Frequently Asked Questions

How will the grant benefit UE students, staff and faculty?

埃文斯维尔承诺社区(EPN)建立在UE长期致力于理解和服务当地社区需求的基础上. Through this initiative, 所有UE家庭成员都将有机会让埃文斯维尔承诺社区的居民大胆地梦想. Everyone will also benefit as UE’s reputation and brand awareness increase on a national scale. This will give us a competitive edge for further state, federal, and private foundation and corporation funding opportunities, and a distinction with prospective students. 我们相信，我们现在是全国唯一一所既是承诺社区东道主又是阿育王变革者校园的大学.

What’s the difference between the Promise Neighborhood and the Promise Zone?

Promise Zones and Promise Neighborhoods are distinct initiatives in the US, both aiming to uplift disadvantaged communities but with different focuses. Promise Zones address broader community revitalization, 而承诺社区则通过量身定制的资源和服务来实现儿童和家庭的福祉.

In June of 2016, 埃文斯维尔市获得了联邦10年承诺区指定，以支持其最危险的城市, yet most promising neighborhoods within its urban core. Promise Zones are specific areas facing economic and social challenges, collaborating with various agencies to address issues like poverty, unemployment, housing, education, and public safety. ECHO Housing是牵头组织，纽约市都市发展部是牵头合作伙伴. An additional 25 agencies, nonprofits, 和企业协助制定战略和调动资源，以支持特区的各项举措.

In contrast, “希望社区”是一个以社区为基础的项目，其重点是提高弱势社区儿童和家庭的福祉. These initiatives prioritize comprehensive support, encompassing education, healthcare, housing, and family services. 他们与地方实体密切合作，打破贫穷的循环，为儿童的成功创造途径.

What funds will UE receive?

As the housing agent for the grant, UE is the lead fiscal agent, contractor for data evaluation and visioning sessions through LE, employer for the EPN full-time team, and a service partner provider through a range of programs. UE’s CIC will house the five full-time employees dedicated to the Promise Neighborhood. Its Director, Grant Accountant, Program Coordinator, Marketing Coordinator, and Data and Program Evaluation Manager, 将与Diehl Consulting (DCG)和ChangeLab的学生合作，他们来自对社区测量感兴趣的各个学科. UE will also receive its Indirect Rate on the new positions and fringe, as well as supplies (computers, etc.) for those new employees. In addition, we will receive funds to contract with an external evaluator DCG to handle the program evaluation, access to a database and training funds to coordinate data between partners, 以及与“领导人人”签订社区愿景会议的资金，作为持续改进计划的一部分. We’ll also receive funding for Journey to Justice, UExplorer, Springboard, and Pathfinder scholarships and supplies. Funding will be allocated for stipends for ChangeLab teachers, program managers, and coordinators at the schools, along with supplies for those projects, and annual professional development for the team starting during year two. 这笔资金也将是至关重要的，以协助提供旅行支持，让EPN学生参加校园活动, developing the EPN to UE pipeline, and access to professional development funds for site visits to other Promise Neighborhoods.

What’s the difference between match and grant?

Match is what the organization is providing to the effort, grant funds are what the organization will receive. The DOE requires the community provide at minimum a 1:1 match with the $30,000,000 (partners came together with over $32,000,000). It is important to note that it is not a 1:1 match for each partner, but for the effort overall. Some partners might match more than they receive, some might match less.

How will this grant impact services provided by the Center for Innovation and Change?

The CIC will focus on setting up the full-time EPN staff over the course of the next year, but there are planning funds in the grant to assist with this; including a grant implementation consultant and HR consultants to help with a national search for the Neighborhood Director. CIC将在未来几年获得的项目资金将扩大其已经提供的项目，包括ChangeLabs, design thinking, professional development, and supplies for faculty and student projects. 这笔资金将支持每所学校的协调员帮助确定教师ChangeLab和与社区相关的项目，并为签约的ChangeLab经理提供津贴，以便该计划有一个联系点. 这扩大了CIC服务社区的能力，同时保持现有团队在校园和社区工作中的可用性，他们已经支持和协调了. 主要影响将是限制该中心在明年承担更多大型项目的能力, but the team is highly adaptable, and already working closely to manage workflow so there is minimal disruption.

If services are provided primarily to students and families who attend the six designated schools, 对于住在“希望社区”但没有上这六所学校的学生来说，有什么直接好处?

While specific schools were required to be included in the application as focus schools, 在整个社区提供的全面关怀协调和普遍服务将影响到重点学校以外的儿童和家庭, particularly due to Evansville’s mobility challenges. Census tracts and Neighborhoods were selected, but the core team utilized a student and neighborhood level analysis. The two levels of analysis allowed for a richer understanding of the EPN. For example, when school population data for high school graduation rates are examined, 费率包括居住在PN重点地区以外的学生以及来自各种社会经济背景的家庭. 因此，这些比率并不能准确反映住在附近的学生的需求. However, the neighborhood analysis does. For instance, 研究小组发现，只有60%的EPN学生高中毕业，而生活在该地区以外的学生高中毕业率为83%.

How can the University community best support this initiative?

在EPN团队接收信息并开发与合作伙伴组织沟通的系统时，请保持耐心. This is the first time our community has ever had a PN, so infrastructure development will take some time (and is planned for in the grant implementation). If interested, read the narrative available on the DOE’s website, check out the more detailed executive summary, 然后与Derek (DM380)或Lisa (LA156)联系，提出想法，或者在ChangeLab的资金到位时将其列入名单，以获得更多信息. Post questions on the landing page as they come up so an FAQ can be developed and refreshed. While project needs will be developed in partnership with students, teachers, and families during visioning sessions, 在CIC的支持下，我们的教师和学生将如何制定这些项目. After reading the narrative, project outcomes, and summary, if you have an idea for a project that your students could conduct that might help, please do not hesitate to reach out to the CIC.

Will the grant have a direct financial impact on the University?

As the fiscal agent for the Evansville Promise Neighborhood, all funds will flow through the University. All costs associated with the EPN team at UE will be covered by grant funds. 大学在时间和精力上与提供紧急方案方案的若干现有职位相匹配，例如CIC, Youth Programming, and CIE; support services for the EPN team; and youth programs for EPN targeted students. University programming built into the grant budget includes ChangeLab courses and coordinators, summer camps, Journey to Justice scholarships, CIE trainers, and after school programming support. The University will receive indirect costs each year based on our established negotiated rate.