Project Description
The Hayward Promise Neighborhoods (HPN) is a place-based initiative led by California State University, East Bay, to improve outcomes for children and families in high-poverty communities in the city of Hayward. HTA Consulting has had an important role in the HPN since its inception in 2010. Cal State East Bay engaged us to assist its many local partners (the university, City, school district, community college, and non-profit organizations) and the community to plan the initiative. We were then lead grant writers for the HPN’s successful application for funding ($5 million per year for 5 years) from the U.S. Department of Education’s Promise Neighborhoods program, in 2011. Since that time, after being selected as the HPN’s external evaluator, we have assisted the HPN partnership in putting in place new systems for data collection, management, and sharing across agencies, and reporting to the Department of Education. Our evaluation team’s data analyses have informed ongoing improvements in the HPN initiative. And they have helped document the HPN’s positive impact on Hayward children and families. This has positioned the HPN to win subsequent federal Promise Neighborhood grant awards in 2017 and again in 2022, each for $30 million over 5 years, to expand the HPN’s work and benefits to additional high-poverty neighborhoods in Hayward. HTA served as lead grant writers for both applications – one of only four grants awarded nationwide in 2017, and one of six awarded in 2022.