award. Contingent on meeting the 100% match and other requirements, each grantee’s maximum grant payable for the second year of this two-year RECOVS grant program will be calculated by multiplying each grantee’s first year per student rate by the number of students served in the second year.

Distribution of the $100 million grant award funding over the two-year project period will be as follows:

• $50 million over two years will be allocated for Mental Health RECOVS Grant and $50 million over two years will be allocated for Learning Loss RECOVS Grant for a total of $100 million.
• At least 60% of the total funding ($60 million) will be awarded to school districts and BOCES (if applying as a school district consortium lead) within New York State – outside of New York City:*
  • Mental Health RECOVS Grant: $30 million over the two-year project period ($15 million per year); and
  • Learning Loss RECOVS Grant: $30 million over the two-year project period ($15 million per year).
    
    *No single or consortium applicant within New York State outside of New York City will be awarded more than $5 million ($2.5 million per year) in either grant program.
    
• Up to 40% of total funding (up to $40 million) will be awarded to school districts within the New York City Department of Education:
  • Mental Health RECOVS Grant: $20 million over the two-year project period ($10 million per year); and
  • Learning Loss RECOVS Grant: $20 million over the two-year project period ($10 million per year).

Any grant funds remaining after all grant applications within one grant program have been reviewed and awarded or disqualified will be transferred to the other grant program should awards still be pending in the other program.

Awards are only to be used to supplement, and not supplant current local expenditures of federal, state or local funds.

With this application proposal, requested first-year grant award expenses (maximum annual grant award) are outlined and justified in the Budget Narrative and FS-10 Proposed Budget form for the project period. Proposed budgets will be evaluated on number of students to be served, quality of program design, and efficient use of funds.

• An application will contain one FS-10 Proposed Budget if the requested grant award is equal in the first year and second year; or
• An application will contain two FS-10 Proposed Budgets if the requested grant award amounts differ in the first year and second year of the two-year project period.
• Year 1 and Year 2 grant award amounts may differ by no more than 20%. For example, either year may not be less than 40%, or more than 60% of the two year total.

Awarded grantees are not guaranteed the maximum possible grant award each year. Grantees can draw down funds throughout the program year by submitting FS-25s (Request for Funds.). At the end of each program year, final reconciliation and annual reimbursement of actual grant expenditures will be determined from a grantee-submitted FS-10F Final Expenditure Report that is reviewed and approved by NYSED.

Submit an electronic version of the complete application in Microsoft Word (.docx) or portable document format (.pdf) to the Survey Monkey Apply portal. The due date for complete electronic application submissions is September 19, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Instructions for submission are also available through this portal.

Postmarked by the due date, applicants must also mail in one original and two hard copies of the signed FS-10 Proposed Budget to:

New York State Education Department
Attn: Michele Kinzel-Peles
Re: 2023-2025 RECOVS Program Grants
Office of Student Support Services
89 Washington Avenue, EB 318M
Albany, NY 12234

Please see additional instructions for applying for each grant program under submission instructions.

• Questions and Answers – Revised 9/12/2023
• Questions and Answers Part 2 – Revised 9/12/2023

Questions regarding this Request for Proposals (RFP) must be submitted by email to RECOVSRFP@nysed.gov by August 25, 2023. A questions and answers summary will be posted here no later than August 30, 2023.

The Notice of Intent (NOI) is not a requirement for submitting a complete application by the application date. However, NYSED strongly encourages all prospective applicants to submit an NOI to ensure a timely and thorough review and rating process. The notice of intent is a simple email notice stating the school district’s or BOCES’ intent to submit an application as an individual or consortium applicant for either or both Mental Health and/or Learning Loss RECOVS Grants. Please include the BEDS code for the school district or BOCES. The NOI due date is August 25, 2023. Please email the NOI to RECOVSRFP@nysed.gov.

Program: Michele Kinzel-Peles
Fiscal: Adam Kutryb
M/WBE: Brian Hackett
Email: RECOVSRFP@nysed.gov

Application in PDF | Application in Word – Revised 9/12/2023
Instructions for SurveyMonkey RFP Application Portal
Questions and Answers – Revised 9/12/2023
Questions and Answers Part 2 – Revised 9/12/2023

Last Updated: September 13, 2023