Ready To Learn – Sustainability Awards
Grant: Ready To Learn Transmedia Demonstration Stations – Cohort #1 Sustainability Awards
Agency: Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Deadline: The deadline was December 7, 2012.
Description: In October 2011, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) awarded funding to 11 Demonstration Stations to implement Ready To Learn (RTL) transmedia content in local educational settings. The goal of the RTL program is to improve the math and literacy skills of children ages two to eight from low income families, as well as provide support to their families and educators.
CPB is inviting this first cohort of Demonstration Stations to submit proposals for a new round of Sustainability Awards to continue their RTL efforts. Under this program, applicants should anticipate and be willing to complete the following activities:
- Collaborate with local educational partners and sites from the original project, while expanding the project to include at least one additional partner and site.
- Work with some of the children who participated in the original project, while engaging additional children in RTL activities.
- Incorporate best practices of transmedia implementation in expanded learning settings.
- Test and provide feedback on new RTL resources developed by the RTL Transmedia Content Developer.
- Mentor a second cohort of RTL demonstration stations by participating in webinars, conference calls and electronic communications.
- Promote local RTL project efforts, engage station and community leaders and develop a sustainability plan for RTL activities beyond the contract period.
Applicants are required to use a combination of RTL transmedia content and resources in their project plans. In some instances, applicants will be expected to work with a Transmedia Learning Content Developer to test newly developed out-of-school learning resources for children in low income families, and related materials for their educators and families. Be sure to reference the program notice, for a more detailed description of the project activities expected of the applicant.
Fit for Public Broadcasting: This CPB program is designed specifically for public television stations already involved in the Ready To Learn initiative.
Eligibility: Only the 11 Demonstration Stations that received funding under the initial round of RTL funding during the project period of October 1, 2011 – September 29, 2012 (Cohort #1) are eligible to respond to this RFP. These stations include:
- Detroit Public Television.
- Iowa Public Television (Storm Lake/Waterloo).
- Eight, Arizona PBS (Coconino/Phoenix).
- KBTC (Tacoma, WA).
- Maryland Public Television (Baltimore).
- Montana PBS (Flathead Reservation, MT).
- Vegas PBS (Las Vegas, NV).
- WFSU (Tallahassee, FL).
- WGBY (Springfield, MA).
- Thirteen/WNET (New York, NY).
- WVIZ/PBS Ideastream (Cleveland, OH).
Anticipated Funding: A total of $110,000 will be awarded in grants across a limited number of stations. Funds are contingent on annual federal appropriations for the Ready to Learn program under the U.S. Department of Education RTL grant. The proposed project must last six months, concluding by September 29, 2013.
How to Apply: Applicants must submit their proposals electronically via email. The Executive Summary and Project Narrative must be sent to EducationE-mail@cpb.org in Microsoft Word or PDF format. The Budget must be sent to CPB’s Vice President of Procurement, jlivesay@cpb.org in Microsoft Excel format. CPB cannot accept emails exceeding 10MB in size.
Questions can be directed by email to Dr. Pamela Johnson, Executive Director of Ready To Learn at CPB, or Devon Steven, Project Manager of Ready To Learn.
Resources:
Program notice
Program website
Ready To Learn Transmedia Demonstration and Mentor Station Grant Program Information
Grant Center webinar featuring CPB on the RTL Demonstration and Mentor Grant Program
