While there is uncertainty about the future of Head Start, children and families are being served and the core aspects of the federal program continue on – including DRS. We understand that having a program in DRS can be unsettling. With the right planning and tools, the process can go smoothly and successfully. Here, we talk about what to expect for the next round of DRS and how you can leverage efficiencies in planning.
Create a DRS planning and application development timeline.
If the next round of DRS grant competitions follows the same patterns we’ve seen in previous years, programs might expect a fall timeline. We would typically expect to see a forecast on Grants.gov as soon as early/mid-summer. However, it wouldn’t be uncommon for there to be a shorter period of time between the forecast and grants opening for competition. The months leading up to DRS are critical planning time, and we encourage programs in DRS to begin planning regardless of whether the grant competition has been forecasted.
As you sketch out a DRS timeline for your program, consider planning months and application development months. In your planning phase (before the release of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)), you can focus on data, program design, and budget. These pieces will become the foundation of your application. Then, the application development phase will typically take 8-9 weeks (the time between the NOFO posting and the application due date). There will be many tasks to complete during this time – writing, review, gathering letters of support and appendix items, and more. This is why it’s important to have your data, design, and budget framework ready before the NOFO posts.
Get your data ready.
Now is the perfect time to consider the resources and information you will need for a successful DRS process. One way that your program can prepare for DRS is to complete data updates. We can’t stress enough how impactful current, relevant data is in justifying a proposed program. This pre-work is essential to make sure your program has up-to-date data that will be required by the grant application and is specific to your communities and program. Explore Data Readiness Supports a Competitive DRS Grant Application for additional information about the type and importance of data that is needed for a DRS application.
If your program needs assistance with DRS data readiness, we offer data gathering to support a competitive application. We can prepare a data report for your program that will provide complete and up-to-date information for use in your application. Data tables in the report are aligned to community assessment requirements in Head Start Program Performance Standards, as well as data requirements in the DRS NOFO.
Put resources and tools in place.
While you wait for DRS, we encourage you to consider your program’s internal resources and capacity for DRS planning and grant writing. Ask questions such as the following.
- What are the steps for application planning and development?
- Which team members are responsible for which activities (e.g., gathering letters of support, compiling the appendix, drafting application narrative, inputting data)?
- How will writing the application take place – one writer, multiple writers?
- What types of reviews and approvals will need to be built into the process?
- Who has access to Grants.gov, and are credentials up to date? Are team members familiar with submitting an application through Grants.gov?
There are many moving pieces in the DRS process. Knowing the status of internal resources and capacity ahead of time, and building in additional supports where needed, allows programs to hit the ground running when NOFOs are posted.
Foundations for Families offers a variety of Consulting Services to support programs in DRS. If your program has the capacity to write its own grant application but needs help with the timeline, template, and process, consider Foundations for Families’ DRS Toolkit. Explore data gathering supports to help ensure your program is submitting the most competitive application. Please be in touch to learn more. We would be glad to talk with you about your program’s needs.
Thank you.
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