The Developmental Disabilities and Early Childhood Supports Division (DDECSD) released two funding opportunities for organizations that offer employment and community inclusion supports to people with developmental disabilities.
Apply to the Individual Employment (IE) Request for Qualifications (RFQ)!
Apply to the Community Inclusion (CI) Services RFQ!
The initial application period for both RFQs will close on March 1, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. PST, but applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Both funding opportunities are available only to new applicants who do not currently have an Individual Employment or Community Inclusion contract with DDECSD.
Background
IE: Employment is a typical, fundamental pursuit of adults. It offers a path toward financial security, independence, and inclusion. When individuals with developmental disabilities are not afforded the same employment opportunities as their non-disabled peers, they risk living a life with more disadvantages. Washington state and its counties are committed to addressing this problem. Through the development of values-based trainings, innovative practices, and statewide policies, Washington State is working to ensure that individuals with developmental disabilities have the opportunity and support to be competitively employed.
CI: Relatedly, social connection is an essential component of individuals’ wellbeing, and the health of the overall community. Community Inclusion (CI) services are individualized support services that offer individuals with developmental disabilities the opportunity and support to build relationships and engage in their community. Through CI services, individuals form relationships, and develop and apply skills that promote independence and inclusion. Community Inclusion services use discovery, planning, and goal-setting methods that strategically support individuals to explore and engage in their community in intentional, meaningful ways.
Available funding
Take a look at our Payment Table (Rate Payment Table (Updated 1-1-23) to see what funding is available and our billing instructions (Employment and Community Inclusion Provider Billing Instructions (updated 7/1/22) to understand the process for reimbursement.
On the DSHS/DDA webpage, billable activities can be found for IE here: Employment Phases and Billable Activities; and CI services can be found here: Community Inclusion Billable Activities.
Timeline
| Request for Qualifications Released | Open and Continuous |
| Information Session offered and introduction to GA/CB Consultants Join by Zoom: https://kingcounty.zoom.us/j/85147130261 Meeting ID: 851 4713 0261 Passcode: 091241 Join by phone: 253-215- 8782 This session will include speech to text captioning. For accommodations to participate, please contact the RFQ Lead at DDECS-Contracts@kingcounty.gov. | Friday, February 3 from 2:00 -4:00 p.m. The session will subsequently be posted to the ZoomGrants website. |
| Due date for initial applications | March 1, 2023, 2:00 p.m. King County DCHS DDECSD will continue to evaluate applications received after this date on a quarterly basis. |
| Tentative Notification of decision | May Applications received after the initial application due date will receive notifications on a rolling basis. |
| Earliest DDECSD contract start date, if awarded | July 1 |
Interested in application assistance to apply?
Grant Application (GA) consulting is available at no cost for all applicants in developing proposals. The main purpose is to eliminate linguistic, cultural, and other barriers that might prevent organizations from seeking government funding.
GA Consultants can:
- Assist in determining appropriate fit between your proposal and the RFQ.
- Provide guidance on how best to answer questions.
- Support application review, including editing and budget review.
This service is available in multiple languages currently including English, Spanish, Keswahili, Japanese, Wolof, French, and Danish.
Applicants can request GA from our GACB Consultants HERE. To ensure the best support possible for applicants the following is requested:
- King County GACB will connect you to a GA Consultant via automated email. Please request GA Consulting as early as possible and no later than two weeks prior to the RFQs’ deadline.
- GA Consultants may be able to accommodate last-minute requests on an as needed basis but will be able to provide the full amount of time and support for earlier requests.
- DCHS welcomes applicants’ desire to find a cultural, linguistic, and personal match. If you have connected with a GA Consultant and decide to work with someone else, please inform the initial GA Consultant directly.
- More information on GA Consultants and their contact information can be found on the attachment in the Library tab in ZoomGrants.
