United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley (UWMBMV) and the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) have partnered to support and strengthen the capacity of early education and OST program leaders to identify, prioritize, and implement improvements that move them forward in the state’s Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS). This grant application’s purpose is to provide QRIS Program Quality Improvement Grants to all eligible programs/educators in the mixed delivery system during spring 2012 to make quality program improvements, in pursuit of upward progress on the levels defined in the QRIS system.
The goal is to support programs/educators to engage in a process of continuous quality improvement to enhance outcomes for all children in Massachusetts, especially those populations most at risk. UWMBMV will award up to $800,000 in QRIS Program Quality Improvement grants to eligible programs through a competitive process. Programs must be at a self-assessed QRIS level 2 or 3 to be eligible to apply.
FY12 QRIS Program Quality Improvement Grants Application 
Please contact QRIS@supportunitedway.org QRIS@supportunitedway.org with any inquiries about this grant opportunity.
QRIS 2012 Program Quality Improvement Grant Application Timeline
All funds from this grant must be expended, and products/services received by grantees, by June 15, 2012.
Timeline:
December 27, 2011 Grant Application Released
January 3, 2012 Online Grant Application Opens
January 6, 2012 Questions submitted in writing by this date will be
answered in the first Q&A document
January 3, 2012 - Applicant Technical Assistance and Support Meetings
January 20, 2012 (dates and locations to be announced)
January 13, 2012 First Q&A document posted (Estimated)
January 13, 2012 QRIS Online Self Assessment Completion Deadline for Grant Applicants
January 18, 2012 Questions submitted in writing by this date will be
answered in the final Q&A document
January 23, 2012 Final Q&A document posted (Estimated)
January 27, 2012 QRIS Program Quality Improvement Grant Proposal Deadline
(United Way reserves the right to extend this deadline if available funds are not fully allocated based
on the number of applications received by this date)
February 22, 2012 List of Grant Recipients Posted
June 15, 2012 All goods and services purchased by grantees with
these grant funds must be received and accepted on before
June 15, 2012 Final Outcomes and Measures Form must be completed online