Continued Funding Application FAQs

Management Bulletin 23-09

Application Submission, Due Date, Signature

How many copies of the Continued Funding Application (CFA) do I need to submit?

Only the original application is required whether submitting electronically or by mail. No additional copies need to be submitted.

When is the CFA due?

The completed CFA package must be received by the Early Education Division (EED) on or before 5 p.m., December 1, 2023 regardless of submitting electronically or by mail.

Who can sign the CFA, and is a resolution required?

The CFA must be signed by a person with the legal authority to contractually bind the agency, or the contractor's "authorized representative."

Public Agencies

If the contractor is a county, city, district, or other local public body, the CFA must be accompanied by one of the following documents from the local governing body authorizing execution of the agreement and identifying by name the individual(s) authorized to sign the CFA and related contract documents on behalf of the agency:

• Board Resolution; or
• Board Minutes; or
• Board Policy

For County Offices of Education, a resolution is not required if the County Superintendent signs the CFA and related contract documents. If anyone else signs, a board resolution or minutes authorizing delegation of signature authority is required.

 Private Agencies

Non-public agencies should follow their agency’s bylaws and legal requirements pertaining to authorizing contracts on behalf of the agency. Generally, the Executive Director, Owner, President, etc. are the authorized signers. If an individual with a different title than above signs the CFA and related contract documents, provide one of the following indicating the signee has the authority to enter into and sign contractual agreements:

• Letter on company letterhead; or
• Board Resolution; or
• Board Minutes

Please refer to the template resolution provided on the CFA web page as an example of the information required in the resolution. Agencies may either complete this template or provide an equivalent resolution in their own format.

Can I submit the CFA with a digital or electronic signature?

Yes. A digital signature, which is a user's authenticated electronic signature applied through Adobe, DocuSign, or similar software, may be applied to the CFA and associated forms. Alternatively, an electronic signature, which is signature applied electronically, may be applied to the CFA and associated forms. If applying an electronic signature, the authorized representative signing must also send an email to authenticate their signature by emailing CFA@cde.ca.gov the following: “I have electronically submitted the Continuing Funding Application (CFA) to the California Department of Education on behalf of my agency/organization. I certify that I was authorized to submit the CFA for [Insert Contractor Name], vendor number [XXXX]. [Insert Contractor Name] intends for the CFA transaction to be completed by electronic means, which shall have the same effect as if it were signed in ink on a piece of paper, and all signatures included with the CFA are intended to be binding upon [Insert Contractor Name].”

Can the Legal Business Address in Section I: Contractor Information be a residence?

The Legal Business Address may be a residence if the contractor is headquartered at a residence. The Legal Business Address entered in this section must match the contractor’s Legal Address on file in the Child Development Management Information System (CDMIS) database.

Does EED accept CFAs for programs other than the California State Preschool Program (CSPP)?

The EED can only accept the fiscal year (FY) 2024–25 CFA for the California State Preschool Program (CSPP) and Prekindergarten and Family Literacy Support (CPKS) contracts. Contractors should visit the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) website for instructions on how to submit a CFA for other programs.

May I abbreviate my legal name if it does not fit in the space provided in the CFA?

No. Contractors must enter their complete legal name, as it appears in the California Preschool Accounting Reporting Information System.

Is there a different application to apply for a new CSPP program?

Yes. The CFA process is to continue the existing level of funding for CSPP and CPKS contracts. The Request for Applications (RFA) process is to apply for funding for a new CSPP or to apply for additional funding for an existing CSPP.

Extensions

How can I request an extension if we cannot submit the CFA and/or associated documents on time?

Please submit a request for an extension of time to the CFA inbox: CFA@cde.ca.gov. When submitting an extension request, please be specific as to the reason(s) why you are requesting an extension. If requesting an extension due to late board approval, please describe the circumstances that resulted in the late approval. Extension requests must be received no later than November 10, 2023. Contractors who request a time extension may experience delays in receipt of their contract.

Program Narrative and Minimum Days of Operation

I do not have changes to my program narrative or minimum days of operation (MDO). Do I need to complete Section IV: Program Narrative?

If you do not have any program or MDO changes, you must still complete Section IV part A by marking the box for “no changes.” If you do have program and/or MDO changes, you must complete Section IV part B by marking the type(s) of change, completing all questions, and providing a signature by your agency’s authorized representative.

If there is a reduction or addition to the MDO for our CSPP, do I need to complete the program narrative change information?

Yes. Any deviation from the MDO currently approved in your signed and executed contract constitutes a program narrative change. You must complete Section IV part B by marking the type(s) of change, completing all questions, and providing a signature by the contractor’s authorized representative.

Are we required to include a FY 2024–25 program calendar in the CFA package if there are no changes to our MDO?

Yes. All CSPP contractors must include a program calendar for each type of CSPP operated (i.e., full-day and/or part-day) as applicable. CSPP contractors will complete and attach the Program Calendar (Form EED 9730) with the CFA package.

What MDO are allowed?

California Education Code Section 8207 states:

(b) A part-day California state preschool program shall operate for a minimum of (1) three hours per day, excluding time for home-to-school transportation, and (2) a minimum of 175 days per year, unless the contract specifies a lower number of days of operation. (c) A full-day California state preschool program shall operate for a minimum of 246 days per year, unless the contract specifies a lower number of days of operation.

At my site I have a full-day program that runs 248 days and a half-day program with both a.m. and p.m. classes that run 175 days. Do I need to submit two program calendars?

Yes. If the contractor operates both a full-day and a part-day program, a separate Program Calendar (Form EED 9730) must be submitted for each.

Our program has a full-day and a part-day at 175 days. Which boxes should I check for our program?

Please check all boxes that apply. In this case, both the full-day/part-year and part-day/part-year boxes should be checked. In addition, you would need to submit a calendar for your full-day program and a calendar for your part-day program.

We have several subcontractors that run a part-day/part-year program. Do I need to include each of their calendars individually or do I submit one calendar with all their days of operation represented? They all meet MDO, but may have different start and end dates and different closures throughout the program year.

Submit the part-day calendar based on the contractor’s MDO, rather than the subcontractors' individual calendars. Calendars are not required from subcontractors.

Board of Directors

Do I need to submit the names of my Board of Directors?

Yes. All contractors, whether they have a Board of Directors or other governance structure, must include the contact information for each governing individual (board member, officer, owner, director, etc.)

Can my agency's Officers and Board of Directors have the same information for all members?

No. For each member, include their name, title, mailing address, email, and phone number associated with the organization they are affiliated with.

Should we attach additional pages for Board of Directors Information if we need more space to list them all (Section III: Board of Directors Information)?

Yes, list all officers and board members/governing individuals (i.e., owner, director, etc.) in an additional document as needed.

Does the Board of Directors refer to the School Board?

The Board of Directors can refer to the School Board for an LEA.

Subcontractors

I do not have a subcontractor; do I need a signature on the Subcontract Certification form (EED 3704B)?

All contractors must complete and sign Section VI: Subcontract Certification. Only contractors with subcontractors must also complete and sign the Subcontract Certification Form (EED 3704B).

In regards to CSPP subcontractors, are board resolutions required by subcontracting entities if they are public agencies?

The board resolution is only required for the CSPP contractor, not each of their subcontractors.

Forms

Is there a specific form that school districts need to provide to meet the requirement for the Board Resolution or meeting minutes reflecting authorization of signature?

There is not a specific form required, however a Board Resolution template is provided on the CFA web page. The CFA may be signed by the Superintendent or person/s formally delegated the authority to sign the CFA and related contract documents on behalf of the agency. A public agency’s governing body must provide a resolution or meeting minutes which identify authorized representative/s by name if a person other than the Superintendent will sign. Board Resolutions are typically on the agency’s letterhead.

Do non-profit organizations with a Board of Directors also need to submit a resolution?

Non-public agencies should follow their agency’s bylaws and legal requirements pertaining to authorizing contracts on behalf of the agency. The CFA must be signed by a person with the legal authority to contractually bind the agency, or the agency’s “authorized representative.”

Generally, the Executive Director, Owner, President, etc. are the authorized signers. If an individual with a different title than above signs the CFA and related contract documents, provide one of the following indicating the signee has the authority to enter into and sign contractual agreements:

• Letter on company letterhead; or
• Board Resolution; or
• Board Minutes

Does our Board Resolution have to be current, or can it be from a prior time period? We may not be able to obtain the Board Resolution prior to the CFA due date.

The Board Resolution must be current, and a public agency's resolution must state the intent to renew the current CSPP contract, and if applicable the current CPKS contract, for FY 2024–25. If the contractor is unable to obtain the Board Resolution prior to the CFA due date, the contractor may request an extension of time for submission of the CFA. The request must include the reason for extension, and must be approved by the California Department of Education (CDE). Requests for extension must be sent to the CFA email inbox at CFA@cde.ca.gov no later than November 10, 2023. Contractors who request a time extension may experience delays in receipt of their contract.

Our county office is governed by the Superintendent of Schools not the Board of Education. Can the CFA be signed by the Superintendent's designee?

The CFA should be signed by the Superintendent or any person that has been delegated the legal authority to sign contractual agreements on behalf of the agency.

CO.8 Federal Certifications: On page 2, Place of Performance, do we include the addresses of the 3 different sites that we operate?

Yes. Include all sites at which services are provided, as well as the contractor’s headquarters. An additional page may be added, as necessary.

CO.8 Federal Certifications: do we need to provide contract number?

No. The vendor number is required on this form, but contract number is not.

Child Data Management Information System

The CDMIS asks for license capacity. We operate a part-day program (a.m. and p.m.). For license capacity, do you want the capacity for the number of children allowed at one time?

The licensed capacity is indicated on the facility license issued by the Child Care Licensing Division and that number must be entered in this section of the CDMIS. If you are an LEA, and have an approved license exemption from the CDE EED, include the capacity of the number of children allowed in the facility at one time.

On CDMIS, it also asks for the breakdown by age of children served. Is this an estimate?

No, the breakdown of children served in your program is not an estimate. Please enter the exact number of children served per age, as of the date the CDMIS is updated.

When updating CDMIS for the CSPP CFA, do we delete the other contract types listed under the same site? Some of our sites serve CSPP and General Child Care (CCTR) contracts.

Please do not delete any of the other contract types listed in CDMIS because the CDMIS is also currently being utilized by the CDSS. It is important that all your contract type information remains in CDMIS.

FY 2024–25 Contract

The application says that by completing and returning the FY 2024–25 CFA, your agency indicates that it wishes to automatically renew its CSPP contract for FY 2024–25, and CPKS contract if applicable, and is willing to, and does accept, all the terms and conditions of such contract(s), which will be provided to all CSPP contractors being renewed for funding no later than June 1, 2024. What does this mean?

Contractors that complete and submit the CFA in accordance with all instructions, and are approved for continued funding, will receive their FY 2024–25 CSPP contract, and CPKS contract if applicable, from the CDE by June 1, 2024. The contract(s) will contain all of the terms and conditions, however the contract(s) will not need to be signed and returned to the CDE to be considered an executed and binding contract as of July 1, 2024.

Contractors that wish to reject the terms of the FY 2024–25 CSPP and/or CPKS contract must provide the CDE with a written notice that the terms of the contract(s) are rejected by emailing EarlyEducationContracts@cde.ca.gov on or before June 30, 2024. The email should come from the Executive Director/Superintendent of the contracting entity or their authorized representative and state that the terms of the FY 2024–25 CSPP and, as applicable, the CPKS contract are rejected. Contractors providing such notice to the CDE of the rejection of the terms of the contract will not have a contract/s in effect for FY 2024–25. Note that while contractors who currently receive CPKS funding may reject their 2024–25 CPKS contract, they cannot reject their 2024–25 CSPP contract and still receive funding under a CPKS contract since CPKS funding is tied to having a CSPP contract. If no notice is sent to the CDE, the contract will be automatically renewed, and no further action will be required from the contractor.

How do I know if I am a contractor who needs to complete the CFA? Is my agency's contract renewed automatically?

All CSPP and CPKS contractors are required to complete and submit the CFA in order for their contract to be renewed for FY 2024–25.

Will our agency's contract number be the same as last year?

No. Your contract number will change every FY. The first digit in your contract represents the FY of the contract.

Will the automatic renewal process be ongoing, or just for this year?

Automatic renewal via the CFA process is intended to be offered each year on an ongoing basis.

In the transition to Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK), should we submit the CFA based on current program operations and plan to submit an update for current CSPP program operations later in the year?

If you are aware now that there will be changes to your CSPP because of UTK, those changes should be included in your FY 2024–25 CFA in Section IV: Program Narrative, part B. If you are not aware of any changes that might be made, and changes occur later in FY 2024–25, then you would submit a Program Narrative Change Form (EED 3704A) to your assigned EED Program Quality Implementation (PQI) office consultant at the time that those changes are going to be made.

Should we complete a separate CFA for our CCTR contract with CDSS and our CSPP contract with CDE?

Yes. The CSPP and CPKS are administered by the CDE. The CCTR and other contract types are administered by CDSS. Only the CSPP and CPKS CFA should be submitted to the CDE. Please contact CDSS at CFA@cdss.ca.gov if you have questions regarding CDSS’s CFA process.

If we have a site name change, are we able to submit our CFA with the new name or should we use the name from the original application?

If the site name change has not been approved by your assigned PQI office consultant prior to submitting the CFA, include the name from the original application. Please contact your assigned PQI consultant to discuss what you will need to submit in order to have the name change approved.

Holidays

Are the two professional development days still available?

Yes, two professional development days are still available.

Does Juneteenth impact how many days that are considered full year?

The addition of Juneteenth as a federal holiday does not change the California state law regarding CSPP minimum days of operation. Even with the addition of a new federal holiday, part-day CSPP is still required to operate a minimum of 175 days per year and full-day CSPP is required to operate for a minimum of 246 days per year, unless the contract specifies a lower number of days of operation.