First 5 San Francisco has supported the development of family resource centers (FRCs) beginning in 2009. FRCs have demonstrated impact to build community connections, enhance parenting capacity and confidence and connect families to resources. This RFP seeks to support currently funded contractors in the Family Resource Center Services Initiative further develop and pilot approaches identified though the Family Innovation Hub. The Family Innovation Hub convened a series of conversations between First 5 SF, FRC staff and leadership, and SFUSD EED staff and leadership, and parents/caregivers of primarily Black and African American SFUSD EED students.
Successful grants will support deep planning and engagement projects in the following areas identified through the Innovation Hub prioritizing Black and African American families.
1. Development of authentic parent, caregiver, and family partnerships and intentional, impactful family connections through capacity-building, followed by practice and policy change in the following areas that value and respect families’ culture and parents’/caregivers’ key role as child’s first and best teacher: communication, welcoming spaces, and counter-narratives.
2. Capacity-building, practice changes, service modifications, policy changes, and/or pilot launching of a school success pathway within current FRC essential services. Modifications, enhancements and pilot efforts could include:
– New capacity and/or linkages for Education Navigators and Advocates supporting school enrollment and achievement of early learning school success goals.
– Supports for families to develop their skills as educational advocates and identify professional pathways that can further benefit their career development.
– Tools, resources, referrals, and warm hand-offs that offer students and their families opportunity for immediate and future academic success and social and emotional development.
3. Capacity-building, practice changes, service modifications, policy changes, and/or pilot launching of innovative strategies to ensure equitable access to resources through technology, enhanced outreach, and/or specialized reservation systems
Up to $1,000,000 will be awarded to support RFP activities.
Proposals are due April 11, 2022 at noon.