January 13, 2015
Grants Task Force meeting Minutes
January 9, 2015; 9:00am
Present: Kathy Billings Scott Blake, David Wihry,
Absent: Ed Barrett, Celeste Branham, Gordon Liu
Staff: Michael Ashmore
Guests: Joely Ross, Steve Niles, Heather Weste, Ethan Schechter
Review of Application Scoring and Recommendations to Commission
Committee reviewed Peer and Task Force Reviewer cores and comments and developed recommendations for Competitive applications from
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RSU 14/REAL School
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Maine Conservation Corps
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Island Institute
All applicants were recommended to be moved forward National Competition with the condition that each correct certain errors in their applications and improve identified narrative sections
Continuation Recommendations
Committee also reviewed performance assessment of LearningWorks AIMS HIGH program. Because of continued low enrollment despite numerous program attempts to improve, the committee developed a recommendation to reduce the size of the LearningWorks grant to no more than 40 MSY (a reduction from 54.46) resulting in a maximum federal portion of no more than $532,000.
Task Force members agreed that the program would have latitude to make the necessary changes in the application and budget as it felt was best, but agreed that a significant portion of the reduction should be in the large number of minimum time positions, as these are the area in which the program has the largest enrollment deficits.
The committee members expressed that this was necessary in order for the program to have a realistic opportunity to re-compete next year.
MA also quickly reviewed the status of the Eastern Maine Community College continuation, noting that, in meetings, EMMCC has decided not to continue into the third year. They have said that they were willing to work to transition the project to a different primary sponsor. Those discussions are ongoing.
Formula Update & Rural Development plan
A plan to delay the release of the Formula RFP in order to create a set-aside to support 2 and 3 member AmeriCorps programs focused on rural development in Maine’s “rim Counties” was reviewed. The plan would require Commission approval either via policy changes or approval as a pilot project. The intent is to create an RFP using a portion of the State Formula funding to incentive small rural organizations in the poorest counties to create Capacity Building focused projects. Organizations would agree to a 1:1 match and to participate in Service Enterprise training during the 3-year grant cycle, as well as agreeing to develop plans for larger AmeriCorps projects during the grant term.
Mr Niles asked questions about the relationship between the regular formula funding and the segregated portion, especially concerning the ability to utilize all of the funds should one RFP or the other not be fully requested. He also asked about the relationship with the current Maine VISTA project and the differences between the envisioned model and the role of VISTAs in the state. Mr Niles also suggested that the Commission consider the use of an intermediary to manage the envisioned program, given the CNCS focus on multi-focus intermediaries in the current NOFO.
The Task force recommends that the Commission adopt the plan as a pilot project over the next formula cycle and review the results before making specific policy changes to accommodate it.