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Next Council Meeting: August 7-8, 2025 (Online via Zoom)

Notice of Funds Available

A Notice of Funds Available (NOFA) is a competitive grant opportunity. When GCDD issues a NOFA, it is posted to this page and on the DD Suite Grant Application website.

School Based Exclusionary Discipline Awareness and Education Project

Purpose 

The purpose of this project is to raise awareness among parents, educators, and community leaders about alternatives to exclusionary discipline in Georgia. Exclusionary discipline refers to the systemic practices that push students out of schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems.

This campaign will educate key stakeholders on the causes, consequences, and solutions to this issue, and empower them to advocate for equitable and inclusive educational practices. It will help communities learn how to keep students on track for success and out of Georgia’s juvenile justice system.

Schedule of Events

This Request for Proposals will be governed by the following schedule of Events:

  • Applications open: July 15, 2025
  • Applications close: August 31, 2025
  • Start Date: October 1, 2025
  • End Date: June 30, 2026

Scope of Work

This campaign will educate key stakeholders on the causes, consequences, and solutions to this issue, and empower them to advocate for equitable and inclusive educational practices. It will help communities learn how to keep students on track for success and out of Georgia’s juvenile justice system. The selected vendor will:

  • Increase public understanding of how exclusionary disciplinary policies contribute to student entrance into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. These should promote effective and proven alternatives to punitive disciplinary actions in schools. Potential activities include:
    • Conduct focus groups or surveys with parents, educators, and community leaders to understand their awareness levels and concerns.
    • Develop clear, accessible, and culturally relevant messaging tailored to each audience group.
  • Highlight the disproportionate, research-documented impact on students with disabilities and students of color. Potential activities include:
    • Infographics with key statistics and facts.
  • Create tools that GCDD, parents, educators, and community leaders can use to support policy change and community-based solutions. Potential activities include:
  • Produce a series of digital assets including but not limited to:
    • Short videos and animations explaining the pipeline.
    • Testimonial videos from students, parents, and educators.
    • Toolkits for advocacy and school engagement.

Proposal Requirements

Priority will be given to proposals that demonstrate:

  • Innovative approaches to increasing awareness of School Based Exclusionary Discipline
  • Unique strategies for community engagement and education
  • Sustainable methods for long-term impact and awareness-building
  • Measurable outcomes and evaluation plans

The awarded contractor will:

Component 1: Audience Research & Message Development

  • Conduct focus groups or surveys with parents, educators, and community leaders to understand their awareness levels and concerns.
  • Develop clear, accessible, and culturally relevant messaging tailored to each audience group.

Component 2: Content Creation

  • Produce a series of digital assets including:
  • Short videos and animations explaining the pipeline.
  • Infographics with key statistics and facts.
  • Testimonial videos from students, parents, and educators.
  • Toolkits for advocacy and school engagement.
  • Ensure all content is accessible (e.g., captions, plain language, screen reader compatibility).

Component 3: Social Media Campaign

  • Launch a multi-platform campaign across Facebook, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
  • Use targeted ads and organic posts to reach parents, educators, and community leaders.
  • Develop a content calendar with weekly themes (e.g., “Restorative Justice Week, ”Voices from the Classroom”).

Component 4: Community Engagement

  • Partner with schools, PTAs, local nonprofits, and faith-based organizations to host virtual or in-person events.
  • Provide downloadable materials for community leaders to share in newsletters, meetings, and classrooms.

Component 5: Monitoring & Evaluation

  • Track engagement metrics (reach, shares, comments, click-throughs).
  • Conduct pre- and post-campaign surveys to assess changes in awareness and attitudes.
  • Use feedback to refine messaging and inform future outreach.

Final Report

Deliver a comprehensive report summarizing:

  • Campaign strategy and implementation.
  • Audience engagement and feedback.
  • Lessons learned and recommendations for future campaigns.
  • Opportunities for continued advocacy and education.

Performance Measures

PI03 - Number of distinct products created for the education of GCDD, parents, educators, and community members to support policy change and community-based solutions.

PI01 - Estimated reach of Council public education, awareness and media initiatives.

PI02 - Estimated engagements of Council public education, awareness and media initiatives.

IFA. 1.1 - The number of people with developmental disabilities who participated in Council supported activities designed to increase their knowledge of how to take part in decisions that affect their lives, the lives of others, and/or systems.

IFA.1.2 - The number of family members who participated in Council supported activities designed to increase their knowledge of how to take part in decisions that affect the family, the lives of others, and/or systems.

IFA. 1.3 - The number of 'other individuals' who participated in Council supported in activities designed to increase their knowledge.

Experience Requirements

Applicants from a variety of backgrounds are invited to apply, particularly applicants with experience in one or more of the following areas:

  • Education and/or disability community
  • Disability policy
  • Civil Rights law
  • Juvenile Justice policy research