Grants now available for Head Start program coaches

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families is making available $25 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds for early learning mentor coaches. See the grasnt announcement at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/foa/view/HHS-2010-ACF-OHS-ST-0120.

The project period is 18 months and awards will be made to as many as 150 current Head Start and Early Head Start grantees. The funds will support coaches who will provide on-the-job guidance, coaching, training and technical assistance to classroom teaching staff, home visitors and family child care providers (teaching staff) who work in Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

The goal of the coaching initiative is to improve the quality of teaching; assist programs to promote positive, significant and sustained outcomes for children; and promote career development for teaching staff working in Head Start programs.

Grants will average $200,000, with a floor of $175,000 and a cap of $225,000. ACF seeks applications from current Head Start and Early Head Start grantees.Grantees must provide at least 20 percent of the total approved cost of the project in matching funds or apply for a waiver or a reduction in the required non-Federal share with written documentation of need.

Standard forms, assurances and certifications needed to apply are available at the ACF Forms webpage at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/grants_resources.html.
Standard Forms are also available at the Grants.gov Forms Repository website at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15.