U.S. Dream Academy Multi-State Proposal

This solicitation invites eligible applicants to propose the enhancement or expansion of initiatives that will assist in the development and maturity of community programs to provide mentoring services to high-risk populations that are underserved due to location, shortage of mentors, special physical or mental challenges of the targeted population, or other analogous situations identified by the community in need of mentoring services. This program is authorized under the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub. L. 111-117).

The U.S. Dream Academy intends to enhance the capacity of their mentoring program by replicating it across 10 locations nationwide including DC, PA, NJ, MD, TX, FL, UT, TN, IN, and CA. The goal of the initiative is to reach 70% program growth over three years. The organization intends to achieve this capacity building effort by employing the following strategies: create full-time Mentor Coordinator positions for each of the 10 locations; enhance the organizational culture around mentoring to encompass a village responsibility concept utilized successfully in the Houston center; implement a new mentor recruitment strategy; redesign the mentor post-match training and match support and create a robust parent involvement program. The proposed program has been designed according to best practices in the field of mentoring as well as proven strategies within the organization. An evaluation plan will examine the following components: implementation and start up issues; the achievement of OJJDP performance measures; the achievement of process outputs; participant satisfaction with the Dream Academy's program; improved capacity at the Dream Academy to provide one-to-one mentoring services to youth; and the reduction in at-risk behaviors by youth which may lead to involvement in the criminal justice system. CA/NCF