DRS Updates
About DRS Updates
Foundations for Families started this blog in 2011 to provide support for those agencies on the Designation Renewal Systems (DRS) list, and to give you up to date information and analysis about DRS.
DRS Updates provides timely information and context for those agencies in DRS, at risk of being in DRS, or those wishing to compete for the service areas.
Preparing for Grant Writing Success: How to Use the “Pre-NOFO” Time Strategically
There are 50 Head Start/Early Head Start grants forecasted to open for competition next month and many grantees are awaiting the posting of the Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO). NOFOs are scheduled to post to grants.gov on September 5, 2023, just three weeks away.
The roughly eight-week turnaround time from a NOFO posting to applications being due goes very quickly. Leveraging the “pre-NOFO” time strategically can help to set a program on a path to successful grant writing. Here are a few tips for how you might use the time.
Up-to-Date Data Essential for DRS Grant Writing
If your program is preparing to write a DRS application this fall, now is a great time to consider the resources and information you will need for success. While there are many steps involved in preparing for and writing grant applications, today we focus on the importance of data updates as essential “pre-work.” Here are a few tips you might keep in mind.
50 Service Areas in 26 States and Puerto Rico to Open for DRS Competition
Last week, DRS grant competitions were forecasted to open in September 2023. New information is now available about the forecasted service areas. Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for DRS are organized by state. Within each of the NOFOs (once they are posted), there will be information about each service area and the corresponding funding amount up for competition. In the meantime, you can view the preliminary lists of service areas, estimated funding, and estimated number of awards in the Office of Head Start Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) Locator, and summarized below.
DRS Grants Forecasted to Open for Competition in September 2023
On July 19, 2023, 29 Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for Designation Renewal System (DRS) grant opportunities were forecasted on grants.gov. Included are 25 NOFOs for Head Start/Early Head Start grants and 4 NOFOs for Early Head Start Expansion and Early Head Start – Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) grants.
NOFOs Posted for Competitive HS/EHS Grants in New Jersey, North Dakota, and Texas
On March 14, 2023 three Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for competitive Head Start/Early Head Start grant opportunities posted on grants.gov. Applications for grants are due May 15, 2023. In addition to accessing NOFOs on grants.gov, they are downloadable from the Office of Head Start (OHS) Funding Opportunities website. Service areas with grants open for competition, estimated funding amounts, and estimated numbers of awards are listed below.
Grant writing exceeded our expectations.
We also developed internal capacity through the modeling and coaching provided by Foundations for Families. We have an excellent DRS application. Foundations for Families removed the anxiety from the process, using a strengths-based approach. This helped us focus on the positive components of our program.
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