(ESCAMBIA COUNTY) --- The Escambia Children’s Trust (ECT) Bright Beginnings Request for Proposal (RFP) was presented to Escambia County officials.
ECT Executive Director Lindsey Cannon laid out the program to officials on July 14, noting that the RFP requires two board members to volunteer for the grant application review.
“But we do need a full board vote,” Cannon said.
Calling it a “county-wide prenatal to six readiness network,” Cannon explained that the program design is evidence-informed, family-centered, and data-driven.
The target population for the program includes more than a dozen categories, such as multilingual families, foster care families, single-parent households, children with disabilities, and grandparents raising grandchildren.
(Photo: Bright Beginnings presentation slide shown at the Escambia Children's Trust meeting July 14)
“That is a definite need in our community,” Cannon said of grandparents as guardians.
The ultimate goal of the program, according to Cannon, is kindergarten readiness and healthy development. Cannon went on to explain that beginning applicant requirements include eligible nonprofits, governments, and qualifying for-profit groups.
“Services have to be free,” Cannon said. “This is one of those things also where there is a lot of funding in different pockets, and we don’t always know who can fund what.”
There will be mandatory documentation and vetting, as well as a required information session and financial training. As for budget, the ECT proposes up to $500K annually, with a $5K maximum per child, according to Cannon, who said some specialists are required for implementation.
(Photo: Bright Beginnings presentation slide shown at the Escambia Children's Trust meeting July 14)
“We are going to need people who have credentials that are overseeing a lot of this, so we want to be very careful about who we are working with,” Cannon said.
Training and technical assistance will be available to applicants, who will also receive monthly professional development after being awarded funds. Cannon called the procurement timeline aggressive.
“We had some setbacks in May,” Cannon said of the final board approval in October.
Board Chair Dr. Rex Northrop thanked Cannon for her “thorough coverage of what has been a long, intensive and complex item.” Northrop confirmed that the two board volunteers were not needed immediately. Cannon said once they are chosen, the board members will be trained to review the RFP.
“Any questions or comments that come up, we will elicit from the board, the public, and the providers that we will be looking at and hopefully responding to that very important initiative as we continue forward," Northrop said.
(Photo: Dr. Rex Northorp, Chair of Escambia Children's Trust board members at the July 14 meeting)
Northrop also led the approval of an updated three-year budget and a vote on the Children’s Home Society Navigator Program.
Additionally, the board also approved line-item expenses in a “cost-neutral” budget amendment for Covenant House, Youths Left Behind, Dixon School of Arts, Chain Reaction, Legal Services of North Florida and S.A.L.T. Ministries.
The ECT Board also welcomed Judge Coleman L. Robinson as a member.
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