The Best Starts for Kids is excited to announce its Workforce Development Communities of Practice request for proposals (RFP).
Donor Name: Best Starts for Kids
State: Washington
County: King County (WA)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/20/2023
Details:
At Best Starts, they want babies and young children to grow up happy, healthy and safe. They offer support to the prenatal to five workforce through continuous learning and improvement, so that they in turn can support the children and families in their care
The Workforce Development (WFD) strategy, provides training, technical assistance, and peer learning opportunities to build the knowledge and skills of early childhood practitioners and to promote shared community healing
This RFP is seeking qualified organizations to participate in Communities of Practice: Communities of Practice (CoP): A space for King County’s prenatal to five providers to co-determine needs and engage in deeper-learning on specific, self-identified topics.
In order for children and their families to have positive experiences and form trusting relationships with the providers who serve them, providers themselves must be supported-through ongoing opportunities for knowledge-building as well as self-care and reflective time with supervisors and peers. The latter is especially crucial for workers who support children and families experiencing trauma, institutional racism, and lack of opportunity—and who might themselves have experienced adversities.
Goals
Currently, Best Starts is seeking to support prenatal to five workers to achieve three overarching goals:
- Increase knowledge of early childhood development and other relevant topics to improve the quality of their services and foster trusting relationships with the children and families they serve
- Create opportunities for peer connections, mutual support, and self-care through cohort groups and one-on-one reflective consultation
- Increase worker capacities to strengthen equitable outcomes for children and families by promoting understanding of and engagement with racial equity concepts and practices.
Priority Topics Areas
As a result, in its implementation plan, Best Starts for Kids set aside funding for trainings and other learning opportunities on the priority topics areas:
- Healthy Child Development
- Racial Equity Training
- Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health.
Eligibility Criteria
This request for proposals invites nonprofits, tribes/tribal organizations, schools and school districts, and public or governmental agencies serving children prenatal to age five and their families in King County. Small nonprofits and community-based organizations are encouraged to submit proposals. This RFP is open to agencies in the state of Washington who serve prenatal to age five children and families residing in King County. Priority will be given to agencies located within King County that are culturally rooted in the communities they serve. Agencies outside of King County may be awarded as funding remains. All agencies serving prenatal to age five children and families residing in King County are highly encouraged to apply.
For more information, visit Best Starts for Kids.