This fall we’ve been posting about Head Start and Early Head Start competitive grant opportunities that are forecasted for later this year. We’re now three weeks away from the estimated post date, December 4, 2017, when 53 grants are forecasted to go live on grants.gov. You can find an up to date list of forecasted grants here.
You might be wondering what type of grant competitions are forecasted. There hasn’t been an official announcement from the Office of Head Start (OHS), but our best indication is that this is Designation Renewal System (DRS) Round 6. There may be a few forecasted Head Start/Early Head Start grants that aren’t DRS, but by in large we’re hearing from many of you that this is DRS. The forecasts haven’t changed in over a month, so it seems like this is the list of grants that will post. It is always possible though that the final list of grants open for competition could change – more or less. In past rounds of DRS the forecasts have aligned closely with what ends up getting posted.
Are you applying for a competitive grant as part of DRS Round 6? Check out our post from over the summer, From Forecast to Grant Posting – How to Use Your “Pre-FOA” Time Strategically, for tips to get in order before the FOAs post. The timeline for this round of DRS is particularly challenging – an estimated post date of December 4, 2017 and proposals due February 2, 2017. To help avoid timeline challenges we recommend your team determine your program design as soon as possible. This will be the central piece of the application around which everything else falls in place.
If your agency is applying for a grant and is in need of assistance please feel free to be in touch. Our expert consultants are experienced grant writers, and Foundations for Families offers a range of grant writing supports that can be tailored to your agency’s needs. We provide tools, guidance and review to applicants that will be drafting their own proposal and we provide full grant writing services to those needing assistance with the entire process. We would be glad to discuss your needs and help you find the right fit for grant writing support.
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