Growing Readers Together FAQs

During the course of this project, participants have asked excellent questions; those queries, along with answers, are provided here. As you progress with your project, please keep the questions coming and we'll add them to this FAQ page.

• Where can I get additional information about 1,000 Books before Kindergarten?
  Information is available online at our 1,000 Books before Kindergarten web page.
   
• Does the word “Family” in Family Friend and Neighbor (FFN) care include stay at home mothers and fathers?
  Most often, the term “Family Friend and Neighbor Care” refers to home-based care – in the caregiver’s or child’s home – that is provided by relatives, friends, or neighbors of the child’s parents. Therefore, parents raising their own children are not typically included within the scope of FFN providers.     
   
• What are the laws regarding the provision of FFN care, and what should I do if I suspect someone is caring for more children than they are legally allowed to? Are we legally obligated to report people who are above the number of kids they are supposed to have?  
  Colorado law (C.R.S. 26-6-103) does include exemptions to the requirement that child care providers be licensed.  The list of legally-exempt providers can be found online at the Colorado Office of Early Childhood's Legal Exemptions from Childcare Licensing web page. If you suspect a child care provider is caring for more children than the legal exemption allows, you can contact the Office of Early Childhood at 303-866-5958; however, you are not legally obligated to do so.
   
• Can we use more than the required 20% of our funds on materials to be given away to FFN providers?
  Yes- the 20% requirement is the minimum amount that must be used on giveaway materials.  You can designate a higher percentage of funds for those materials in your local plan.
   
• How long do we have to spend this funding?
  Funds will be distributed and spending can begin after your local GRT budget has been approved by the State Library.All funds must be requested by June 30, 2019 and spent no later than July 31, 2019.Receipts for purchases made using grant funds should be submitted once purchased items have been received; however, all receipts must be sent to the State Library no later than August 31, 2019.

• Will we be required to submit a final report?
  Growing Readers Together requires you to submit a monthly report form to track program activities. However, we will also be working with an external evaluation team, and may use surveys, focus groups, or other methodologies to help determine final results.

• Will the evaluation include pre and post surveys, or what measurements will be used?
  The exact evaluation tools for 2018-2019 have not yet been finalized. We will provide additional information on evaluation as it becomes available.
   
• The scope of this project is quite large.  Is it OK if we focus more in one aspect than another?
  Each community and its partners should create a plan that addresses local concerns.  For example, if your community has identified a need for services to the immigrant population in your area, it is fine for your project to focus its efforts on FFN providers serving immigrants, rather than the entire population of children being cared for by FFN providers.
   
• Can we use programs that we already have in place that reach the children we are targeting?
  The intent of this funding is to develop outreach strategies and best practices for serving FFN providers and the children in their care. If your library currently has programs in place that serve this population, it may be possible to use some grant funds on existing programs- provided that your plan clearly delineates how the additional funds will expand or enhance services to the target population. Please feel free to contact Joyce Johnson with any questions you may have.
   
• Would storytime kits available for checkout be considered part of the 20% targeting FFN providers?
  There is a requirement that at least 20% of the available funds be spent on materials to be given to FFN providers to keep.  Funds spent on creating storytime kits could be considered part of the 20% ONLY IF the FFN providers were able to permanently keep the kits.  If the materials purchased were meant for checkout and return, the funds spent would not be counted as part of the 20% requirement.  
   
• Is there a resource that lists licensed childcare centers in Colorado?
  Yes, you can search for licensed providers through the CO Dept of Human Services, Office of Early Childhood’s website.