ASES Universal ASSIST Instructions

The After School Education and Safety (ASES) Program application forms must be mailed to the California Department of Education (CDE) Expanded Learning Division (EXLD) and post marked by January 15, 2025. Postmarks will be honored.

Applicants with active and valid County-District-School (CDS) codes are able to apply for grant funding. Please visit the After School Support and Information System Online System (ASSIST) web page.

Applicants without valid CDS codes cannot apply for funding through ASSIST and must instead download and complete the forms in lieu of generating them from ASSIST. Please visit CDE's Request for Applications (RFA) ASES web page.

After School Support and Information System Online System

The ASSIST is an online grant application and reporting system used for all expanded learning programs funded by the CDE. The ASSIST allows users to apply for and manage grants. Grantees are required to use ASSIST for attendance, expenditure, and other reporting processes.

After School Support and Information System Logon Instructions

Please visit the ASSIST web page. All applicants must have a secure logon to access the grant application.

To obtain a secure logon for ASSIST, choose instructions from one of the options listed below:

• Any agency currently receiving expanded learning funding from the CDE must log onto ASSIST using their existing account. Please contact your agency lead for your secure logon.
• Any agency NOT currently receiving before or after school funding from the CDE must gain ASSIST access in one of two ways:
  
  
  • If the applicant is a school district, county office of education, or state college or university, please email ASSIST@cde.ca.gov to request your local educational agency’s (LEA’s) secure logon. Please state the full name of the LEA in your request. The Expanded Learning Division will issue this initial logon to any agency personnel making the request. Once the agency is awarded funding, the logon will be changed and reassigned to the agency’s superintendent for security purposes.
    
    
  • If the applicant is a direct-funded charter school or government agency, please select the Non-LEA Registration link on ASSIST’s main web page. Follow the prompts to create your secure logon and register your agency. If you receive an error message that your Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) number is already in use, please contact ASSIST@cde.ca.gov for help and provide the FEIN number in question.

Completing the Application

Once logged onto ASSIST, select the RFA: ASES (25)—(Universal) link to begin your grant application.

Cover Page

Begin the application process by selecting the Enter Data (under the Action header) link next to the Application Item header labeled Cover Page. This prompt will bring up the Questions and Contacts sections.

Questions

Respond to the items in the Questions section. Check the box to indicate a Yes. Leave the check box blank to indicate a No. Select the Save button.

Contacts

Select the Add button to add contact information. Use the Type drop-down menu to select a Contact Type (Authorized Agent, Fiscal, Program, Co-Applicant, etc.).

Note—Only add one person per Type for the following Contract Types: Authorized Agent, Fiscal, and Program.

If you are applying with a Co-Applicant, you will add them as a Contact for them to show up on the Co-Applicant Information Form.

Non-LEA applicants (including direct-funded charter schools) must include contact data for an Authorized Agent. All other contacts types are desired, but not required. Do not abbreviate address information such as “Rd.” for Road or “St.” for Street. Include current phone numbers and email addresses.

LEA (any agency with a seven-digit County-District Code) applicants do not need to enter an Authorized Agent. The Superintendent contact data will automatically appear on the Cover Page in the forms packet.

Select the Save button after adding each Contact Type. Select the Cover Page button to review the Contacts list. Scroll down and select the Save as Final button. To change contact data, select the Edit link adjacent to the contact’s name on the RFA Cover Page. Re-select the Save as Final button to update any portion of the application.

Changes are accepted up to the application due date. To update any part of the application, select the RFA Checklist button. Select the Enter Data link next to the application item you wish to update. Re-select the Save as Final button to update any portion of the application.

Select the RFA Checklist button to go back to the main application page.

Please verify that the Status for the Cover Page has been updated from Unsubmitted to Submitted. Also verify that there is now a data and time stamp under the Date Submitted header.

Grant Requests Page

Select the Enter Data link next to the Application Item header labeled Grant Requests Page.

Identifying School Sites

Select the Add School button to request program funding. Enter the school’s 14‑digit CDS code (without spaces or hyphens).

The ASSIST will determine your school type based on grades served as reported to the CDE as designated in the Consolidated Application and Reporting System web page. Only schools serving elementary and middle school students will be accepted for this application.

Check all funding types for which the school is applying. Funding types offered for the ASES application are After School Base only. Check Core: After School Base for that individual school. Select Save.

Look for the confirmation message stating School programs saved. If the school code does not match the information in the California School Directory, please visit the California School Directory web page. A red error message will appear stating, “You have entered an invalid CDS code. Please check the number and try again.” Retry adding the school using the correct 14-digit CDS code. For CDS code help, please visit the California School Directory web page.

Repeat to add another school to the application request.

To delete a school from the list, select the Edit link to the right of the school name.

Uncheck the box indicating the school and funding type. Select the Save button. The school will no longer appear on the Grant Requests Page.

Requesting Funding for School Sites

To request school award amounts, select the Request Funds link to the right of the school name on the Grant Requests Page.

For After School Base funding, enter the number of days (e.g.: 180) the program will operate and the number of students (e.g.: 85) you propose to serve daily. After School Base programs must operate on every regular school day, including minimum school days. If requesting a funding increase, request funding only for the additional students to be served. If awarded, this request will be added to any amount previously funded.

Select the Calculate button to view the request amounts. Select the Calculate and Save button when you are satisfied with the request amounts.

Repeat to establish the request amount for the next school. Select the Save All Grant Requests as Final button to submit your Award Calculator to the CDE.

Changes are accepted up to the application due date. To update any part of the application, select the RFA Checklist button. Select the Enter Data link next to the application item you wish to update. Re-select the Save as Final button to update any portion of the application.

Submitting the Budget

Click the RFA Checklist button. Click the Enter Data link next to the application item labeled Budget-Core. Input the program budget by line item for the total Core request. Input a description in the Description fields for each corresponding budgeted line item. The budget amount for the Indirect Cost line item is calculated automatically based on the sub-total of the budget amounts entered in Object Series 1000 – 5000 (excluding 5100). The Indirect Cost Rate is capped at 5% or your approved CDE rate for Fiscal Year 2023-24, whichever is less. ASSIST will auto-calculate the total amount. Click the Tab key to move down, Shift-Tab key to move up, or your cursor to move to between fields. Adjust as necessary. Click the Save button to save your figures. Once complete, click the Save as Final button to submit your budget.

Note—The budget will be set at a maximum per school site: Elementary, $152, 612.13, and Middle, $203,482.84. If the applicant tries to submit a budget over the maximum per school site, it will cause an error in ASSIST and you will not be able to submit your completed application. If the applicant requested over the maximum allowed per site (ex. $153,921.60), the budget will need to be reduced to the maximum allowable ($152,612.13).

Review

Select the RFA Checklist button. Check the Status column to ensure all required application items have been submitted. Required application items include the Cover Page.

Changes are accepted up to the application due date. To update any part of the application, select the RFA Checklist button. Select the Enter Data link next to the application item you wish to update. Re-select the Save as Final button to update any portion of the application.

Download, print, and sign before the application due date.

Select the RFA Checklist button. Select the set of forms labeled Cover Page to be printed from the Application Page drop-down menu. Use the viewing window to review the information contained in the form. If complete and accurate, select PDF file format on Export Icon drop-down menu. A downloadable PDF file will emerge. Open the file and review. Do not overwrite pre-populated data. If you detect errors, select the RFA Checklist button to update the appropriate section(s) of your application, and try printing again.

Repeat the process above for the form labeled Signatures and Approvals.

Select the set of forms labeled Designee and Offsite (if applicable) to be printed from the Application Page drop-down menu. Select Word file format from the Export Icon drop-down menu. A downloadable Word document will emerge. These forms are not pre-populated and will require manual operations. Open the Word form and fill out manually.

Note: If names of principals or superintendents appear incorrect on the Signatures and Approvals form, applicants may line through the former principal's name and write in the name of the new principal who will be signing the application. Please have the LEA's CDS Coordinator update the information. The school site's CDS Coordinator information can be found by looking up the school site through the California School Directory web page. We will accept new principal signatures while the California School Directory updates are being processed.

Multiple Applications

While it is permissible to submit multiple applications, it is not recommended. If an additional application is desired, it is best to complete one application before beginning another. The ASSIST will naturally revert back to the most recent application created. Exercise caution when toggling and printing multiple applications. Check the application number at the top of each page to ensure proper grouping.

Final Review

Changes to ASSIST are accepted up to the application due date at 4:30 p.m. To update any part of the application, select the RFA Checklist button. Select the Enter Data link next to the application item you wish to update. Re-select the Save as Final button to update any portion of the application. Reprint the updated application item and gather the necessary signatures.

Mail Application(s)

A signed application must be mailed and post marked on, or before January 15, 2025. Postmarks will be honored. Mail the original application to the address below:

California Department of Education
Expanded Learning Division
1430 N Street, Suite 3400
Sacramento, CA 95814-5901

In-person delivery of applications to the CDE is not allowed, all applications must be sent using United States mail.