Texas Even Start Administrative Manual

June 2004, (Revised January 2008, September 2008)

Accountability

Fiscal

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Procedure for Requesting a Waiver of Local Share
For Even Start Grantees

Even Start grantees are required to provide a portion of the cost of an Even Start program. This is referred to as “local share.” The local share requirements begin at 10% of the total program cost in the first year of a grant and increase to 65% of the total program cost in the ninth and subsequent years. The statute provides for a waiver of local share in Section 1234, (b), (2) Uses of Funds. The statute states,

“The State educational agency may waive, in whole or in part, the Federal share described in paragraph (1) for an eligible entity if the entity –

1. demonstrates that it otherwise would not be able to participate in the program assisted under this subpart; and
2. negotiates an agreement with the State educational agency with respect to the amount of the remaining cost of the waiver will be applicable.”

Texas Even Start funds are awarded in a four-year cycle. Programs must re-compete for funds every four years. A first year grantee would be a first cycle, first year program. A waiver of local share is not permitted for first cycle, first year programs.

All requests must be submitted to the program’s grant services manager in writing by the grant official of the grantee fiscal agent. Texas Education Agency and or Texas LEARNS will take one of four actions for waiver requests. Actions include requesting additional information, approval, denial of a portion of the waiver requested or denial of the entire waiver request. Written responses to waiver requests will be issued from Texas LEARNS. Please allow 30-60 days from date of receipt for a response.

Requests for waivers should contain the following information:

1. The amount of local share required prior to a waiver.
2. The amount of local share waiver that is requested.
3. Specify whether the waiver request is only for the current program year or for the remainder of the funding cycle.
4. What was the source(s) of previous local share?
5. Explain the decrease in available local share.
6. List current grant partners, their current and previous contributions to the program.
7. Describe other community partners that have been approached and their responses.
8. List potential non-profit or university-based partners and their possible contributions to the program.
9. Describe community factors contributing to your request such as a decreasing tax base or a rural location.
10. Document any reduction of federal funds for the fiscal agent.

The request should contain as many details as possible. Be specific. For instance, “the population has decreased from X to Y, resulting in a decrease of tax revenue to the fiscal agent of $ZZZ,ZZZ.00” is far more definitive than “the population has decreased and we anticipate a corresponding decrease in revenue.”

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