Girls Today, Leaders Tomorrow

Posted by on July 28, 2008

Girls Today, Leaders Tomorrow

Agency Funding and Participant Selection Application for Girls Serving Programs in Southeastern Pennsylvania

United Way is issuing this RFP to provide funding for community-based and school-based out-of-school time programs in the development and implementation of effective strategies to promote character and leadership development and foster positive self-esteem targeting middle school and early high school-aged girls throughout our region that are at risk of dropping out of school. Programs identified for funding will also select two girls to participate in the United Way Women’s Initiative’s Girls Today, Leaders Tomorrow program.

This RFP seeks to identify and support effective strategies for engaging adolescent females at risk of drop out in character education and leadership development opportunities in order to:
•    Expand their repertoire of pro-social behaviors
•    Decrease their likelihood of involvement in risk behaviors (early pregnancy, juvenile delinquent activities, substance abuse, etc.)
•    Increase their academic performance
•    Enhance their bonding with community through civic activities
•    Increase their alliances with positive peer groups
•    Increase their self-efficacy

Project Period: October 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009

Available Funding:   The maximum amount of a single grant award is $15,000. Up to 10 grants will be awarded.

Eligibility: This RFP is targeted to nonprofit organizations with existing girls programs.   Applicants with existing character education and leadership development programs are encouraged to apply.  Programs currently involved with Girls Today, Leaders Tomorrow are eligible to apply, and will receive 10 extra points for current participation. Organizations must complete United Way’s web-based Regional Registry for Social Services (R2S2) at http://www.uwsepa.org/R2S2 in order to be considered for funding. Agencies must meet the following criteria:
•    Possess a 501(c)(3) designation letter from the IRS or present evidence of commitment from a fiscal sponsor.
•    Serve youth in Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and/or Philadelphia counties.
•    Target girls in grades 6 through 10 with any of the following profiles characteristic of a young person at risk of eventually dropping out of school:
o    Truancy
o    Failing grades in reading or math
o    One or more grade levels below average in reading or math
o    Repeated one or more grades
o    Poor school behavior
o    Adjudicated Delinquent
o    Foster Care
o    Pregnant or Parenting
o    Incarcerated Parent(s)
o    Transitional/Homeless
o    Substance Abusing or Recovering
o    LGBTQ
o    Mental/Behavioral Health Issues
•    Willing to make recommendations for two girls to participate in the program, including timely collection of information and required documentation such as report cards, parental consent forms, health information forms, etc.
•    Coordinate participating girls and their families to attend the Orientation Dinner on Friday, October 3, 2008 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
•    Coordinate girls to attend the weekend retreat tentatively scheduled for October 24-26. Retreat attendance is required because of the team bonding element interwoven into the weekend.  If a girl is unable to attend she will need to be replaced by another girl. Agencies are advised to have a girl or two on a waiting list to serve as a replacement.
•    Commit to providing at least one staff person to attend each monthly Saturday session and the weekend retreat in support of the participating girls
•    Assume responsibility for regularly communicating with the girls to keep them and their families apprised of pertinent project information, and to provide support and monitoring of girl’s attendance and participation in the initiative and problem solve as required
•    Host one Saturday session for the girls by planning with the United Way Coordinating Consultant on the selected character and leadership traits for the month, and either directly or through contract (cost to be covered by United Way) provide facilitated skill building and recreational activities for a fun, interactive learning experience for the girls.
•    Assign an agency representative to attend convening sessions on a monthly basis to contribute to planning for the initiative and for cross-agency learning and sharing purposes.
•    Participate in United Way evaluation efforts

Completed RFP Application Forms and two Girls Applications must be received no later than 12:00 noon on Wednesday, September 17, 2008.  Completed applications may be emailed or three hard copies mailed to:

Malaika Davis
United Way of Southeastern PA
Seven Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: 215-665-2623
Fax:     215-665-2557
e-mail:  mdavis@uwsepa.org