Continued Funding Application FAQs

Management Bulletin 24-09

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 by email or by US mail. No additional copies need to be submitted.

When is the CFA due?

The completed CFA packet must be received by the Early Education Division (EED) on or before 5 p.m., November 1, 2024, regardless of submittal method.

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. With either method, 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].”

Who can sign the CFA?

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

Where can I find my Vendor Number?

The Vendor Number is assigned by the California Department of Education (CDE). It can be found in the Child Development Management Information System (CDMIS), or you may request it by emailing CFA@cde.ca.gov.

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 CDMIS database.

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

The EED can only accept the 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 state subsidized early learning 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 your agency’s current contract.

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

Yes. The CFA process is to continue contracting with the CDE to provide services under 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 1, 2024, at 5 p.m. Contractors who request a time extension may experience delays in receipt of their contract.

Board Resolution

Is a Board Resolution required?

Yes, if you are a public agency (see definition below). Non-public agencies have different requirements, see below.

The State Administrative Manual defines a public agency as any state agency, city, county, special district, school district, community college district, county superintendent of schools, charter school, or federal agency. Any CSPP contractor that does not meet these criteria is considered a non-public agency.

Public Agencies

If the contractor is a public agency, the CFA must be accompanied by one of the following documents from the governing body authorizing execution of the agreement and identifying 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 (COEs), a resolution is not required only if the County Superintendent signs the CFA and all related contract documents. If anyone else signs, a board resolution or minutes authorizing delegation of signature authority is required.

Non-Public Agencies

Non-public agencies such as nonprofit, community-based organizations should follow their agency’s bylaws and legal requirements pertaining to authorizing contracts on behalf of the agency. Generally, the Executive Director, Owner, or President 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 the resolution have to specifically authorize the CFA, or can it just identify authorized representatives?

The board resolution, minutes of meeting, or board policy must specifically authorize the execution of the FY 2025–26 CFA and related contract documents. In addition, it must identify the authorized representative(s). These authorizations may appear on the same document or separate documents if both are properly authorized by the board.

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?

No, but it is recommended that contractors use the Board Resolution template provided on the CFA web page. The CFA must be signed by a person formally delegated the authority to sign the CFA and related contract documents on behalf of the agency. A school district or other public agency’s governing body must provide a resolution or meeting minutes or board policy which authorizes the CFA transaction and identifies authorized representative/s. The only exception is for COEs when the Superintendent of Schools signs the CFA and related contract documents in which case a resolution, meeting minutes, or board policy is not required.

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 2025–26. 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 CDE. Requests for extension must be sent to the CFA email inbox at CFA@cde.ca.gov no later than November 1, 2024, at 5 p.m. 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?

For COEs, the CFA must be signed by the Superintendent or a person that has been delegated the legal authority to sign contractual agreements on behalf of the agency. For COEs, a resolution is not required only if the County Superintendent signs the CFA and all related contract documents. If anyone else signs any of the documents, a board resolution or minutes authorizing delegation of signature authority is required.

Program Narrative and Minimum Days of Operation

I do not have changes to my program narrative of 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(s) and completing a Program Narrative Change (EED 3704A).

If there is a reduction or addition to the MDO for our CSPP, do I need to complete a Program Narrative Change (EED 3704A)?

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(s) and completing a Program Narrative Change (EED 3704A).

Are we required to include a FY 2025–26 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 (EC) 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.

Calendars are not required from each subcontractor. Contractors with more than one site should submit a calendar that reflects all days that one or more sites will be open, even if all sites are not open on that date.

We have 3 different sites that offer part-day preschool. They have different days of operation and different start and end dates. Do we have to submit a calendar for each one?

Calendars are not required from each site. If all three sites are part of the same contract, you may only submit one part-day calendar that represents all days of operation between the sites.

We have a site that has closed, and we are licensing a new site. Do we need to complete the Program Narrative Change section of the application?

The new site needs to be approved by your assigned EED, Program Quality Implementation (PQI) office consultant. Please send your consultant a Program Narrative Change and a copy of your new license, and your consultant will either approve or deny the new site and advise you on other next steps.

We are planning to open a new site next year. We have not yet completed building the site, and do not have a license for it yet. Should I add this site to the CDMIS now and include it in the CFA as a narrative change?

Changes should be reported when they happen, and changes can be reported throughout the year. In this case, you do not need to include this site on the CFA. You can submit a Program Narrative Change to your assigned PQI consultant once you have the license.

Projected Enrollment

In Section II, Part II of the CFA, is the Projected Enrollment section requesting information about my program only, or the entire county?

This section is asking contractors about the number of subsidized children they expect to be enrolled in their own CSPP program(s) only. If the contractor operates a program in more than one county, please provide the number of subsidized children expected to be enrolled in each county where the contractor provides CSPP services.

Should Projected Enrollment include infants and toddlers, or only ages 3 to 5?

Projected enrollment should only include data for CSPP-enrolled children.

In Section II, Part II of the CFA, is the Projected Enrollment section requesting the maximum number of subsidized children that can be enrolled if we are at full capacity?

This section requests your best projection of the number of subsidized children that will be enrolled in the CSPP. If you project your agency’s CSPP will be at full capacity, you may provide that number. It is understood that the number of children who actually enroll may be more or less than your initial projection.

Will our Maximum Reimbursable Amount (MRA) be based on the numbers we report in Section II, Part II, Projected Enrollment?

No.

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. Include each member's 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 a local educational agency (LEA).

Subcontractors

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

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

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

The CDE does not require board resolutions from the entities your agency subcontracts with to provide CSPP services.

Federal Certifications (Form CO.8)

Federal Certifications (Form CO.8): For Place of Performance, do we include the addresses of the 3 different sites that we operate?

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

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 2025–26 Contract

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 2025–26.

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

No. Your contract number will change every fiscal year. The first digit in your contract number represents the fiscal year 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.

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 2025–26 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 2025–26, then you would submit a Program Narrative Change Form (EED 3704A) to your PQI 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@dss.ca.gov if you have questions regarding CDSS’s CFA process.

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

If the site name change is not approved by your assigned PQI 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 to have the name change approved.

Holidays and Professional Development Days

Are the two professional development days (PDDs) still available?

Yes, two PDDs are still available.

If we use the two PDDs, are they counted toward our total days of operation?

“Days of operation” is defined as days that certified children will be served within the fiscal year. Any days when the contractor closes for a full day to provide training to staff are not counted toward this total. The program calendar should reflect only days that a contractor provides services to at least one certified child. The CDE is aware of proposed legislative changes to PDDs; however, as of this web page’s posting date, no changes have been made. If the proposed legislative changes do become law, the CDE will update this guidance to reflect such a change.

On the Program Calendar (EED 9730), should I check the box for the two PDDs we will use, or leave those days blank?

The program calendar should reflect only days that a contractor provides services to at least one certified child. If these are days certified children will not be served, these boxes should not be checked on the program calendar.

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.