School-Age Quality (SAQ) Grant

Grant Title: School Age Quality Grant
Solicitation Number: 26-DWS-S004
Funding Source: Child Care and Development Fund
Total grant amount: Varies
Expected Number of Awards: Varies
Letter of Intent Deadline: Monday, March 31, 2025 no later than 5:00 PM
Web Form
Application Deadline: Thursday, April 17, 2025 no later than 5:00 PM, Late proposals will not be accepted. Proposals must be submitted as required in the RFGA.
Program Start Date: July 1, 2025
Program End Date: June 30, 2028
Pre-Proposal Meeting (virtual): Wednesday, March 19, 2025
10:00 AM- 12:00 PM
Phone in option: 240-705-8770
PIN: 476 352 118#
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Contact Information: Contract Owners: Lori Birrell, loribirrell@utah.gov, 385-379-7447, Trina Valdez, trinavaldez@utah.gov, 385-261-3311 
Contract Analyst: Kimber Burks, kburks@utah.gov, 801-814-1222

Purpose

The Department of Workforce Services, Office of Child Care (DWS, OCC) supports Out-of-School Time (OST) programs throughout the State of Utah to provide safe, supportive, interactive and engaging environments for school-age youth. This grant will provide support for OST programs with a focus on maintaining standard programs or increasing to the highest quality of OST programs with concentrations on student, community and organization engagements.

Eligibility Requirements

Program Requirements

To be considered eligible for this grant, the orgnization shall: 

  1. Provide a regular, formally supervised afterschool program for elementary-age youth (5-12)
  2. Already be in operation and meeting quality standards as described in Utah Administrative Code 53E-3-508(2); 
  3. Enroll a minimum of 40 percent of youth that qualify for free or reduced lunch;
  4. Operate program from bell dismissal to at least 5:30 on program days;
  5. Serve kindergarten through sixth grade students, or a selection of;
  6. Allow all youth to attend all hours of programming each week;
  7. As determined by Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Licensing and Background Checks (DHHS, DLBC) program shall:
    1. Ensure all fingerprinting and background checks are completed and current;
    2. Maintain the “DWS-Approved” status given to continue to receive any Child Care and Development Funds (CCDF) grant; and
    3. Ensure compliance with all DHHS, DLBC requirements.
  8. Provide programming with a balance of academic and enrichment activities;
  9. If fees are charged, 
    1. Youth who qualify for free lunch must have all fees related to programming waived. This includes participation fees, partnering club fees, and any other fees related to full and equal access to all program related offerings. 
    2. Youth who qualify for reduced lunch must be offered a sliding fee scale; the sliding fee scale must include participation fees, partnering club fees, and any other fees related to full and equal access to all program related offerings.
    3. Reasonably provide child care subsidy information to all families regarding offsetting child care cost options (Child Care Subsidy Information Pamphlet- English or Spanish).

Addendum