The "Promoting First Relationships - Agency Training Project 2025" Request for Applications (RFA) is an opportunity for community-based agencies in King County to receive training in early childhood mental health interventions. The focus of this project is to provide agencies with either "Train-the-Learner" or "Train-the-Trainer" models for the Promoting First Relationships (PFR) curriculum. The program is aimed at agency staff who work with families and children, especially those aged birth to five, in high-stress environments. The RFA is administered by Public Health - Seattle & King County (PHSKC) with funding from the Best Starts for Kids Levy. The total funding available is $94,215, and selected agencies will receive reimbursement for training costs and staff participation, with individual grants varying between $2,000 and $20,000.

The primary objective of this RFA is to enhance the capacity of agencies in King County to support healthy parent-child relationships, improve school readiness, and promote social-emotional development in young children. There are two training models available: the Train-the-Learner model, for staff who have not previously received PFR training, and the Train-the-Trainer model, for staff who have already completed the learner-level training and wish to become trainers within their agencies. Both training models involve intensive hands-on learning, including video sessions, supervised practice with caregiver-child dyads, and follow-up mentoring sessions.

Agencies interested in applying must demonstrate a commitment to the PFR principles, which include a strength-based approach to working with families, a willingness to improve service delivery, and the ability to recruit families with young children to participate in the training. Applicants must also show that their staff members have at least two years of direct experience working with children and families and dedicate at least 50% of their time to this work. Each staff member selected for training will be required to attend an in-person orientation at the University of Washington in January 2025.

The RFA has strict submission requirements. Applications must be submitted electronically by November 8, 2024, at 5:00 PM. Applicants are required to submit a signed cover sheet, a letter describing their organization and proposed participants, and a personnel expense budget. Agencies must also commit to providing monthly invoices and detailed reporting on the training activities and outcomes.

Evaluation criteria will focus on the applicant's qualifications, their experience with the target population, their commitment to the program's goals, and their organizational capacity to support the training. Selected agencies will be notified by December 9, 2024, and contracts will begin on January 1, 2025, with training and program implementation continuing throughout the year.

This opportunity emphasizes King County’s commitment to equity and social justice, particularly by targeting agencies that serve underserved populations disproportionately affected by systemic inequities.