Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Strengthening Youth, Families, and Communities through Expanding BBBS Mentoring

BBBSA OJJDP-2021-48008 Proposal Abstract Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) requests a grant of $16 million from the OJJDP FY 2021 National Mentoring Programs. This grant funding will be used to serve an 8,000 new and continuing young people across the United States with the hallmark mentoring programs for which BBBSA is known. These new mentoring relationships will aim to significantly reduce the likelihood of juvenile delinquency in all of its forms, bolster self-confidence, and prepare young people to be contributing citizens to society through a tailored supportive adult relationship. These mentorship matches will focus on buffering the risk factors exhibited by youth such as an absence of trusting relationships, exposure to violence or drug use, and poverty by nurturing each child’s deepest potential through the guidance of a trained and compassionate adult. Youth will engage in 12 months of evidence-based direct mentoring specifically designed to have the highest efficacy for their unique circumstances. Some of these targeted populations include youth who are currently or have been involved in the juvenile justice system; those in communities with high crime, violence, drug abuse, failing schools and gang presence; American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth; those in rural or persistent poverty communities; those who have an incarcerated parent or a parent active in the military; and those impacted by opioids and drug addiction. BBBSA will administer subawards to approximately 93 affiliate agencies in at least 42 states based upon the results of a competitive application process. Selection will be determined based on strong past grant performance, high program quality and capacity, and satisfactory financial controls and internal processes. Once selected, BBBS agencies will perform exhaustive screening that exceeds the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring (EEMP) benchmark standards to protect mentees while developing the most impactful mentoring match. BBBSA will collect data from affiliate organizations through interviews, forms, surveys, and observation. This information will include demographic data, references, background checks, diagnosis or trauma identified, family information, and system involvement. Semi-annual reports will be developed that include numbers of active matches, match length, contact with matches, retention rates, and youth outcomes. BBBSA will also administer an assortment of standardized surveys to mentors and mentees to capture critical outcome data including the strength and efficacy of the mentoring match, school and parental connectedness, educational expectations, academic performance, social competence, and reductions in risky behaviors. No portion of the funding will be utilized for “research”.