My Brother's Keeper Challenge Grant 2023-27
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Grant Application Documents
Application in PDF 
| Application in Word 
– Revised 5/17/2023
Questions and Answers – Posted 5/17/2023
Legislative Authority
Chapter 53 of the laws of 2016. With the adoption of the 2016-17 New York State budget, New York became the first state to accept the President’s My Brother’s Keeper challenge.
Purpose of Grant
The purpose of My Brother’s Keeper Challenge Grant is to incentivize and support school districts to accept the My Brother’s Keeper Challenge and implement a coherent research-based strategy for students to enter school ready to learn, promote mastery in reading and writing by third grade, and implement a cohesive strategy to expose and instruct students in financial literacy. Further, this short-term funding is intended to jumpstart initiatives at the district level. Ultimately, the responsibility to fund effective programming is a local responsibility and there should be no expectation of long-term Challenge Grant funding. Through this Request for Proposals (RFP) process, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) will fund grants to eligible school districts to address one or more of the following focus areas:
- Getting a Healthy Start and Entering School Ready to Learn
All children should have a healthy start and enter school ready – cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally.
- Reading at Grade Level by Third Grade
All children should be reading at grade level on or about age 8 – the age at which reading to learn becomes essential. - Ensuring Equitable Access to High Quality Schools and Programs
Students will receive a financial literacy education and will develop, and practice personal financial management skills intended to help them achieve and maintain a lifetime of financial well-being.
Project Period
Initial period: September 1, 2023, through August 31, 2024, for a four year funding cycle through August 31, 2027. Funding beyond year one will be contingent upon the State Legislature’s continued appropriation of funds.
Eligible Applicants
New York State public school districts which meet the following criteria may submit individual applications:
- BEDS Day Economically Disadvantaged % Enrolled > 54
- BEDS Day English Language Learner (ELL) % Enrolled > 0.9
- and a 2015 Cohort (2019 graduating class) by August of 4th year % graduated < 76
- BEDS Day Economically Disadvantaged % Enrolled > 59
- and a 2015 Cohort (2019 graduating class) by August of 4th year % graduated < 76
- BEDS Day English Language Learner (ELL) % Enrolled >2.9
- and a 2015 Cohort (2019 graduating class) by August of 4th year % graduated < 76
Amount of Funding
The New York State Education Department will award up to $6,250,000 to fund grants for the 2023-2024 school year, the first year of the four-year funding cycle.
For the purposes of this funding opportunity the following are the award amounts for districts:
- Any 1 Focus Area: up to $190,000
- Any 2 Focus Areas: up to $240,000
- All 3 Focus Areas: up to $300,000
Mandatory Signatures
Original signature of District Superintendent (or designee) is required. Original signature of the District Superintendent (or designee) and school principal(s) is also required on the Statement of Assurances. For NYCDOE applicants, the original signature of the Chancellor (or designee) is required in addition to the abovementioned District Superintendent.
Matching Requirements
A minimum 15 percent match of the approved Challenge Grant is required. The matching requirement may be met through the district's own resources, private sources, other governmental sources, and/or in-kind services. Other State funds may be used in this match (except for State grant funds from educational opportunity programs) but may not duplicate services provided. All matching contributions must be used for activities related exclusively to the Challenge Grant project, and district accounts must be structured to reflect this contribution by the appropriate line item.
Questions and Answers
- Questions and Answers – Posted 5/17/2023
Questions regarding this grant must be submitted by May 3, 2023, to the following link: MBK Challenge - Questions.
A Question and Answers Summary will be posted here no later than May 17, 2023.
Non-Mandatory Notice of Intent
To assist the Department in planning for the grant review process, school districts that intend to submit a proposal may submit a Notice of Intent no later than May 24, 2023 to the following link: MBK Challenge - Intent to Apply.
Checklist
Please use the Application Checklist (Attachment I) to ensure that you send a complete application package.
Webinar/Conference Call
Informational Webinar – Posted 4/19/23
Application Due Date and Mailing Address
Receipt of 1 original and 3 paper copies is due by May 31, 2023, to:
New York State Education Department
Office of Access, Equity, and Community Engagement Services
MBK Challenge Grant
89 Washington Avenue, EBA Room 960
Albany, New York 12234
Applications are also required to be received by 5:00 PM, May 31, 2023, by the Department via email to MBKChallenge@nysed.gov. The file format should be in Microsoft Office or PDF. The subject line of the email should read as follows: 2023-2027 MBK CG RFP [legal name of applicant school district].
NYSED Designated Contacts
Program: Sean Brown
Fiscal: Monica Foley
M/WBE: Brian Hackett
MBKChallenge@nysed.gov
(518) 408-1857
Grant Application Documents
Application in PDF | Application in Word
Questions and Answers – Posted 5/17/2023