The Community Schools initiative of Prince George’s County Public Schools is built upon six foundational pillars, each designed to address specific aspects crucial for student success and holistic development:

1. Expanded and Culturally Relevant Curriculum
2. Effective Teaching Practices
3. Inclusive Leadership
4. Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
5. Family and Community Partnerships
6. Community Support Services

To read more on how each of these pillars is defined, please visit this link.

1. Extended learning time (before and after school, weekends, summer)
2. Safe transportation to and from school
3. Vision and dental care services
4. Expanding school-based health center services
5. Additional social workers, counselors, and restorative practice coaches
6. Enhancing physical wellness, including providing food for in-school and out-of-school time
7. Enhancing behavioral health services including access to mental health practitioners and providing professional development to school staff to provide trauma-informed interventions
8. Providing family and community engagement and supports (language classes, workforce development training)
9. Establishing and enhancing linkages to Judy Centers (early childhood)
10. Enhancing student enrichment experiences
11. Improving student attendance
12. Improving the learning environment at school
13. Any other professional development for school staff to identify students who need resources

To see the current listing of schools designated as Community Schools in Prince George’s County, please see this link.

Evidence-based programs are models or interventions that have gone through rigorous evaluations to demonstrate effectiveness. It is vital as it ensures that resources are allocated to initiatives that have a proven track record of success in achieving desired outcomes for students and families.

A theory of change is a roadmap outlining expected outcomes and strategies to achieve them. It helps program managers plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate interventions effectively. It ensures evidence-based, relevant, and effective programs. A well-developed theory of change is crucial for program success.

A logic model is a visual representation or narrative description of how a program operates to achieve its intended goals. It outlines the resources, activities, outputs, and outcomes of the program in a structured format, facilitating planning, implementation, and evaluation.

There are no specific evidence-based programs that are required or preferred.

Interventions that are said to be evidence based should be validated by an evidence-based list sanctioned by a respected research or prevention science body that can certify that programs were evaluated through randomized control trials or quasi-experimental design.

It is strongly recommended that you watch the United Way video, which provides guidance on how to showcase your program’s measures and examples for a successful application.

Organizations must meet United Way NCA and Prince George’s County Public Schools Preferred Provider standards that demonstrate human, financial, and programmatic capacity to execute the work effectively, as well as emphasizing evidence-based programming and outcomes.

We expect to complete the Preferred Provider Directory before the start of the 2024-2025 school year. United Way NCA will notify every applicant of their status before the directory is finalized with opportunities for future inclusion.

Providers can apply annually to become a Preferred Provider. If your organization is approved for the 2024-2025 school year, you will not need to reapply the following year. Instead, your organization will be listed in the directory for the next two years. You will only need to verify and update your organizational information in 2025 for the 2025-2026 school year.

No, both non-profit and for-profit organizations offering relevant services are invited to apply, provided they meet the specified eligibility criteria.

If your organization is not currently a United Way NCA (non-profit) partner, you can still qualify as a Preferred Provider for Prince George’s County Community Schools. Starting from March 2020, being an official United Way NCA Partner is not a requirement. To be considered for the 2024-2025 Community Schools Preferred Provider Directory, organizations must complete an Expression of Interest Form and submit a Preferred Provider Application by May 6, 2024, 11:59 pm.

Organizations must meet operational, fiscal, and programmatic requirements outlined in the application. These include having at least three years of operational history, a local National Capital Area presence, a minimum organizational revenue of $50,000, the ability to provide financial documents like a 990 and financial review or audit and demonstrating strong program outcomes.

Even if your organization is not currently providing services in Prince George’s County or has a mailing address outside the county, you are still eligible to apply. However, all organizations must be willing to deliver their services within Prince George’s County.

To be considered for inclusion in the Community Schools Preferred Provider Directory for the 2024-2025 School Year, your organization must meet United Way NCA’s fiscal requirements. You will need to have a minimum of $50,000 in organizational revenue, and submit a 990 and a financial review or audit for the same year.

If you are unable to submit these important financial documents by the application deadline of May 6, we invite you to consider applying for the next school year. Your organization will not be excluded from participation in the future.

For Organizations that do not meet the criteria at present are encouraged to explore opportunities for capacity building to meet future requirements.

The Preferred Provider Directory is a listing of select providers for the PGCPS Community Schools initiative. Applicants are required to fit into one of the PGCPS 13 wraparound service categories and are vetted specifically for financial health, staffing and operational capacity, and strong program outcomes.

United Way is vetting partners for the Preferred Provider Directory based on PGCPS 13 wraparound services, this is a separate solicitation executed by United Way of the National Capital Area and Prince George’s County Public Schools.

It is under the discretion of school principals to contact select providers. United Way NCA and PGCPS advise that all providers to directly contact schools. Please ask to speak with the Community School Coordinator (CSC) for an introductory meeting. Please ensure you can directly link your program to a wraparound service category and at least one PGCPS Community Schools pillar.

The PGCPS Preferred Provider Directory is distributed to school principals at the beginning of each school year. From that point forward, principals may directly contact providers in the directory based on the needs of their school.

School principals will request services according to the needs of their school. United Way NCA is not involved in selecting services for individual community schools.

Fingerprinting and Child Protective Services (CPS) clearances are required for all PGCPS employees and volunteers assisting in a school more than once during each school year with students and/or chaperoning on field trips, and independent contractors. For questions, call the PGCPS Background Unit at 301-952-7831 or via email at hr.backgroundunit@pgcps.org.

Under the direction of the PGCPS Director of Community Schools, Community Schools Specialists are responsible for assisting schools in facilitating the development, monitoring and implementation of the Community Schools Initiative and the selection of partners to meet identified school needs.

Yes. Each school will directly contact service providers based on the needs of their school and availability of funds.

United Way NCA and the PGCPS will review and assess data collected through the evaluation process, then make determinations about future opportunities to connect and inform both schools and partners.

The goal of the Preferred Provider application process is for United Way NCA and Prince George’s County Public Schools to ensure that any potential service provider has the human, financial, and programmatic capacity to deliver evidence-based programs.

United Way NCA and Prince George’s County Public Schools cannot guarantee that any organization will be funded. Rather, schools will directly contact providers to request services according to the needs of their school and pay providers for their services if applicable.

Please visit pgcps.org/isupplier and complete the PGCPS Vendor registration form. For questions or concerns please email isupplier.support@pgcps.org. United Way NCA is not associated with the vendor process or procurement of services.

United Way NCA and Prince George’s County Public Schools cannot guarantee that any organization will be funded. Rather, school principals will request services according to the needs of their school. The goal of the Preferred Provider application process is for United Way NCA and Prince George’s County Public Schools to ensure that any potential service provider has the human, financial, and programmatic capacity to deliver evidence-based programs.

PGCPS funding is not intended for your organization’s program expansion. Schools decide how they will spend their money on wrap-around services based on their school community’s needs.

The Preferred Provider application process is not a grant. Each of the PGCPS Community Schools has a County-mandated budget to spend on wrap around services. Schools decide how they will spend their money for wrap around services based on the unique needs of their school community.

This would fall under wraparound service category 8: Providing family and community engagement and supports (language classes, workforce development training). Some services are subject to review and health-related services are not covered but referrals will be provided. 

United Way NCA accepts application submissions through e-CImpact, a secure, cloud-based Community Impact Management System. To submit an application, you need to log in to the e-CImpact page or create a new account. If your organization has completed an application on e-CImpact in previous years, you should already have an account. Please do not register for a new account if you already have one. In case you are unable to find your account information, please contact PGCommSchools@uwnca.org for assistance.

The Community Schools Preferred Provider Directory can be found and downloaded from the PGCPS Community Schools website.

A list of schools designated as community schools is available on the PGCPS Schools website.

Yes, please contact us at PGCommSchools@uwnca.org for technical assistance.

You may submit inquiries to PGCommSchools@uwnca.org