SIPA GovGrants Resource

Proposal Language Guide for Meeting Accessibility Applications

Section-by-section draft language for Colorado government entities preparing a SIPA GovGrants application focused on meeting video accessibility. Adapt all bracketed text to your entity's specifics.

Back to SIPA GovGrants Resource Hub

This guide follows the structure of SIPA's Optional Applicant Worksheet (opens in new tab), which organizes the narrative portion of your GovGrants application into five sections. For each section, you'll find what SIPA is looking for, customizable draft language, and guidance notes.

Placeholder text appears in [brackets]. Replace every bracketed item with your entity's information before submitting. Save your final narrative as a PDF for submission.

Section 1: Applicant Information

This section is straightforward — organizational details and EGE status. No draft language needed, but don't skip the EGE confirmation.

Checklist before moving on:

Confirm your EGE agreement is active at sipa.colorado.gov/ege-agreement (opens in new tab)
If you need to execute one, contact sipa@cosipa.gov — this can be done in parallel with your application

Section 2.1: Audience and Problem Statement

What SIPA is looking for: A clear, resident-focused description of the problem. Start with the people affected, not the technology you want to buy. Quantify the problem where possible. Explain how different groups experience the barrier differently.

Draft language — adapt to your entity:

[Entity name] serves a community of approximately [population] residents in [location]. Our government conducts [number] public meetings per [month/year], including [list meeting types]. These meetings are [broadcast on cable channel X / streamed on our website / available as archived recordings].

Currently, residents who are deaf or hard of hearing cannot access the spoken content of our meetings in real time or through our archives, because our meeting video does not include captions. Residents who are blind or have low vision miss visual content presented during meetings — including maps, charts, budget presentations, and on-screen motions — because no audio descriptions are provided. And residents who speak a primary language other than English cannot access meeting content in their language, because no translated captions or interpretation are available.

This means that a significant portion of our community is effectively excluded from participating in local government proceedings. According to [source — e.g., American Community Survey], approximately [number or percentage] of our residents identify as having a hearing disability, [number or percentage] identify as having a vision disability, and [number or percentage] speak a primary language other than English at home.

Beyond the direct impact on residents, [Entity name] faces growing legal obligations under both Colorado HB 21-1110 and the federal ADA Title II rule, which require government video content to meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards. [Entity name] [has a population above/below 50,000], which means our federal compliance deadline is [April 26, 2027 / April 26, 2028].

Guidance notes:

Lead with residents, not compliance. SIPA wants to see that you understand the human impact. Legal obligations strengthen your case but shouldn't be the opening argument.
Use real numbers. If you have accommodation request logs, constituent feedback, or demographic data, include them.
Name the specific groups affected and how each one experiences the barrier differently — this demonstrates that you've thought about equity.

Section 2.2: Proposed Solution

What SIPA is looking for: A clear explanation of how technology will address the problem. Use the “if we do this, then this change will occur” theory-of-change framework. If you have evidence of similar solutions working elsewhere, include it.

Draft language — adapt to your entity:

[Entity name] proposes to implement a meeting video accessibility platform that provides real-time captioning, multilingual translation, and audio descriptions for our public meetings. The solution will cover [live meetings / archived recordings / both] across [all meeting types / specific meeting types as a pilot].

Theory of change: If [Entity name] implements captioning, audio description, and multilingual translation for public meeting video, then residents who are deaf or hard of hearing, who have low vision, or who speak a primary language other than English will be able to meaningfully access and participate in local government proceedings — reducing barriers to civic engagement and advancing our compliance with HB 21-1110 and ADA Title II.

From a resident's perspective, the experience will change in the following ways:

A resident who is deaf or hard of hearing will be able to read real-time captions during a live meeting — on a display in the meeting chamber, on their personal device via QR code, or on the live stream at home
That same resident will be able to watch any archived meeting recording with synchronized captions
A resident who is blind or has low vision will be able to listen to audio descriptions of visual content in archived meeting recordings
A resident who speaks [languages relevant to your community] will be able to access translated captions in their language

Guidance notes:

The theory of change sentence is the most important sentence in your application. SIPA's grants team has said this is the first thing they look for.
Describe the resident experience concretely. Don't just say "meetings will be accessible" — walk the evaluator through what changes for a specific person.
If you're proposing a phased approach (pilot first, then scale), introduce that concept here and detail it in Section 2.3.

Section 2.3: Implementation Approach

What SIPA is looking for: A realistic plan showing you can execute. Describe your approach, whether you'll use external suppliers or in-house resources, and whether you're taking a phased or iterative approach. SIPA values proposals that start focused and scale.

Draft language — adapt to your entity:

[Entity name] plans to implement the proposed solution in [two / three / four] phases over a [one-year / two-year] grant term, aligned with SIPA's quarterly reporting schedule.

Phase 1: Procurement, Setup, and Training (Q1 post-execution)

Complete procurement and contracting with the selected accessibility platform vendor
Install and configure hardware and software for [meeting chambers / broadcast workflow / streaming infrastructure]
Conduct staff training for [roles — e.g., A/V operators, meeting clerks, IT support staff]
Establish baseline measurements for KPIs where applicable
Deploy QR code signage in meeting chambers for mobile caption access

Phase 2: Pilot Deployment (Q2)

Activate live captioning for [specific meeting types]
Activate captioning for newly archived recordings of pilot meeting types
Begin multilingual caption availability in [languages]
Collect initial performance data (caption uptime, language usage, viewer feedback)
Identify and resolve any workflow or technical issues before full deployment

Phase 3: Full Deployment (Q3)

Expand live captioning to all regularly scheduled public meeting types
Activate audio descriptions for archived recordings containing visual-only content
Begin captioning backlog remediation for pre-existing archived recordings [if applicable]
Conduct follow-up training for any additional staff

Phase 4: Measurement, Optimization, and Sustainability (Q4)

Complete first full cycle of KPI measurement and reporting
Evaluate outcomes against targets and identify areas for optimization
Document operational workflows and sustainability plan for post-grant continuation
Prepare final narrative and financial reports for SIPA

Vendor engagement: [Entity name] [has identified / is evaluating / has selected] [vendor name or description] as the technology provider for this project.

Procurement approach: [Entity name] plans to use [informal procurement / competitive quote process / existing cooperative contract] to select a vendor.

Guidance notes:

SIPA values phased, iterative approaches — especially for projects where you're introducing something new.
Align your phases with quarterly reporting periods for cleaner reporting.
Be clear about what your team does vs. what the vendor does. SIPA wants internal capacity.
Don't include costs already contracted for or incurred. SIPA funds only cover post-execution expenses.

Section 2.4: Outcomes and Success Measures

What SIPA is looking for: Outcomes (what changes for residents), not outputs (what you build). Two to four clear, quantifiable KPIs with specific targets. This is where many applications fall short.

Draft language — adapt to your entity:

If the proposed solution is implemented successfully, [Entity name] expects the following outcomes for the residents we serve:

Outcome 1: Improved access to live meetings. Residents who are deaf or hard of hearing, who have low vision, or who speak a language other than English will be able to access public meeting content that was previously unavailable to them.
Outcome 2: Improved access to archived meetings. All residents will be able to access captioned and audio-described meeting recordings, ensuring that government proceedings are transparent and available to everyone.
Outcome 3: Increased civic engagement. By removing accessibility barriers, we expect to reach more residents with meeting content and see measurable increases in viewership and engagement.

Sample KPI table for your application
KPI	Type	Outcome Metric	Success Target
1	Target	[e.g., Percentage of public meetings with real-time captions]	[e.g., 95% of regularly scheduled meetings include live captions within 6 months]
2	Baseline	[e.g., Accommodation requests related to meeting access]	[e.g., Reduce formal accommodation requests by 40% within 12 months]
3	Target	[e.g., Multilingual caption access]	[e.g., Captions in top 3 non-English languages within 9 months]

Guidance notes:

Three to four KPIs is the sweet spot. More dilutes focus; fewer may feel thin.
Use a mix of baseline and target KPIs where possible.
Frame every KPI in terms of what changes for residents, not staff efficiency.
Include a timeframe in every KPI. Align with SIPA's quarterly reporting.
For a full library of sample KPIs, see the MediaScribe KPI Cheat Sheet.

Section 2.5: Timeline and Procurement

What SIPA is looking for: Your anticipated implementation schedule and the status of procurement activity. SIPA expects grant agreements to be executed within 3 months of award. Procurement doesn't need to be completed by then, but you need to predict the schedule.

Draft language — adapt to your entity:

Sample implementation timeline for your application
Phase	Timeline	Key Activities
Procurement and setup	[e.g., Aug–Oct 2026]	Finalize vendor contract, install hardware/software, configure system
Staff training	[e.g., Oct–Nov 2026]	Train [number] staff across [departments/roles]
Pilot deployment	[e.g., Nov 2026–Jan 2027]	Live captioning for [meeting types]; begin archived captioning
Full deployment	[e.g., Feb–Apr 2027]	Expand to all meeting types; activate audio descriptions and multilingual
Measurement and reporting	[e.g., May–Aug 2027]	Complete KPI cycle; prepare final reports; sustainability plan

No project costs have been contracted for or incurred as of the date of this application.

Section 3: Budget

The budget is submitted separately using SIPA's required template, not as part of your narrative.

What to include:

Accessibility platform subscription costs
Hardware (on-premises appliance, display monitors, QR signage)
Network infrastructure improvements if needed
Staff training time (if hiring dedicated staff)
Measurement and reporting tools

What not to include:

Overhead or indirect costs
Partial salary allocation for existing employees
Costs already contracted for or incurred
Costs that would exist regardless of the grant

Section 4: Team Composition

SIPA requires you to name individuals for five roles. This is scored — don't leave roles unnamed.

Required team roles for SIPA GovGrants applications
Role	What SIPA Expects	Tips
Executive Sponsor	Senior leader with authority to champion the project	Mayor, city manager, county administrator, or equivalent
Product Owner / PM	Day-to-day lead responsible for project decisions	Communications director, clerk, or meeting video workflow manager
IT Director	Technical lead for infrastructure and integration	Person who manages broadcast/streaming infrastructure
Finance Contact	Budget tracking and financial reporting	Finance director or grant fund disbursement manager
Data / Reporting Contact	KPI tracking and quarterly report submission	Can be same as Product Owner — name them explicitly for each role

Section 5: Grant Agreement Review

SIPA asks applicants to review the Grant Agreement Template (opens in new tab) and note any requested exceptions. Key terms to review with your legal counsel:

Quarterly reporting: Both financial and narrative reports required
Records retention: Complete audit trail for three years post-completion
SIPA branding acknowledgment in all public communications
Fund return: Unexpended funds returned within ten business days of termination
Incident notification within two business days
Dispute resolution through SIPA executive director, then Board of Directors

If you accept the template without changes: “[Entity name] has reviewed the SIPA GovGrants Template Grant Agreement and accepts the template without exceptions.”

Before You Submit: Final Checklist

EGE agreement is active or in process
Problem statement leads with residents, not technology
Theory of change is clearly stated in one sentence
KPIs measure outcomes, not outputs
At least 3 KPIs with specific, quantifiable targets and timeframes
Team roles are all named with full name, title, and email
Budget uses SIPA's required template, submitted as Excel
Budget includes only direct costs incurred after grant execution
Sustainability plan explains post-grant funding for ongoing costs
Procurement approach and timeline are described
Grant agreement reviewed; exceptions submitted or acceptance stated
Narrative saved as a single PDF for submission

Additional Resources

Need Help With Your Application?

We can help you think through project scope, budget structure, and how MediaScribe fits your specific implementation.

Schedule a Grant Fit Conversation Back to Resource Hub

No obligation

Grant scope guidance

Budget structure help

This guide is for informational purposes only and is not grant application advice. Draft language is illustrative — adapt all content to your entity's specific circumstances, data, and community. Verify all SIPA GovGrants program requirements through SIPA's official resources (opens in new tab).