YES RFP FAQs

	A	B	C
1	Category	QUESTION	ANSWERS

2	Budget	What if you end up not using the money?	You may return any unspent funds.
3	Budget	Is there a Minimum or Maximum amount to apply for?	There is no minimum or maximum--we anticipate average award will be $25K and awards are up to $50K.
4	Budget	What can budget be spent on? Staffing, OTPS?	Budget requests should be aligned to program delivery method. OTPS and staff are allowable expenses.
5	Budget	When would the funds have to be spent by? Do they all have to be spent before SYEP starts or throughout the summer?	Funds should be spent by end of summer.
6	Budget	Is there a rough guideline for how much funding is appropriate to ask for based on the number of youth you are able to provide programming for?	There is a goal for scale, so we encourage models that can effectively reach a large number of young people.
7	City Alignment	What happens if the design we propose to you is different from what DYCD ends up implementing?	We expect Content Providers and SYEP Providers to work together to adapt program to DYCD requirements.
8	Ownership	Would an organization pairing with an SYEP provider still own their curriculum?	Yes, but we hope that Content Providers will share their curriculum/content with SYEP Providers under a Creative Commons framework.
9	Process	What if you are awarded funds, start spending them, and SYEP is not reinstated?	Funds will not be disbursed until some form of SYEP reinstatement and adaptation is announced.
10	Process	Will all of the winning awardees’ curriculum be available to all providers ? Or if a content provider gets selected will they only share with a specific contracted amount of participants?	We would like to make all submitted curriculum available to all SYEP Providers that can make good use of it. If a proposer objects to this, they should make that clear in their proposal.
11	Process	what would be the terms of selection, ie would it be about SYEP providers deciding of their own accord to implement our program based upon what they read about the curriculum we’d create?	YES will create a space where SYEP Providers will be able to find curricula and we would assist YES Content Partners and SYEP Providers in matching and creating partnerships.
12	Program Hours	Do we know how long these virtual experiences need to be?	Length of experience will be dictated by DYCD.
13	Program Hours	Are there any parameters around the self-directed curriculum modules? Specifically, are there a minimum number of hours that need to be met in order to qualify? The program that we have is short, and may only take a total of 20-25 hours to complete.	There is currently no set number of required hours. Once these requirements are known, we'd expect Content Partners to adapt their programming in collaboration with the SYEP Provider they are working with.
14	Program Hours	What is the implementation expectation for YES? How many weeks? How many hours a week?	This will be determined by DYCD. In last summer's SYEP, OY (16+) were required to work 25 hours per week and YY (14-16) engaged in Project-based Learning Experiences for 15 hours (20 if CareerCLUE). We anticipate this summer's required hours to be closer to the 15 hour per week.
15	Program Model	Which students will be targeted through this RFP?	Students in the city's summer employment program are targeted for this experience.
16	Program Model	Where does a SYEP provider applying for funds to develop their own virtual program fall among these three models?	The proposed program would fall into "content-partner facilitated" or "self-directed curriculum" depending on how the SYEP providers would facilitate the virtual learning. SYEP providers may also be content providers.
17	Program Model	What if you are a provider that has content, curriculum, staff facilitators, employer partners with a full virtual program built out? Can you serve both roles within your program/proposal submission?	SYEP providers may also serve as Content Partners. Those without an SYEP contract will need to partner with one or more DYCD-contracted SYEP Providers.
18	Program Model	Can we use theses funds for technology or certification fees?	Yes, if they help meet the five core elements of the program.
19	Program Model	Do you need to align with all five elements or can you address select elements	We would like to hear how your proposed program fits into a program that addresses all elements, including how the YES program would work with one or more SYEP Providers.
20	Program Model	If we already have an online learning platform and curriculum, can we just use YES budget to train and support SYEP Providers?	Yes. Service model #1: SYEP Provider Facilitation with Content Partner Support. Content Partner provides curriculum, staff training (within timing constraints presented by summer 2020 implementation), and ongoing technical assistance to enable SYEP Provider to lead programs for youth.
21	Program Model	Can the program support a smaller number of youth with more personalized and intensive support and then have elements that are open to a larger population (webinar style)?	Yes, organizations can propose hybrid models. If a hybrid model is being proposed, SYEP students in both the intensive group and the webinar group should have a plan to achieve all 5 core elements.
22	Program Model	Can we submit a proposal that includes plans to both host a virtual program and provide training and curriculum for other orgs as well>?	Yes, organizations can propose hybrid models. If a hybrid model is being proposed, students in both groups should have a plan to achieve all 5 core elements. Please clearly explain why the two service options are linked. If the content area in the two models is different, this may call for two proposals.
23	Program Model	If the workshops are via zoom - will there be a limit to the # of teens on one zoom meeting	Students should primarily work in cohorts of 15-20. There is not a maximum of students who can participate in a Zoom call.
24	Program Model	Can you please clarify if we are correct in our understanding of this service option? This means that we could recruit students from the SYEP Provider to take seats in our virtual program, and get paid for facilitating the program for those students? And the SYEP Provider would handle all the paperwork that DYCD requires?	This is correct.
25	Program Model	This question is regarding the first way that a Content Provider can support an SYEP Provider, "SYEP Provider Facilitation with Content Partner Support." Our organization has a curriculum for remote work-readiness training that totals 26 hours of training. We could provide the curriculum, staff training, and ongoing technical assistance to a Provider so that the Provider could implement the program for its students. However, is a 26-hour program sufficient? Do Providers have a minimum (or maximum) amount of time they need to spend engaging their youth?	There is currently no set number of required hours. Once these requirements are known, we'd expect Content Partners to adapt their programming in collaboration with the SYEP Provider they are working with.
26	Program Model	I thought I heard that for 1 core element we could expect to put in 100 hours of training. Does that mean if we are offering training on all core elements it will be 500 hours of training over the summer or did I mishear that? Please clarify how much training a content supporter would provide?	YES does not require a set number of hours per core element. Proposers should suggest a number of training hours that they feel are appropriate for properly preparing Provider staff
27	Selection	Please discuss the three deadlines	We will make grants until funding runs out. We anticipate three rounds of submissions and awards.
28	Selection	Can an organization be awarded with more than 1 grant?	Yes. Organizations may apply more than once if they have distinct program offerings to propose.
29	Selection	Is there a target number of youth that organizations should be aiming to support for an award of $25,000?	There is a goal for scale, so we encourage models that can effectively reach a large number of young people.
30	Selection	If an organization is not a current SYEP provider but has both the content and the facilitators ready to deliver the program can they apply to do so directly or are they required to partner with an current SYEP provider?	To be funded by YES, organizations must work in partnership with a SYEP Provider.
31	Selection	If my organization is not a SYEP provider ourselves but we want to implement our own curriculum. Is there a way to become a provider now?	Only DYCD-contracted organizations can act as SYEP Providers. YES aims to connect organizations without SYEP contracts to SYEP Providers so they can work together to provide youth content-rich work-based and project-based learning experiences this summer.
32	Selection	Do you have to identified a SYEP partner in advance of submitting a proposal?	No.
33	Selection	Would you support with a match with an SYEP partner or do we have to find one?	YES will help to make a match.
34	Selection	If you are not a current SYEP provider can you only be a content provider?	Yes, organizations may be a Content Partner without being an SYEP Provider.
35	Selection	What would make a winning proposal eligible for the higher end of the grant award range vs. the lower end?	Proposals are evaluated using the YES rubric. Budgets will be evaluated based on scope of services provided.
36	Selection	What if you are awarded YES funds, but are not a provider given access to publicly funded spots? Not sure where the subset of Ladders for Leaders will fall in priority in any reinstatement of subsidies available.	If funds were to support being a Content Partner with other SYEP Providers, then YES funds can be dispersed. Ladders for Leaders providers may apply to be Content Partners to SYEP Providers.
37	Selection	Do we need to identify the SYEP partner(s) that we would work with as a content provider in advance of submitting a proposal? Or is the grant awarded with content providers then being included in virtual community as program option for SYEP providers?	YES can support pre-existing partnerships, but partnerships do not have to be established prior to submission.
38	Selection	Can you please talk a little bit about what you were envisioning for “demonstrated or evidence of demand”? Thank you!	We would like to hear how youth and/or partner organizations have responded to program content similar to what you are proposing. How many times have you implemented it? Were young people excited to participate? Was your program over-subscribed?
39	Selection	We are a DYCD/SYEP provider....please explain why I would want to apply for the YES program? How will it help me if I receive funds from DYCD?	The goal of YES is to support DYCD Providers. If a DYCD Provider needs assistance in creating virtual content, YES could provide support. DYCD Providers do not need to apply to YES to have access to the YES Content community created through this rfp.
40	Selection	Can a SYEP provider apply for funds for their own curriculum development for project based learning they plan to implement with their SYEP participants?	Yes.
41	Selection	We would have no idea who we would be partnered with. And this is all contingent on SYEP being funded.	Correct.
42	Selection	How do we figure out a partnership with an SYEP provider? And wouldn't it be better to figure this out before we respond to the RFP?	YES aims to set the table for the rapid formation of partnerships when/if a SYEP restoration is announced.
43	Selection	Do I have to have an actual "not-for-profit org" to participate as a program facilitator?	Only non-profit organizations are eligible to apply.
44	Selection	Would we potentially be paired with more than one provider per cohort?	This is a possibility, and would be determined by Content Partner and SYEP Provider(s).
45	Selection	Can we apply for funding to run a program for our 60 students who would have been eligible for SYEP or does it have to be open to all?	We will be constrained by the rules of SYEP. If SYEP is back as a lottery system, then there would not be a way to select students. If these 60 students were part of a school based allocation, then I am assuming the school based provider would decide which students are participating. But if you already had a previous relationship with an SYEP Provider and a plan to support 60 students via SYEP, YES funds could support that as long as YES funds are augmenting and not replacing other funds.
46	Stipends	Can you speak more about how the stipends for youth without social security numbers will be distributed?	We plan to let SYEP providers know how they can access those funds once we know more about recruitment methods for this summer. We anticipate giving SYEP Providers payments which they can disburse to students as honoraria or stipends for learning experiences.
47	Technology	What is the ‘separate process’ for the funds for evaluation, technology? Will there be another RFP for this?	There will not be another RFP for this. Please reach out for queries related to these areas of funding.
48	Technology	I was confused about the requirement NOT to include cost of technology. We feel that some students will need laptops. What is the thinking about what budget that will come from?	We believe DOE technology will be available through the summer. Additionally, there is an emergency technology fund to distribute laptops/tablets or mifi devices. If specialized technology is needed for YES content, proposers can include this in thier budgets.
49	Technology	What about students who don't have the technology and access to wifi to zoom in? Is there a way to support them?	We anticipate having a fund for emergency technology support. The process for acquiring these funds will be separate from this current RFP.
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