CYDT Technical Assistance

BBYT Request for Application (RFA)
The Blending and Braiding Your TANF Initiative (BBYT) is releasing a Request for Applications (RFA) for a unique technical assistance opportunity on fiscal coordination.
BBYT is seeking to provide 12 months of technical assistance to eight collaborative efforts (demonstration sites) around the state, to help each site create an individualized, CDHS-approved plan to braid TANF with one or more additional funding streams.
The application is available at: http://www.csi-policy.org/bbyt/
The purposes of TANF allow for a broad array of services, such as:
Supports to access work and job training, child care, transportation, healthcare, education and training, job retention, mental health and substance abuse, domestic violence, developmental disabilities, family asset development, life skills training, child welfare, family formation, out of wedlock pregnancy prevention, community development, case management, and peer support.
The deadline for the application is Midnight on October 31st, 2009

Why TANF?
In the last 6 years, Colorado’s spending of its allocated TANF dollars have decreased by large amounts each year. In 2002, 9% of our TANF funds went unspent. By 2007, fully 50%, or just under $80 million, went unspent. This decrease in spending is due in part to a lack of understanding of how TANF dollars can be spent.

Who can apply?
• Community organizations across Colorado that receive TANF dollars or serve low-income families using other funding streams, in partnerships with the County Human Service Organization that oversees TANF funding; and
• Established or first time collaboratives of two or more partners who seek to improve outcomes for a population that includes low income families, in partnerships with the County Human Service Organization that oversees TANF funding.
• The minimum requirements to submit an application include:
o An identified service, expansion of services, gap in services, or population in need;
o An identified funding stream (or more than one) to braid with TANF; and
o An agreement between said partner’s fiscal officers or CEOs to braid funds.

The general demonstration site timeline includes:
• October 2009: Call for applications for demonstration sites with deadline of Oct 31st
• December 2009: Selection of eight demonstration sites
• January – December 2010: Technical assistance with the eight demonstration sites, including community meetings, family & consumer involvement, and key informant interviews.

Benefits to Demonstration Sites
The Initiative will provide all counties with clarity from the Colorado Department of Human Services on the scope of services allowed under TANF funds. Demonstration sites will also receive:
• 12 months of technical assistance beginning January 2010 to create individualized braiding plans with TANF and one or more additional funding streams;
• Research to inform and clarify the appropriate braiding of multiple funding streams in compliance with Federal and State regulations and eligibility criteria;
• Partnership from the Colorado Department of Human Services to ensure the appropriateness of your community’s plan to braid or blend TANF funding; and
• Tools for monitoring and reporting on the use of funds to state and federal funders.

Who is Funding/Leading this Project?
The Colorado Department of Human Service’s Colorado Works Division is funding the BBYT initiative with a grant from the Statewide Strategic Use Fund. BBYT is a partnership of:
• Jose Esquibel, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment;
• The Colorado Systems of Care Collaborative, as the advisory group;
• Family Resource Centers, family advocacy organizations, and local counties to provide insight, expertise, and implementation opportunities;
• The Center for Systems Integration, to provide staff support and fiscal coordination expertise;
• The Colorado Foundation for Public Health and the Environment is the fiscal agent.

Partnering Ideas
• In addition to the local TANF office, applicants could also partner with (this is not an exhaustive list):
o A family organization to train peer support specialists or system navigators to work with low income families involved with multiple public systems;
o The schools to bring in wellness promotion or healthcare services to students;
o A community mental health center to co-locate behavioral health services within medical or other community services sites;
o A local business community to train job coaches for persons with disabilities;
o A small business or coalition of businesses to hire TANF recipients;
o A recreation center to offer after-school activities for youth;
o A transportation service to help families access health care services;
o A local organization on family planning & teen pregnancy prevention;
o A domestic violence shelter to offer safe access to transitional housing;
o A local nursing group to extend home visitation services to teen mothers;
o A local public health department to offer prevention presentations and services;
o A resource center to offer cross-system case management services;
o A local eye doctor to offer low cost or free exams and glasses; or
o Local dentists to see adults involved in a substance abuse treatment program.