#### PROGRAM SUMMARY AND ABSTRACT

### NAME AND ADDRESS OF APPLICANT CONTACT INFORMATION 

###  

THE HOPE PROGRAM NAME: JANE DOE

POST OFFICE BOX 555 TITLE: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

MAPLE, USA PHONE: (555) 123-4567

FAX: (555) 123-5678

**PROGRAM TITLE:** Project X

**PURPOSE:** The purpose of Project X is to provide early intervention
and prevention services through the mentoring relationship to 150 "High
Risk" youth in grades 4^th^ to 12^th^ grades who are at risk of
educational failure, teen pregnancy, truancy and juvenile delinquency.
The strategies within this 3-year plan are designed to encourage youth
to dream beyond the often-oppressive conditions of rural life.

**PROJECT SETTING AND TARGET POPULATIONS:** Project X is a collaborative
partnership between Y County School District and Kids United Inc, a
community based organization that will also serve as lead agency. Both
agencies are located in the heart of the rural State, where the poverty
rate is 32%; 30% of the counties' youth drop out of school before 12^th^
grade and over 24% became unwed parents, before age 18. Too often the
county's poverty level is so pervasive and overwhelming, many youth
leave after high school and never return, or resort to an endless cycle
of crime, teen pregnancy and illiteracy.

**NEED:** 85% of Queen County School District's youth are from single
headed household where few parents has the necessary parenting skills to
provide a safe and stimulating hone environment, therefore there are
escalating problems of school discipline, drug and alcohol abuse and
teen pregnancy.

**STRATEGIES:** 150 high risk youth will be paired with 150 adult
volunteers who will be screened and thoroughly trained to provide a
nurturing relationship that will encourage youth to "dare to dream" by
participating in program sponsored recreational and cultural activities
academic enrichment and exposure to non traditional careers. Parent
involvement will be a major component of this proposal with seminars and
workshops designed to meet their needs. Expected outcomes in Project X
are improved academics, better school attendance rates and confidence in
skills achieved and relationships built. Exportable products will
include fliers, brochures, and newsletters with program information.

**Project X**

## 

## TABLE OF CONTENTS

Letter to
SPOC..........................................................................................

ED FORM
424..........................................................................................

Project
Abstract.........................................................................................
1

Table of
Contents.......................................................................................
2

ED Form
524............................................................................................

Budget
Narrative........................................................................................
3

# Project Narrative

I.  Need For
    Project..................................................................................
    5

II. Quality of Project Design

    a.  Goals and
        objectives...................................................................
        7-8

    b.  Community
        involvement..............................................................
        9

    c.  Mentor
        screening.......................................................................
        9-10

    d.  Training of
        Mentees...................................................................
        10-12

    e.  Mentor/Mentee
        Match.................................................................
        12

    f.  Students with greatest
        need...........................................................
        13

    g.  Capability of
        Applicant...............................................................
        14-15

    h.  Adequacy of Resources for Job-training

> and post-secondary
> education........................................................ 15

III. Quality of Project Personnel

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a.  Recruiting under-represented
    applicants............................................ 16

b.  Qualifications of Key Project
    Personnel............................................ 16

c.  Mentor Recruitment
    Plan.............................................................
    16-17

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IV. Quality of Project Evaluation

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a.  Evaluation
    Design......................................................................
    17-18

b.  Evaluation Feedback and
    monitoring.............................................\... 18-20

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V.  Appendices

Appendix A - Assurance, Certification and Disclosure

> Appendix B - GEPA 427 Statement
>
> Appendix C - Resumes and Description
>
> Appendix D - Letter of Support

Memorandum of Agreement

Project X

##### Budget Narrative

Introduction

The budget was developed by Project X's Advisory Board in collaboration
with Hope's Executive Director.

Basis for estimating the costs of professional personnel salaries,
fringe benefits, staff travel, materials and supplies, consultants and
other projected expenditures and explanation of how costs related to the
proposed grant activities:

***Personnel - Approximately 51% of the budget was allocated for
personnel and salaries. The primary cost under personnel are the three
full time coordinator positions. The research indicates that the
individual managing mentoring programs of this nature must be of high
caliber with the time and organizational skills to help construct and
implement all of the components of Project X.***

The Project Director will allocate 50 % of her time for the general
administrative oversight of this project. She currently manages similar
programs for the school district.

An Administrative Clerk will allocate a minimum of 20 hours per week to
assist Coordinators in entering baseline data on mentors and mentees,
typing and formatting fliers, and brochures and getting communication to
parents and partners regarding the program. She will also be responsible
for collecting and processing information for criminal and child abuse
background checks.

Fringe benefits- Slightly over 12% of the total budget was utilized for
required, state and government fringe benefits.

These benefits are calculated according to state and federal
requirements in the State based on the average of 25% of the staff
salaries.

Travel -- Less than 12% of the budget was allocated for staff travel and
student transportation.

National travel is requested for two staff persons to attend two, three
day conferences in Washington, DC, as mandated in the request for
proposal.

Local travels are requested for three staff and volunteer mentors who
will use their personal vehicles to attend training and other
mentee/mentor gatherings. Staff will conduct periodic home visits to
encourage parental support and student participation.

Student transportation is calculated at the district rate of \$1.00 per
mile for the use of the district system. Nearly 60% of the families do
not have transportation that may prevent students from participating in
after school mentoring activities. We are also located in a rural, poor
and sparsely populated area. Transportation is critical to our mentoring
model.

Educational and recreational field trips are very stimulating and
provide exposure to many of our rural youth who have never been outside
of the county. We anticipate visiting colleges, business and industry
for career development and other stimulating experiences.

***Supplies -- slightly 4 % of the budget will be used for general
office supplies to be used for the efficient management of Project X.***

Supplies are calculated based upon one part time and three full time
employees over a 12-month period. A computer (which is supplies under
federal guidelines) will be purchased under this grant. This modest
computer purchase will supply the staff with an important tool for
maintaining data files on mentees, and mentors and match information and
communicating effectively with students, parents and other staff
members.

Food supplies are requested for snacks during meetings, celebration
gathering; and activities of mentors/mentees matches. This request will
augment snacks provided by USDA for students, eligible for free and
reduce lunch.

***Contractual -- represent less the 8 % of budget.***

Professional trainers, speakers and consultants' will be used to provide
the staff and mentors extensive training required to successfully
implement Project X. Each consultant will remain within the \$450 per
day maximum cap set by the State for consultation. Stephanie Cole will
provide professional evaluation services and technical assistance to
Project X according to the goals and objectives outlined in this
proposal (see resume in appendices). The cost of Ms. Cole's services is
minimum because of her current involvement and relationship with the
Hope Project.

***OTHER - This category represents over 14% of total budget.***

Mentor/Mentee incidentals represent the largest portion of this request.
Funds in this category will serve as an incentive for mentors and
mentees by providing t-shirts, pens, tickets to outings and other
program paraphernalia. Items in this category will also help provide the
necessary support to maintain the mentor/mentee relationship.

Communication and postage request is a small percentage of this category
but is a necessity to handle the day-to-day operations of the project.

### 

### 

### 

### 

### I. Need for the Project

In determining the need for the proposed project, the following factors
are considered:

a\. The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or the
activities to be carried out by the proposed project.

Queen County is located in the center portion of the state that is often
and fondly referred to as the "Heart of the State". Known for its
flowing rivers and green valleys, the State is also home to a legacy of
generational poverty, illiteracy, high unemployment, drop-out and teen
pregnancy rates. Queen County, the area for which this proposal is being
submitted is characterized by several rural, sparsely populated
communities. The Queen County School District is the only school
district in the county and it is comprised of one high school, a middle
school and an elementary school. The District currently serves 1,635
students from the rural township of Maple, Lincoln, Campbell, Flower and
Creekville. Project X proposes to serve 150 students representative of
each of the above communities, who are at the "highest risk" of academic
failure, becoming pregnant, or seeking a life of violence, drug and
alcohol abuse and other deviant behavior.

# Extreme poverty is linked to academic disadvantage...

The proposed service area is a designated enterprise community where the
overall poverty rate is 32% according to the most recent census data.
Queen County is estimated to have a population of 9,780 people. 31% are
under the age of 16, 61% were African Americans, over 45% were high
school graduates (of person 25 years and over), 9% were college
graduates, and close to 50% of the children were below the poverty
level. In 1999, Queen County made the list of "Counties that could be
identified as the poorest county in the U.S.", with an estimated 37.2%
poor. The estimated median household income for Queen County in 1999 was
\$17,847. In 1999, in percentage of births to teens, over 24% of all
babies born in Queen County were born to teenagers. Eight out of ten of
the teens that became pregnant were more than likely to drop out of
school, if the proper guidance was not provided. In spite of the many
challenges the district face, they continue to struggle to catch up and
are determined to provide their students with the best possible
opportunities.

Queen County particularly, leads the chart in negative statistics. Over
30% of our students drop out of school before reaching twelfth grade.
Because of the high illiteracy rates and lack of supportive services,
our youth have no choice but to congregate in areas such as local pool
halls and nightclubs that illegally sell alcoholic beverages to minors
and encourage a "safe haven" for drug trafficking.

High illiteracy rates and lack of after school activities also force
youth to either involve themselves in mischievous activities or remain
within the comfort of their homes and await opportunities to socialize
during the next day at school. Unfortunately the activities that relate
to gang banging, drug dealing and stunts of violence are becoming more
of a reality within our small rural communities.

According to the 1990 Census, an alarming 85% of the students are from
single parent families. 60% of the crimes committed in Queen County are
committed by youth age 18 and under. During the school year of
2001-2002, 188 students attending the Queen County Schools were either
expelled or suspended. 100% of the students are eligible to receive free
lunch.

Currently, Queen County School District is at a level one-accreditation
level. Out of an enrollment of 1,632 students in the school district,
less than 5 % of students attending school have parents who are involved
in their educational career.

The following statistics for the Queen County School District for 2001 -
2002 school year demonstrates the profound social economic and
educational disadvantages.

Table I: District's Performance Indicators

  --------------- ----------- ------------- ----------- ----------- -----------
  Participating   Total       Performance   \% of black \% of       \% of
  Schools         Enrolled    Index         students    students    students
                                                        that are    receiving
                                                        single      free meals
                                                        parents     

  Queen Co.       515         1.8           98%         80%         100%
  Middle School                                                     

  Queen           610         1.8           97%         85%         100%
  Elementary                                                        

  Pinewood High   510         1.8           98%         87%         100%
  School                                                            
  --------------- ----------- ------------- ----------- ----------- -----------

Number of expulsions/suspensions 188

Dropout rate 30%

\*Note: 1.8 Performance Index is based on a 5.0 performance scale, with
5.0 being the highest lever of performance.

# The risk factors in today's rural area are many and serious...

An eight-grade creative writing class conducted a survey of what they
perceived as "risk factors" affecting their educational process. The
resulting stats of 555 students surveyed are as follows:

Table II: Youth Risk Factors

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Risk Factor % "At Risk"

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Academic Failure 89%

Teen Pregnancies 55%

Drug and Alcohol 45%

Delinquency/Truancy 60%

Lack of recreational/Cultural Program 90%

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Pinewood High School, 8^th^ grade Creative Writing Class, October 2001

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

The above-mentioned characteristics and risk factors clearly outlined
the need for a structured after school program. The following goals and
objectives provide a logic program model for implementation of Project
X.

#### Project X LOGIC MODEL

2\. Quality of the Project Design:

(a) The extent to which goals, objectives are clearly specified and
    measured.

+--------------+------------------+----------------+------------------+
| **Goal: To   |                  |                |                  |
| develop an   |                  |                |                  |
| innovative,  |                  |                |                  |
| one-to-one   |                  |                |                  |
| approach to  |                  |                |                  |
| helping      |                  |                |                  |
| youth become |                  |                |                  |
| confident    |                  |                |                  |
| and          |                  |                |                  |
| productive,  |                  |                |                  |
| stay in      |                  |                |                  |
| school, and  |                  |                |                  |
| set goals    |                  |                |                  |
| for the      |                  |                |                  |
| future.**    |                  |                |                  |
+--------------+------------------+----------------+------------------+
| Objective    | Activities       | Process        | Outcome Results  |
|              |                  | Results        |                  |
+--------------+------------------+----------------+------------------+
| 1.1 Project  | -   Recruit,     | -   Staff      | 50% of youth     |
| X will       |     train and    |     hired by   | recruited will   |
| provide a    |     hire         |     second     | be matched with  |
| one-to-one   |     mentoring    |     month of   | mentors by 4^th^ |
| mentoring    |     staff        |                | month of         |
| relationship |                  | implementation | implementation   |
| for at least | -   Identify 150 |                |                  |
| 150 high     |     "high risk"  | -   150        |                  |
| risk youth   |     youth from   |                |                  |
| representing |     grade K-12   |    "high-risk" |                  |
| grades K-12  |                  |     youth      |                  |
| by the end   | -   Train        |     enrolled   |                  |
| of project   |     Mentors      |     in Project |                  |
|              |                  |     X          |                  |
|              | -   Recruit,     |                |                  |
|              |     screen and   | -   150        |                  |
|              |     match 150    |     mentors    |                  |
|              |     mentors with |     recruited, |                  |
|              |     mentees      |     screened   |                  |
|              |                  |     and        |                  |
|              | -   Establish a  |     trained by |                  |
|              |     baseline     |     3^rd^      |                  |
|              |     data for     |     month      |                  |
|              |     mentees      |                |                  |
|              |                  | -   50% of     |                  |
|              | -   Establish    |     matches    |                  |
|              |     computerized |     complete   |                  |
|              |     database to  |     by 4^th^   |                  |
|              |     track and    |     month      |                  |
|              |     monitor      |                |                  |
|              |                  | -              |                  |
|              |    mentor/mentee |   Computerized |                  |
|              |                  |     data base  |                  |
|              |   relationships. |                |                  |
|              |                  |    established |                  |
|              |                  |     by 2^nd^   |                  |
|              |                  |     month      |                  |
+--------------+------------------+----------------+------------------+
| 1.2 Improve  | -   Provide      | -   Tutoring   | At least 90% of  |
| p            |     one-to-one   |                | 150 youth        |
| articipants' |     tutoring and |  opportunities | mentored will    |
| academic     |     extended     |     provided 4 | demonstrate an   |
| achievement  |     year         |     times per  | improvement in   |
| and          |     remediation  |     week       | academic at the  |
| enthusiasm   |                  |                | end of project.  |
| for learning | -   Provide      | -   Monthly    |                  |
|              |     participant  |     incentives |                  |
|              |     incentives   |     and        |                  |
|              |     for improved |                |                  |
|              |     academic     |    recognition |                  |
|              |     progress     |     provided   |                  |
|              |                  |                |                  |
|              | -   Provide      | -   Three (3)  |                  |
|              |                  |     community  |                  |
|              |    opportunities |     Service    |                  |
|              |     to increase  |     Learning   |                  |
|              |     participants |     Projects   |                  |
|              |     critical     |     completed  |                  |
|              |     thinking     |     during     |                  |
|              |     skills       |     each       |                  |
|              |     through      |     program    |                  |
|              |     Service      |     year.      |                  |
|              |     Learning     |                |                  |
|              |                  | -   Two        |                  |
|              | -   Involve      |     documented |                  |
|              |     Participants |     activities |                  |
|              |     in           |     per year   |                  |
|              |     s            |     i.e. job   |                  |
|              | chool-to-careers |     shadowing, |                  |
|              |     activities   |     job site   |                  |
|              |                  |     visits.    |                  |
+--------------+------------------+----------------+------------------+
| 1.3 Reduce   | -   Involve      | -   Weekly     | 5% decrease in   |
| the number   |     mentees in   |     sessions   | expulsions,      |
| of           |     weekly       |     documented | suspensions and  |
| expulsions   |     character    |                | disciplinary     |
| and          |     building     | -   Quarterly  | activities       |
| suspensions  |     activities   |     seminars   |                  |
| and          |                  |     conducted  |                  |
| disciplinary | -   Provide      |     and        |                  |
| actions by   |     seminars on  |     documented |                  |
| at least 5%  |     conflict     |                |                  |
| among        |     resolution   | -              |                  |
| mentees      |     and anger    | Documentations |                  |
|              |     management   |     of mentees |                  |
|              |                  |     of         |                  |
|              | -   Provide      |                |                  |
|              |                  |  participation |                  |
|              |    opportunities |                |                  |
|              |     for role     | -   Individual |                  |
|              |     play to      |     behavior   |                  |
|              |     demonstrate  |     plans on   |                  |
|              |     appropriate  |     file       |                  |
|              |     skills       |                |                  |
|              |                  |                |                  |
|              | -   Design       |                |                  |
|              |     individual   |                |                  |
|              |     behavior     |                |                  |
|              |     modification |                |                  |
+--------------+------------------+----------------+------------------+
| 1.4 Decrease | -   Mentor       | -   Tracking   | 5% decrease in   |
| the average  |     tracking and |                | tardiness and    |
| daily        |     monitoring   |    information | absenteeism      |
| tardiness    |     of mentees   |     on file    | based on         |
| and          |     attendance   |                | baseline data at |
| absenteeism  |                  | -              | the end of year  |
| rate by 5%   | -   Provide      |  Documentation | 1                |
| among        |     incentive    |     of         |                  |
| mentees      |     for          |     incentives |                  |
|              |     consistent   |     received   |                  |
|              |     attendance   |                |                  |
|              |                  | -              |                  |
|              | -   Home visits  |  Documentation |                  |
|              |     by Mentor    |     of home    |                  |
|              |     Coordinators |     visits     |                  |
|              |     as needed    |     made       |                  |
+--------------+------------------+----------------+------------------+
| 1.5 To       | -   Develop      | -              | At least 90% of  |
| provide      |     schedule of  |  Documentation | mentees          |
| o            |     activities   |     of         | participating    |
| pportunities |                  |     scheduled  | show increased   |
| for 100% of  | -   Provide      |     activities | self-esteem,     |
| 150          |     weekly       |                | moral, sense of  |
| me           |     recre        | -   Weekly     | responsibility,  |
| ntor/mentees | ational/cultural |     activities | increased        |
| to           |     activities   |     held with  | interpersonal    |
| participate  |                  |     rosters to | skills and       |
| in new       | -   Provide one  |     document   | decision-making  |
| r            |     field trip   |     attendance | skills by the    |
| ecreational, |     per quarter  |                | end of project.  |
| social and   |                  | -   4 trips    |                  |
| cultural     |                  |     completed  |                  |
| activities   |                  |     by end of  |                  |
|              |                  |     year 1     |                  |
+--------------+------------------+----------------+------------------+
| 1.6 Increase | -   Provide      | -   Parent     | At least 5%      |
| parental     |     parent       |     forum held | increase in      |
| involvement  |     forums       |     by 2^nd^   | parental         |
| by 5%        |     explaining   |     month of   | involvement by   |
| according to |     program      |     program    | end of project   |
| baseline     |                  |                | year 1           |
| data         | -   Implement a  | implementation |                  |
|              |     minimum of 4 |     with       |                  |
|              |     parent       |     roster     |                  |
|              |     training     |                |                  |
|              |     seminars to  |    documenting |                  |
|              |     cover topics |     attendance |                  |
|              |     such as:     |                |                  |
|              |     Parent/child | -   4 parent   |                  |
|              |                  |     training   |                  |
|              |   communication; |     seminars   |                  |
|              |     anger        |     by the end |                  |
|              |     management;  |     of each    |                  |
|              |     maintaining  |     program    |                  |
|              |     healthy      |     year       |                  |
|              |     family       |                |                  |
|              |                  | -              |                  |
|              |    relationships |  Documentation |                  |
|              |                  |     of 4       |                  |
|              | -   Coordinate 4 |     activities |                  |
|              |     programs of  |                |                  |
|              |     structured   |                |                  |
|              |     activities   |                |                  |
|              |     for          |                |                  |
|              |                  |                |                  |
|              |   parent/Mentee/ |                |                  |
|              |     mentor       |                |                  |
|              |     bonding      |                |                  |
+--------------+------------------+----------------+------------------+

b\. The extent to which parent, teachers, community-based organizations,
and the local community have participated, or will participate, in the
design and implementation of the proposed mentoring program.

An Advisory Committee consisting of youth, parents, faith-based groups,
teachers, local officials, and community-based organization was
organized in May 2002 to assist in the program development and planning
of Project X. Participating students designed a survey to assist in
conducting a needs assessment within the district (see table 2) to
pinpoint some of the most prevailing problems among youth that can be
addressed through a mentoring program. Participating youth designed the
questions for the survey, interviewed students, analyzed the data and
presented it in the form of a report to the committee. Parents on the
committee suggested topics they felt would actively engage parents and
get them more involved in their children's educational career. Elected
local officials agreed to provide support by serving as an advocate for
mentoring and identifying funding sources for recreational activities to
augment grant funds. Representatives from all three local
community-based organizations assisted with program design and agreed to
provide services in the area of youth money management, health and
nutrition, mentor training and computer technology (see appendix for
letters of support and Memorandum of Agreements). The Queen County
District Ministerial Alliance, which is comprised of 11 churches, has
agreed to assist in the identification and recruitment of mentors,
provide church facilities for tutoring and other extra-curricula
activities.

c\. The quality of the system that will be used to manage and monitor
mentor reference checks, including appropriate reference check, child
and domestic abuse record checks and criminal background checks.

All too often, we hear and read about horror stories involving adult
abuse of a vulnerable child. Because our agency is in the business of
serving, protecting and providing positive life choices for youth, the
selection and screening of adult staff, mentors and tutors and
volunteers carries a tremendous level of importance and responsibility.
The policy and procedure for recruiting mentors, managing and monitoring
matches and securing references checks are as follows:

-   A part-time staff position will be dedicated to the sole
    responsibility of collecting and processing data on adult staff and
    volunteer mentors. Based on prior experiences this task requires a
    centralized person who is responsible for receiving, reviewing, and
    acting on background screening, and interpreting hiring policy for
    prospective employees.

-   A volunteer will participate in an application process that will
    provide confirmation of applicant's educational status, employment,
    hobbies, special interest and skills. The volunteer will sign an
    application disclosure affidavit that provides a checklist of
    offenses where applicant can voluntarily provide information about
    their past criminal history, if one exists. The affidavit also gives
    the agency consent to obtain verification from law enforcement
    agencies, the child abuse central registry and the State Department
    of Health where fingerprint cards are processed once fingerprinting
    is conducted by local law enforcement.

-   If there is a "red flag" on the initial affidavit that reveals
    criminal activity, the applicant will be rejected. In accordance to
    "The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
    Guidelines for the Screening of Persons Working with Children,
    Elderly and Individuals with disabilities in need of support, we
    will use as a minimum standard, automatic disqualification of a
    potential worker or volunteer if the screening results indicate that
    the individual as an adult, perpetrated any crime involving a child
    or a dependent adult, regardless if how long ago the incident
    occurred, or any violent crime within the past ten (10) years (NCJ
    167248, pp. 43-48).

-   Staff will conduct reference checks to obtain additional information
    that may indicate applicant is suitable as an agency volunteer. This
    approach will also reduce fabrication of information.

> d\. The quality of the training that will be provided to mentors,
> including follow-up and support of each match between mentor and
> child.
>
> As indicated earlier in this proposal, close to 90% of the youth
> targeted for Project X will come from single, female-headed household.
> Therefore, it is obvious that each child will need a strong role
> model, who has a genuine compassion for young people, and can provide
> nurturance and guidance as a "friend", not a surrogate parent.
>
> To ensure that both the mentors and mentees get the maximum benefits
> from the nurturing relationships, mandatory training will be provided
> for all adult mentors. However, like anyone stepping into a new job
> role, mentors will be more likely to succeed if they participate in
> useful ongoing training sessions. During the application process,
> mentors will be given an opportunity to identify areas they feel they
> will need training. Based on our prior experience with mentoring
> programs, the following areas are vital in providing information to
> mentors to help them acquire and develop skills to be effective
> mentors. This information will be provided during a mandated 4-hour
> orientation training and subsequent quarterly training.

1.  Mentor's responsibilities to the youth and to the agency. This
    include clarifying the purpose of the mentoring program (friendship,
    but beyond that, what? Improving classroom behavior? Building
    self-confidence? Improving academic performance? Developing
    interpersonal skills?); legal and liability considerations and their
    practical implications (for example, are mentors allowed to give
    students their phone numbers? Do all meetings take place on school
    grounds with no exception? What should a mentor do if the mentee
    reveals child abuse?); confidentiality issues; other ground rules;
    and information about how relationships will be supervised and
    supported.

2.  Information about the youth who participate in the program. This
    include information about development characteristics of children
    and youth who are program participants; the kinds of issues in
    general, students at the school have to deal with (such as family
    violence, peer pressure, drugs and violence in the community); the
    ways those problems can manifest themselves in student' behavior and
    attitudes; and the kinds of strengths the students have.

3.  Mentors' roles and expectations. While our program will carefully
    screen out potential mentors who have a "fix-the-youth" mentality,
    it is still important for all new mentors to spend time thinking
    about and articulating their roles and expectations for the
    relationship. New mentors will be introduced to principles of
    positive youth development -- building on student's strengths rather
    than "fixing" their problems -- so they can see their own role in
    this larger context.

4.  Building relationships. This includes practical advise on how to
    start the relationship; exploring the kinds of approaches that will
    help them build trust with the youth; and activities the mentor and
    student can do together. The Hope Program will sponsor many of these
    activities.

5.  Communication skills. "Listening" is the single most important skill
    a mentor can possess. Project X will provide all their mentors with
    training in listening skills and other aspects of effective
    communication, including being non-judgmental. As Calvin Coolidge
    said, "No one ever listened himself out of a job."

> Ongoing Training
>
> While we do not want to make too many additional demands on mentor's
> time, we deem it a good idea to have several training sessions during
> the school year. These will also function as "support groups" where
> mentors share their successes and help one another with problems they
> may be facing. While the topics of these training will vary they will
> include:

-   Diversity and cultural sensitivity

-   Skills for setting limits with their mentee

-   Problem-solving skills

-   Conflict resolution

-   Strategies for dealing with issues that might arise with their
    mentee's family

-   Child abuse, including neglect

-   Teen sexual activity and pregnancy

-   Alcohol and other drug issues

-   Domestic violence

> In addition, as the school year approaches its end, mentors who will
> not be continuing with their mentees during the following year will
> receive training in closing relationship. Mentors will be constantly
> and consistently reminded of their important contribution to Project X
> by receiving incentives to include:

-   Mentor T-shirts and pens

-   Appreciation breakfast, lunches, and dinners

-   Articles in local press, regularly

-   Mentor testimonies in brochures and newsletter

-   Notes of appreciation

-   Recognition on jobs by placing mentor pictures on bulleting boards
    and obtaining time release for activities

-   Year-end recognition event with superintendent

> e\. The quality of the mechanism that will be used to match children
> with mentors, based on the needs of the children, and ensure that
> mentors will develop long-standing relationships with the children
> they mentor.
>
> In developing this proposal, we realized that a thoughtful matching
> process would increase the chances that the mentor will develop a
> strong and fruitful relationship. Therefore, the following matching
> criteria was established.

-   Project X will match adults and volunteers based on shared interest
    (to the extent possible). We will accomplish this by developing a
    profile of the mentor's interest, skills, and strengths during the
    application process. A similar profile will indicate students'
    interest, needs and strengths. This matching information will be
    stored on a computerized data bank developed by ITI (Information
    Technology International) and can be updated throughout the match.

-   Decision about matching students will be a shared responsibility
    between the Program Coordinator, teachers, and counselors based on
    the interest and needs of the particular youth, also the mentor's
    skills, interest and performance will be considered.

-   Logistics of location of site and mentor's location will be
    considered during matching process. Logistics may determine, when
    during the school week a student is available to me at the school at
    a particular time.

-   The actual mechanism to be used to obtain information for matching
    is an adult profile form and youth profile form to be completed
    during application process. This information will then be entered in
    the computerized data bank for tracking and evaluation purposes.

> f\. The extent to which the proposed project will serve children with
> the greatest need in the 4^th^ and 8^th^ grade, and continue to serve
> children from the 9^th^ grade through graduation from secondary
> school, as needed.
>
> Project X is designed to target 150 youth from grades 4^th^ -- 12^th^
> who exemplify the "highest risk" of educational failure, dropping out
> of school, or involvement in criminal or delinquent activities or who
> lacks strong positive role models. This determination will be made
> after close scrutiny of each referred students' school records, and
> interviews with school teachers and counselors. A student profile will
> be completed to reveal basic demographic information, academic
> profile, and number of expulsions/suspensions, other social,
> educational or behavior problems. Transportation, after-school snacks,
> recreation and other incentives will be provided to eradicate excuses
> a participant may have for non-participation in program.
>
> An individual project plan will be established to identify expected
> outcomes for child, assets to be developed, and short and long-term
> goals needed to achieve outcomes. The assigned mentor will work
> closely with their mentee to help them achieve their goals.
>
> Youth who enroll in Project X will be monitored and tracked for the
> three (3) year life span of the project. Participants who are exiting
> high school will be tracked for one year to ensure that they
> successfully enter a post-secondary education program, vocational
> program or the workforce.
>
> g\. The capability of the applicant to effectively implement its
> mentoring program.
>
> The Hope Program is a ten (10) year old pioneering organization with a
> (501) (c) (3) status that serves as an intermediary provider for the
> Queen County School District. The program is housed in a recently
> constructed, 17,000 square ft. facility where most of the mentoring
> activities will take place. The facility is located on the high school
> campus, and is within 5 minutes from each of the schools to be served.
>
> Hope was established in 1992 to provide alternative education to
> out-of-school youth, at-risk children and pregnant or parenting teens.
> It has successfully managed numerous government and privately funded
> youth programs and it operates in three of the most rural, poorest
> counties in the State.
>
> The proposed project is a very aggressive attempt to provide
> meaningful mentoring service to our most needy youth in the district.
> The past success of our program has depended tremendously on our
> collaborative relationships with local community partners, and we are
> once again depending on these partners and their expertise to help us
> deliver an effective, well managed mentoring program. Specific
> partners listed below are contributing time, expertise and resources
> to Project X are [Queen County School District]{.underline} who will
> provide facilities for recreation, office supplies, transportation,
> student tutors, access to students records, and other technical
> assistance as needed; [Queen County Extension Service]{.underline} who
> will assist with mentor training and other positive youth development
> activities for mentees; [Queen County Federal Credit
> Union]{.underline} will provide training and seminars on youth money
> management; [The Queen County District Ministerial
> Association.]{.underline} Comprised of 11 churches will assist in
> recruiting mentors, use of facilities for community meeting places for
> activities. Fundraising and transportation; [The Queen County Sheriff
> and City of Maple Police Department]{.underline} will help identify
> and recruit mentors. Obtain volunteers fingerprint and conduct local
> criminal background checks; provide security at youth activities.
> [Heartland Health Partners]{.underline} will provide workshops and
> training on pregnancy prevention, infant mortality and morbidity.
> [University Americorp Program]{.underline} will provide two Americorp
> workers to assist with youth development activities, literacy, service
> learning projects and office support. [Hope Parent Club]{.underline}
> will provide mentors and volunteer chaperones for field trips and
> other school sponsored activities. [The Heartland 21^st^ Century
> Community Learning Center Program]{.underline} will assist with
> after-school and weekend activities. [Waterville Community
> College]{.underline} will provide job training and post-secondary
> education.
>
> h\. The resources that will be dedicated to providing children with
> opportunities for job training or post secondary education.
>
> The Hope Program has a long-standing partnership with Waterville
> Community College and they have agreed to continue to include our
> youth who have dropped out of school in their Youth-build Program
> where they will receive job training and GED preparations. Waterville
> also will assist student in getting enrolled in their post secondary
> education program if they choose to pursue a college career.
>
> Youth participants who are still in school will participate in the
> districts school-to-careers program where they will learn to identify
> careers according to their interest, acquire entrepreneurial skills,
> and receive exposure to non-traditional careers for our rural areas.
> Finally, mentors who are employed will be required to allow their
> mentees to shadow them in February during our Annual Job Shadowing
> Activities. Local businesses have willingly allowed youth to shadow
> their employees as long as the occupation is not a hazard to the
> youth's health and will being. This activity will allow mentees to
> actually get hands on experience of being in the workforce for a day.
>
> Commitment to Sustaining Project
>
> The Hope Program has the necessary commitment to sustaining our
> mentoring project beyond the three-year funding period. By year 2, we
> will develop a diversified resource development strategy to obtain
> future funding from private donors, foundations, corporations, and
> government grants, local grant writing teams will be formed and
> trained to implement the resource development strategy. Because we are
> a rural area where we receive only a small percentage of Federal and
> State grants, we plan to form a statewide coalition to pursue state
> funding.
>
> 3\. Quality of Project Personnel
>
> In determining the quality of project personnel, the following factors
> are considered:

a.  The extent to which the applicant encourages applications for
    employment from persons who are members of groups that have
    traditionally been under represented based on race, color, national
    origin, gender, age or disability.

> The most underrepresented group in the professional and
> paraprofessional job market in this rural area are African American
> males. All applicants who meet basic qualification will receive
> extensive training in managing mentoring relationship, work ethics,
> and communications.
>
> b\. The qualification including relevant training and experience of
> key project personnel
>
> The Hope Director, Mrs. Jane Doe, will have overall responsibility for
> the achievement of the goals and objectives set out in this proposal.
> Ms. Doe has 21 years of experience, working with high-risk youth and
> their families. Additionally, she has a Masters Degree in Counseling
> and certification in Education Administration. The three full-time
> program coordinators will manage the tasks of recruitment and
> management of 50 mentoring matches per coordinator (see appendix for
> complete description). Coordinators will be assigned matches by grade
> levels. For example, one coordinator will be assigned 4^th^ -- 6^th^
> grade mentees and a second coordinator will be assigned 7^th^ -- 9^th^
> grade mentees and a third coordinator will work with 10^th^ -- 12^th^
> grade youth. An administrative support clerk will commit 28 hours per
> week to collecting and processing mentors background checks, following
> up on references, in-put data on mentor, mentee matches and up dating
> files as circumstances change.
>
> c\. The quality of the plan to recruit mentors
>
> Based on research and lessons learned from past experiences, we have
> determined that the first goal of an effective mentoring program is to
> foster a strong relationship between mentors and youth and those
> relationships in turn, can lead to positive changes in youth lives.
> Research also proves that the foundation of those strong relationships
> is built through strategic recruiting and careful screening and
> matching. Realizing recruiting mentors is an ongoing challenge, we
> have developed a recruitment plan with the following strategies.
>
> Identifying and highlighting elements of the mentoring program that
> may immediately appeal to volunteers such as:

-   Inform mentors at onset of both, the length of each meeting and the
    overall length of the commitment, therefore reducing the unrealistic
    expectations a mentor may have of the time they will need to commit
    to mentoring

-   Structured meetings at agency site during the day to provide a sense
    of safety

-   Avoid scheduling meeting during summer and other school vacations
    unless by mentors.

-   Provision of incentive such as field trips, release time to meet
    with mentee, t-shirts, pens and public recognition for efforts.

> [Development of target audience]{.underline} -- Project X will have
> such a large age variance in participants that a variety of mentors
> will be recruited. High school students will be recruited to mentor
> lower grade students, with supervision from an adult staff member.
> College age students will be recruited from local community college to
> mentor middle grade students. Adult volunteers will be recruited from
> church, law enforcement agencies and social organizations to mentor
> older youth.
>
> [Use of Strong Recruitment Message]{.underline} -- Project X will
> develop a strong message to "sell" our program to local organizations
> and prospective mentors. The message will be strong and consistent,
> but yet adaptive enough that it will strike a responsive chord among
> people in the specific group we are targeting for recruitment. For
> example, some volunteers may believe they cannot afford to be a mentor
> because they think they would be expected to buy gifts for their
> mentees. Project X will emphasize our program's rule about gift
> giving. Others may feel they need special skills or a certain
> employment status to qualify as a mentor, and Project X will
> distinctly describe the mentor's role and the training all volunteers
> will receive through the program.
>
> Project X will use several modes of communication to recruit
> volunteers such as print media, televised community bulletin boards,
> fliers and pamphlets and church bulletins.

4.  Quality of the Project Evaluation

> In determining the quality of the evaluation, the following factors
> are considered:

a.  The extent to which the methods of evaluator are thorough, feasible,
    and appropriate to the goals, objective, and outcome of the proposed
    project.

> The role of the evaluator for Project X will be to assess objectively
> the performance of the program and above all, enable the program to
> learn from its experience and make appropriate adoptions. Key criteria
> will be

i.  the link between strategies provided and perceived needs of the
    participants

ii. objective measures of academic achievement, skills acquisition,
    behavioral/attitudinal improvement and program participation.

Specific measures of the success of the program will include those set
out in the program outcomes listed under the logic model -- goals and
objectives section. These program outcomes closely match the performance
indicators established by the U.S. Department of Education for the
mentoring program, which are improved academics, reduced drop our rates,
improved interpersonal skills, reduced violence and juvenile delinquency
rates.

[Evaluation Design]{.underline} -- The evaluation of Project X will be a
systematic process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting information
to determine the extent to which the program is effective in meeting the
needs of students, their families, the school district and the
community. It will provide information about the service delivery that
will be useful to program staff and a variety of other audiences. The
evaluation will be ongoing and will provide feedback to program staff
and planning committees to make changes that improve program
effectiveness and fiscal efficiency. The evaluation incorporates both
quantitative and qualitative examinations of performance, services and
behavior resulting in a judgment concerning the desirability of the
outcomes. The evaluation also include both process and outcome
components. Process evaluation provides documentation of the program and
is used to guide planners if modifications are needed in the program
design. Outcome evaluations, on the other hand, assess program
achievements and effectiveness in producing favorable cognitive, belief,
and behavioral effects. The leadership of Project X needs concrete
measures of belief or behavior to determine the impact of the program's
activities on the lives of its students, mentors, parents, teachers, and
the community. These two groups represent the key stakeholders. Input
from the stakeholders will be collected, analyzed and considered in the
planning and implementation of the program.

[Outcome Instruments]{.underline} -- The most significant research
question addresses the outcome measures of the program. Will Project X,
decrease the number of students being suspended or expelled from school.
If the program does reduce the number of suspensions, what were the
variables that attributed to the reduction in suspension? Will students
who participate perform better academically or students show increased
academic achievement? What variables caused students to improve
academically? Data must be gathered from all groups which include
educators, parents, mentors, mentees, and community key informants. The
evaluator will develop and test attitudinal surveys for administration
to students, mentors, teachers, parental and community key informants as
a measurement tool for pre/post-test design. The surveys will use a
linkert-type format. Satisfaction surveys will be developed for use with
training and other activities. Other instruments such as activity logs,
sign-in sheets, recording forms, etc. will be created for use in
capturing data for analysis and/or in documenting the project's impact.
All data will be maintained confidentially without access by outside
resources. Release forms will be developed for use with staff and
program beneficiaries.

Incorporation of the Management Plan and the Evaluation -- the
evaluation plan and the management plan/objectives are integral
partners. The management plan outlines what is to be done and the
measurable objective with times lines, while the evaluator will
establish the markers, measures, and performance indicators.

a.  The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
    performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress
    toward achieving intended outcomes.

Scheduling of Evaluation Activities -- the evaluation that is tied to
management offers significant benefits, the evaluation team will be
linked closely with staff and advisory counsel of Project X. During the
first month of operation, the evaluators will work with project
management staff revising computerized record keeping system and
gathering baseline information. Progress reports will be designed to
facilitate the tracking of each effort and will record, at a minimum,
each of the objectives described in the logic model. These reports will
be designed with input of staff responsible for completing them to
ensure that they capture all pertinent information clearly and
concisely. The evaluator will meet with the project staff at least
quarterly and annual evaluation reports will be developed from
computerized information system. The independent evaluation process will
be flexible with ongoing feedback to Project X's key informants. The
performance indicators are listed with the objectives.

Dissemination of Information

Project X's advisory counsel and staff will actively disseminate
information about the success and weakness of the program in a manner
that is understandable and accessible to the community at-large as well
as educators locally and nationally who wish to replicate overall
project. This will be accomplished by: (a) inviting parents and local
key informants to a meeting to review successful strategies and weakness
of the program; (b) developing exportable products such as newsletters,
flyers, and brochures (c) presenting Project X at State and National
Conferences (d) avail site as a training center to visit, observe and
learn from our weakness and success.