How to Apply for Grants from the Colorado Developmental Disabilities
Council In order to fund innovative projects that address the
Summary of Grant Projects
funded in response to the Council’s Request for Proposals entitled
“Implementation of Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council
Five-Year Plan 2007-2011”
Access and Ability, located
in Weld County, was granted funding for its project, Full Access for All
Abilities. Access and Ability
will provide training and advocacy services to students and young adults with
developmental disabilities and their family members and to community-based
organizations. The project will be
specifically directed toward Spanish speaking students and students with
developmental disabilities who need behavioral supports.
Additionally, the project will result in the development of a database
that will track and identify barriers to participation by people with
developmental disabilities in all aspects of community life.
CAPRA, the Colorado
Association of Private Resource Agencies, was granted funding to carry out the Good
to Great project. CAPRA will
provide Essential Lifestyle Planning trainings to people with developmental
disabilities, their family members and related staff, including members of
Alliance (a Community Centered Boards Association and associated service
agencies) and Wheat Ridge Regional Center with the result being changes in
organizational and systemic policies and practices.
PEAK
Parent Center will undertake the Enhanced Colorado Person-Centered Planning
Initiative Project to build upon and expand existing person-centered
planning efforts in Colorado. The
project will accomplish this by making the person-centered planning process
available to young adults with developmental disabilities ages 18 – 26 who
represent the broad range of ethnic, cultural and geographic diversity in
Colorado. In addition, the project will make available training in leadership
and advocacy, and follow-up support to young adults and their personal support
networks.
EACH
Update
The EACH (Education and Advocacy
Cash) fund has been discontinued. It
has been difficult for many individuals and families to spend the money up front
and then wait for reimbursement through EACH. Also, it is not cost-effective to
process the reimbursement of small amounts to a number of EACH recipients each
month.
In place of EACH, we are now
funding seven groups who will grant scholarships to individuals.
The groups will be reimbursed for the scholarships following the event or
conference. The following groups currently function within the Council’s Five
Year Plan as well as dovetail with our values and mission.
Please contact these groups if you are interested in receiving a
scholarship to attend their events:
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APSE
– The Network on Employment, annual conference in September, contact
Gayann Brandenburg (303) 636-5600. Website:
www.denveroptions.org
-
Inclusion Conference – annual conference on inclusive education in
January, contact PEAK Parent Center, 1-800-284-0251.
Website: www.peakparent.org
-
EMPOWER/CO. –group meetings statewide for families impacted by
mental health issues, contact Lorri Park (303) 691-9339.
Website: www.cpco.org
-
Assistive Technology Conference
– annual conference on assistive technology in June, contact Kathy Bodine
or Julia Beems (303) 315-1280. Website: http://www.uchsc.edu/atp/conf2006/conf2006main.htm
-
ADAPT/Atlantis – Civil disobedience actions around the country
regarding institutionalization and MiCASSA legislation, contact Babs Johnson
(303) 733-9324. Website: www.adapt.org
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Training for Transition
–ongoing training for families/students ages 14 and up, contact Lynn
Robinson at Colorado Easter Seals (303) 233-1666.
Website: http://co.easterseals.com
-
El Grupo Vida – Annual conference for Spanish speaking families in
October, contact El Grupo Vida 303-904-6073. Website: www.elgrupovida.org
How to Apply for Grants from the
Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council
In
order to fund innovative projects that address the mission of the Colorado
Developmental Disabilities Council (CDDC), the Council grants money through the Request for Proposals (RFP) process.
RFP’s
focus the Council’s funding efforts on achieving specific outcomes in the
Federal Five-Year Plan priority areas (see a summary of the Goals and Objectives
for the priority areas).
RFP
process
The
majority of the Council’s funds available for grants are distributed through
an informal Request for Proposals process.
The Council will release announcements requesting proposals to respond to
specific priorities or initiatives to achieve specific outcomes.
The
RFP process begins at the committee level, with a committee recommendation as to
the scope of work and money to be granted for a given project.
Check the Council’s and its Committee’s goals and objectives
if you are interested in talking with a particular committee about a project
concept.
An
RFP, a Request for Proposals, whether formal or informal, reflects very
specific ideas for a project that a committee would like to see implemented.
The Council will be very specific about the areas to be addressed,
methodologies, deadlines, desired outcomes and funding levels.
More
formal RFP’s are issued for projects over $150,000.
The Council works with the Office of Procurement for the Department of
Human Services to convene a committee of Council and community members that
evaluates all of the proposals and decides which proposals to fund.
If
you are interested in responding to this RFP, you must register with the State
of Colorado. Check the State website at website at http://www.gssa.state.co.us/
or call the help desk at (303) 894-2039 for general questions about the BIDS
system, and technical assistance.
To
register with BIDS, vendors must download the forms from the website or visit
the State Purchasing Office. Vendors
must complete and sign a form, complete and sign a W-9 form for Federal Income
Tax purposes, and submit a check payable to the State of Colorado for $40.00.
The annual fee of $40.00 allows the vendor to download solicitation
specifications and to bid on State business requirements at any State of
Colorado agency, including institutions of higher education, for one (1) year.
You
may access the Internet from your own computer at your convenience, or use a
computer with Internet access at any public library.
Be sure to check the website often for any changes that may be made to
the original solicitation document. Contact
the Purchasing Agent listed on each solicitation with specific questions about
the project in which you are interested.
Whether
the Council issues a formal or an informal RFP, a committee that includes at
least three Council members and two community members reviews the proposals.
Once the proposal review committee selects one or more proposals to be
recommended to the Council, the Council votes whether or not to fund the
proposals.
Links for information on how to write a grant proposal:
http://www.cpb.org/grants/grantwriting.html
http://www.epa.gov/seahome/grants/src/grant.htm
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