The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) Board of Directors awarded nearly $1.5 million in prevention grants in Fiscal Year 2019 to fifty-six (56) child-serving organizations throughout Missouri.

Of the amount, $814,936.50 in new funding was directed to twenty-eight (28) general prevention and training grants to focus on protecting children, increasing knowledge and strengthening families’ abilities to lessen child abuse and neglect risk factors. The balance totaling $678,362.50 will fund an additional twenty-eight (28) renewal grants to continue prevention projects from previous distribution cycles.

“Deciding what we award each year is the hardest and best part of CTF’s job,” said Emily van Schenkhof, CTF Executive Director. “The projects we have funded in Fiscal Year 2019 are some of the best child abuse prevention projects in Missouri—we are confident that they will change lives for our children.”

The funds were awarded following a competitive grant and review process and will support evidence-based and promising programs including home visiting, parent education, infant safe sleep, fatherhood support, sexual abuse prevention, training and collective impact.

Established by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983, CTF is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention and works to strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect through grant distribution, education, awareness and partnerships. In its 35-year history, CTF has awarded over $64 million in non-general revenue to date to support community-based programs statewide.

CTF receives funding through dedicated fees on marriage licenses and vital records, voluntary contributions designated on the Missouri State Income Tax Return, sales of the specialty CTF prevent child abuse license plate, general donations, Interest income for the Fund and a federal grant administered through the Administration of Children and Families.

For additional information, visit ctf4kids.org.
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The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) seeks a consultant to assist CTF Board and staff in developing a comprehensive communications strategy to promote protective cultural norms designed to prevent child maltreatment.

BACKGROUND
The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention.  CTF was created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983 as a 501c(3) non-profit organization with the sole purpose to prevent the abuse and neglect of children.  Located within the Missouri Office of Administration, CTF is governed by a seventeen member Board of Directors.

SCOPE OF WORK
CTF seeks a consultant who will work with CTF to:

• Implement a process to collect, identify, evaluate and assess social and community norms related to prevention, child maltreatment and child well-being in Missouri.
• Foster a statewide approach involving Missouri state departments, other public/private agencies, stake holders, grantees, etc. to participate in decision-making and to encourage a unified effort to address child abuse prevention through the promotion of desired social norms.
• Complete an assessment of Missouri residents to inform baseline data, including reviewing available relevant data, conducting surveys, polling, etc. The consultant will provide technical assistance specific to developing social norms questions/survey instrument for the determined survey platforms, which an outside entity may be used to administer.
• Review and assess data to identify attitudes, behaviors, misperceptions, gaps, etc. and identify 2-5 social norms related to preventing child abuse (including child sexual abuse) that will be the basis for strategic communication messaging.
• Develop data-informed messaging based on the identified social norms to deliver to the Missouri-based advertising/media company of CTF’s choosing, which CTF and its team will be in regular contact to inform and guide the work to ensure successful delivery of the creative design and execution of the plan.
• Evaluate the process and impact of the social norms messaging in preventing child abuse and neglect in Missouri.

TIMELINE
Friday, October 19, 2018: Proposals are due to CTF by close of business (5:00 p.m.)
Friday, October 26, 2018: Notice of award will be made on or before this date

GUIDANCE
Proposals shall not exceed three pages in length and will respond to the following:

• Identify the primary individual(s) who will work on this project.
• What are the applicant’s individual and/or agency experience and knowledge related to conducting child welfare, child maltreatment or child well-being research?
• What is the applicant’s individual and/or agency experience in assessing social norms and developing a social norms communications campaign?
• Why is the applicant interested in working with CTF on the issue of child abuse and neglect prevention?
• Please provide a Scope of Work, including a related timeframe, for the requested project.
• What is the proposed budget amount to conduct the tasks outlined in the Scope of Work (assuming a contract period of January-June 2019, July 2019-June 2020, July 2020-June 2021, July 2021-June 2022)?

Completed proposals shall be emailed to Paula Cunningham at paula.cunningham@oa.mo.gov by 5 p.m. Friday, October 19, 2018. Selection shall be based on the best and lowest bid. Further inquiries may be made to Paula by email or by calling 573-751-2266/5147.  Thank you.