AH-TP1-26-001 TPP Tier 1 Replication.pdf

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Office of Population Affairs

Notice of Funding Opportunity Replicating Effective Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Programs

Opportunity Number

AH-TP1-26-001

Application Due Date July 23, 2026

Technical Assistance Webinar Date June 30, 2026

Table of Contents

SUMMARY

A. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants B. Required Alignment with OASH Mission and Agency Priorities

C. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. Expectations for Recipients

2. Federal Involvement in the Project Eligibility criteria for project participants

D. AWARD INFORMATION

E. APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT

1. Format of the Application

2. Content

F. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DATES

1. Obtaining an Application Package

2. Required Registrations

3. Submission Instructions

4. Other Submission Requirements

G. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Responsiveness Review

2. Merit Review Criteria

3. Merit Review and Selection Process

4. Review of Risk Posed by Applicant

H. AWARD NOTICES

I. AWARD REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION

1. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

2. Program Specific Terms and Conditions

3. Award Closeout

4. Lobbying Prohibitions

5. Non-Discrimination Requirements

6. Smoke- and Tobacco-free Workplace

7. Acknowledgement of Funding

8. HHS Rights to Materials and Data

9. Trafficking in Persons

10. Efficient Spending

11. Whistleblower Protection

12. Health Information Technology (IT) Interoperability

13. Certain telecommunications and video surveillance services or equipment

14. Human Subjects Protection

15. Research Integrity

16. Reporting

J. CONTACTS

K. OTHER INFORMATION

1. Application Checklist

2. Acronyms

3. Glossary

4. Object Class Descriptions and Required Justifications

5. Considerations in Recipient Plans for Oversight of Federal Funds

6. Financial Assistance General Certifications and Representations

7. Protections for Healthcare Entities under Weldon and Other Conscience Protection Statutes Appendix A - Criteria for Eligible TPP Effective Programs Appendix B - TPP Performance Measures

BASIC INFORMATION

Opportunity Title Replicating Effective Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Programs

Program Office Office of Population Affairs Application Submission and Format

Electronic application submitted via Grants.gov ONLY.

Opportunity Number

AH-TP1-26-001

Award Type Cooperative Agreement

Application Deadline 7/23/2026

Announcement Type Initial

Technical Assistance Webinar Date 6/30/2026

Assistance Listing 93.297

Technical Assistance Webinar Details visit the OPA website at https://opa.hhs.gov/grant-programs/funding-opportunities for details

Eligible Applicants (see Section A.1 for full details) Executive Order 12372 does apply to this NOFO (see section F.3.D)

Estimated Total Funding Available $63,400,000

Estimated Period of Performance (months)

• 12-month first budget period

• 12-month second budget period

• Optional competitive third year

Estimated Number of Awards

Anticipated Award Date 9/30/2026

Anticipated Award Funding Range $900,000 to $2,000,000 per budget period

Anticipated Project Start Date 9/30/2026

QUESTIONS?

Additional contact information in Section J https://opa.hhs.gov/grant-programs/funding-opportunities https://opa.hhs.gov/grant-programs/funding-opportunities

SUMMARY

The Office of Population Affairs (OPA) announces the anticipated availability of funds for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 grants under the authority of Division B, Title II of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (Public Law 119-75).

This notice solicits applications for projects that provide medically accurate and age-appropriate programs that reduce teen pregnancy and advance adolescent health by strengthening body literacy, informed consent, and optimal health through the replication of effective teen pregnancy prevention (TPP) programs. Effective TPP programs are those programs that have been proven effective through rigorous evaluation to reduce teenage pregnancy, behavioral risk factors underlying teenage pregnancy, or other associated risk factors.

The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to support replication of effective programs that provide adolescents with medically accurate, age-appropriate education and counseling that help them understand their bodies, clarify reproductive life goals, and make informed health decisions.

OPA intends to make available approximately up to $63,400,000 for an estimated 52 grant awards for a period of up to two (2) years with an optional competitive third year. The actual amount available will not be determined until enactment of the FY2027 federal budget.

Funded recipients will be expected to:

1. Replicate evidence-based programs that strengthen adolescent body literacy, informed consent, and optimal health, ensuring all content is medically accurate, age-appropriate, and delivered with high quality and consistency.

2. Integrate body literacy education and reproductive life goals counseling into program delivery, equipping adolescents with a clear understanding of female and male anatomy and reproductive health, the relationship between reproductive and overall well-being or optimal health, and the knowledge needed to make informed, future-oriented health decisions.

3. As applicable, uphold parental rights in program implementation by providing advance notice to parents or guardians that includes relevant details about program content, materials, and activities; offering opportunities for review; and providing clear, accessible processes for parental opt-out of specific content or activities, particularly those related to sexuality that may burden religious exercise or conflict with sincerely held beliefs.

4. Promote optimal health through an upstream, preventive approach by emphasizing root-cause understanding of chronic health conditions that may impact overall health and fertility, encouraging healthy behaviors, and supporting adolescents in developing the knowledge and decision-making skills necessary for long-term physical and mental well-being.

5. Engage stakeholders and monitor program quality and outcomes by maintaining meaningful collaboration with community partners and participants, regularly assessing implementation and impact, and using data to improve program effectiveness, ensure implementation of evidence-based models, and achieve intended outcomes.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) Grants and Acquisitions Management Division (GAM) will administer this competition.

We encourage you to review all program requirements, eligibility information, application format and submission instructions, OASH priorities, and other content of this notice to ensure your application complies with all requirements.

A. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants You must meet all of the eligibility requirements in order for us to review your application.

a. Eligible Entities

Any public or private entity is eligible to apply.

Additional examples of eligible organizations include:

Any public or private entity located in a State (which includes one of the 50 United States, District of Columbia, Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Marshall Islands, the Federated State of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau (hereafter, States)) is eligible to apply for a grant under this announcement. Faith-based organizations and American Indian/Alaska Native/Native American (AI/AN/NA) organizations are eligible to apply.

Examples of eligible Organizations include:

• State Governments

• U.S. territories

• County Governments

• City or township governments

• Special district governments

• Independent school districts

• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education

• Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)

• Public Housing authorities/Indian housing authorities

• Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments)

• Nonprofits having 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education

• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education

• Non-profit private institutions of higher education

• For-profit organizations, including small businesses

b. PD/PI Eligibility

There is no restriction on an individual’s eligibility to be Project Director (PD)/Principal Investigator (PI) on an application. However, we will not make an award with a PD/PI who has an active government-wide exclusion, suspension, or debarment recorded in SAM.gov.

We expect that throughout the period of performance the PD/PI will be involved in, and have substantial knowledge about, all aspects of the project. Although your organization may recognize co-PD/PIs on team-managed projects, we recognize only a single PD/PI who will be responsible for the programmatic aspects of the project.

c. Other Considerations

Submitting Multiple Applications You may submit more than one application, but each application must be for a distinctly different project.

If you submit multiple applications for the same project, we will accept only the last application submitted a Grants.gov timestamp that is before the due date and time. We will disqualify all other versions of the application. See Section G.1.b for all disqualification factors.

Submitting an Application as a Group or Consortium

For any given project, we will only make an award to a single eligible entity. More than one entity may choose to work together on a project under this opportunity, but only one entity may submit the application. If awarded, that entity will be the award recipient and will be responsible for conducting the project.

The other entities may participate in the project, if awarded, and would be responsible to the recipient for their respective roles, typically as subrecipients.

Groups may form a consortium, partnership, or other legally recognized entity for the purpose of applying for this opportunity and carrying out any awarded project. The resulting entity must exist and be legally recognized when it applies and must have an active registration in SAM.gov.

We will conduct a risk assessment on the applying entity (Section G.4) prior to making any award.

Eligibility Documentation

Entity eligibility documentation (e.g., proof of 501(c)(3) status as determined by the Internal Revenue Service or an authorizing Tribal Resolution) must be included in the submitted application. For additional information, see Section F.4.a During our review of your application, we might request additional documentation to support your eligibility. This request means only that your application is under review and not that you will receive an award.

More specific information on the type of documentation that we might request specific to this opportunity appears in Section F.4.b.

Application Disqualification

We will disqualify applications that fail to meet the eligibility, responsiveness, formatting, and submission requirements (Sections G.1.b) prior to conducting merit review. Disqualified applications will not undergo further review.

We will notify disqualified applicants at the end of the competition when we announce the award recipients.

2. Application Responsiveness Criteria We will review your application to determine whether it meets the responsiveness criteria below.

If your application does not meet the responsiveness criteria, we will disqualify it from the competition; we will not review it beyond the initial screening.

The responsiveness criteria are as follows:

• Not applicable

3. Cost Sharing or Matching You are not required to provide cost sharing or matching in your proposed budget.

B. Required Alignment with OASH Mission and Agency Priorities The recipients of this award must implement any funds awarded under this NOFO to effectuate program goals and agency priorities in accordance with the Priorities of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (available at https://health.gov/priorities), and when authorized by law according to the TPP statute, regulations, legislative mandates, and additional program guidance. Funded activities must advance and support OASH’s mission to improve the health and well-being of Americans.

Consistent with OASH’s mission, in carrying out any project that is funded under this NOFO, recipients must align program design and activities with the agency priorities, where consistent with the authority and scope of the award.

In addition, the recipient is required to administer any project that is awarded under this NOFO in accordance with the following objectives in the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program that are authorized to advance them:

1. Promote body literacy education for making informed and healthy decisions that advance optimal health

The recipients must demonstrate ongoing compliance with these priorities, in all programs that are authorized to advance them, through program design, implementation, reporting, and evaluation. Failure to meaningfully align funded activities with the applicable requirements may https://health.gov/priorities result in corrective action, additional reporting requirements, or other actions consistent with federal grant regulations found at 2 C.F.R. Part 200 and the terms and conditions of this award (including termination pursuant to 2 C.F.R. 200.340(a)(4) for no longer effectuating program goals or agency priorities).

C. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), Office of Population Affairs (OPA) announces the anticipated availability of funds for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 grants under the authority of Division B, Title II of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (Public Law No. 119–75).

The primary focus of OASH is to lead Americans toward healthier lives by promoting health and well-being across the lifespan. This includes the reproductive lifespan, supported through innovative, evidence-based programs, services, partnerships, and research that strengthens family formation and assists people in achieving healthy pregnancies, while ensuring transparency and respect for parental rights through advance notice and meaningful opt-out provisions. To learn more about the TPP program, please visit the OPA website https://opa.hhs.gov/grant-programs/teen-pregnancy-prevention-program/about-tpp-program.

Grants funded through this NOFO will support the replication of evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs that strengthen adolescent body literacy, informed consent, and optimal health. Funded projects will deliver medically accurate, age-appropriate education and counseling that integrate body literacy with reproductive goals counseling, while ensuring transparency and respect for parental rights through advance notice and meaningful opt-out provisions. In addition, recipients will build the capacity of local community organizations to replicate these programs with accuracy and quality.

The goal of this NOFO is to promote an upstream, preventive approach to adolescent health by equipping young people with the knowledge and decision-making skills necessary for lifelong well-being, thereby supporting optimal health and reducing rates of teen pregnancy.

Background

Most Americans do not know how their bodies function in a state of health. They lack basic understanding of the relationships between hormonal and reproductive health and overall physical and mental well-being, and they are often unaware of how decisions made during adolescence and young adulthood may affect health, fertility, and quality of life in adulthood. This widespread health and body illiteracy undermines informed consent, weakens preventive health efforts, and contributes to poor long-term health outcomes.

Body illiteracy is reflected in the near absence of body literacy education standards nationwide. At present, the only formal body literacy standards in the United States are the first-of-their-kind Menstrual Health Education standards adopted in Washington, D.C. in March 2023. The absence of broader standards has left most adolescents without https://opa.hhs.gov/grant-programs/teen-pregnancy-prevention-program/about-tpp-program https://opa.hhs.gov/grant-programs/teen-pregnancy-prevention-program/about-tpp-program foundational biological knowledge needed to interpret their bodies, engage meaningfully with healthcare providers, or understand the implications of sexual and medical decisions.

As a result of body illiteracy, adolescents—particularly young women—often lack informed consent around healthcare decisions. For example, many do not receive comprehensive information about the side effects associated with widely prescribed medications. This leads to a healthcare approach that prioritizes pain relief and symptom suppression over root-cause evaluation and treatment for reproductive health concerns for long-term health.

Without foundational biological education, adolescents and young adults are less likely to seek or expect comprehensive care that addresses underlying causes rather than masking symptoms.

Body literacy is also related to unexpected pregnancy. Many young women enter adolescence and early adulthood without understanding how their bodies function in a state of health, limiting their ability to make informed decisions about sexual behavior and prevention.1 Although reducing sexual risk behaviors is not the sole aim of body literacy education, research shows that adolescents who receive such education demonstrate healthier decision-making.2 Studies indicate that girls who receive body literacy education are much more likely to remain abstinent compared to their body-illiterate peers, suggesting that knowledge and self-understanding support protective behaviors. 3 4 Programs supported under this initiative are expected to strengthen adolescents’ understanding of both female and male reproductive health. For girls, this includes instruction on the menstrual cycle, ovulation as a key indicator of health, recognition of normal versus abnormal patterns, and the connection between reproductive health and overall physical and mental well-being. For boys, this includes education on male pubertal development, hormonal rhythms, fertility, and the ways sleep, nutrition, physical activity, and behavior influence endocrine health and long-term reproductive function. By providing adolescents of both sexes with accurate biological frameworks, these programs support healthier behaviors, improved self-awareness, and earlier recognition of potential health concerns.

In addition to biological education, programs supported under this initiative are expected to incorporate reproductive goals counseling that helps adolescents reflect on their goals related to relationships, childbearing, career, and future family formation. By integrating body literacy education with reproductive goals counseling, these programs place sexual

1 Hall, Kelli S., et al. “Understanding Factors Contributing to Unintended Pregnancy.” American Journal of Public Health, vol. 102, no. 3, 2012, pp. 1–8; Polis, Chelsea B., and Laurie Zabin. “Missed Conception: Fertility Knowledge and Pregnancy Risk.” Contraception, vol. 85, no. 4, 2012.

2 Manhart, L. E., Aral, S. O., Holmes, K. K., & Foxman, B. “Sex Partner Concurrency: Measurement, Prevalence, and Correlates Among Adolescents.” American Journal of Public Health, vol. 101, no. 10, 2011, pp. 1896–1902.

This study and related literature document associations between biological awareness, self-monitoring, and adolescent sexual decision-making.

3 Klaus, H. M. Abstinence and Teen Fertility Awareness: Behavior Outcomes Among At-Risk Youth. Life Issues Institute, 2004. Program evaluation findings report delayed sexual initiation among adolescent girls receiving fertility-awareness–based education compared to peers who did not receive such instruction.

4 Sinai, I., et al. “Fertility Awareness–Based Methods of Family Planning: A Review of Effectiveness for Avoiding Pregnancy.” Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, vol. 57, no. 6, 2012, pp. 547–554. This review highlights the role of fertility awareness education in increasing reproductive health knowledge and self-efficacy.

decision-making within a broader framework of optimal health, responsibility, and future planning, thereby strengthening informed consent across the reproductive lifespan.

Optimal health is a dynamic balance of physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual health, and not merely the absence of disease or dysfunction. It reflects the highest level of health an individual can achieve and is supported by knowledge, skills, and behaviors that promote resilience, functioning, and long-term well-being across the lifespan.

Lifestyle change can be facilitated through a combination of learning experiences that enhance awareness, increase motivation, build skills, and provide access to environments that make positive health practices the easiest choice.5

To have a more significant impact on teen pregnancy and STIs and to achieve optimal health, it is crucial for communities to have the tools and resources needed to support youth and parents.

Optimal health emphasizes a holistic approach that aims to move individuals towards better health by promoting healthier behaviors and not just preventing disease. This model can be applied at the individual level, encouraging people to make informed choices and prioritize their well-being.

TPP Program grant recipients should ensure transparency and respect for parental rights in the delivery of program content. Recipients are expected to provide parents or guardians with advance notice that includes sufficient detail about program content, materials, and activities, and to offer a meaningful opportunity to review such materials upon request. Recipients should also provide a clear and accessible process for parents to opt their children out of any specific content or activities, particularly those related to sexuality, that may burden their religious exercise or conflict with sincerely held beliefs. These three main elements of providing advance notice of materials to parents and guardians; offering meaningful opportunity for parents and guardians to review first; and having in place a clear process for parents and guardians to opt their child out of content or activities should also be implemented for funded projects that occur outside school hours or in a non-school setting.

This requirement is consistent with constitutional and statutory protections for religious liberty and parental rights. In Mahmoud v. Taylor, 606 U.S. ___ (2025), which relates to school programs during school hours, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that the government may not condition participation in a public program or receipt of a public benefit on a parent’s willingness to accept a burden on their religious exercise. Similarly, in Mirabelli v. Bonta, No.

25A810 (U.S. 2026), the Court recognized the importance of protecting parents’ ability to direct the upbringing of their children and that the state cannot override that role in a way that causes irreparable harm. In the context of federally funded adolescent health programming, these principles underscore that participation must remain voluntary and that parents must retain the ability to direct the upbringing and education of their children. Accordingly, funded programs should be implemented in a manner that avoids compelling participation in content that conflicts with protected beliefs and does not rely on or require ideological content inconsistent with these protections.

5 O'Donnell M. Definition of Health Promotion 2.0: Embracing Passion, Enhancing Motivation, Recognizing Dynamic Balance, and Creating Opportunities. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2009;24(1): iv-iv.

Eligibility of Effective Programs to be Replicated Under this NOFO The focus of this NOFO is to support the replication of evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs that strengthen adolescent body literacy, support informed consent, and promote optimal health. Eligible programs are those that have been proven effective through rigorous evaluation to reduce teenage pregnancy, behavioral risk factors underlying teenage pregnancy, or other associated risk factors. Programs selected for replication must deliver medically accurate, age-appropriate education and counseling and be implemented with fidelity to their evidence-based design. All programs must meet the criteria outlined in Appendix A – Criteria for Eligible TPP Effective Programs, which specifies the level of evidence and evaluation quality required for eligibility and aligns with the Department’s commitment to gold standard science.

The TPP program has a longstanding commitment to funding programs supported by strong evidence and evaluated using rigorous, transparent methods. The criteria described in Appendix A ensure that funded programs reflect high-quality evidence of effectiveness. For this NOFO, any program that meets these criteria and aligns with the program’s focus on body literacy, informed consent, and preventive health is eligible for replication.

For purposes of this NOFO, “replication” refers to the implementation of an evidence-based program in a new setting or population while maintaining fidelity to its core components.

Throughout this NOFO, the terms “replication” and “implementation” are used interchangeably to describe this process. Funded recipients are expected to implement selected programs with fidelity and quality, while ensuring transparency in program delivery and respect for parental rights, including advance notice and meaningful opt-out provisions where applicable.

1. Expectations for Recipients

The goal of this funding opportunity is to implement evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention (TPP) programs that strengthen adolescent body literacy, support informed consent, and promote optimal health, while building the capacity of local community organizations to deliver these programs with fidelity and quality. Funded strategies should expand access to medically accurate, age-appropriate programming that equips young people with the knowledge and decision-making skills needed for lifelong well-being and the prevention of teen pregnancy.

Programs should be implemented in a manner that supports transparency and parental engagement, including advance notice and meaningful opt-out provisions.

Recipients will be expected to:

1. Implement medically accurate and age-appropriate programs

Recipients must implement teen pregnancy prevention programs that are medically accurate and age-appropriate, and must describe the processes used to ensure these priorities.

“Age-appropriate” content assures that topics and themes are appropriate for the age group and other specific characteristics of the target audience. All program content must be suitable for the developmental stage of the intended audience and support healthy, informed decision-making, including promoting delayed sexual initiation as a behavior associated with reduced teen pregnancy.

Medically accurate materials and instruction are expected to be grounded in current, evidence-based scientific and clinical knowledge, and be within the scope of TPP statutory requirements to prevent teenage pregnancy. When materials provide information on widely prescribed medications for sexual and reproductive health, for example, the information should reference potential health risks to support minors and their parents or guardians in informed decision-making, which may include a desire to consult with their healthcare provider.

It is the responsibility of the recipient to ensure that all project materials—including curricula and any supplemental materials (e.g., facilitator and participant manuals, videos, podcasts, posters, scripts, participant booklets, and handouts)—are medically accurate and age-appropriate.

Recipients must submit all program materials to OPA for medical accuracy review prior to implementation and may be required to provide materials for review prior to award. All materials must align with applicable OASH priorities. If applicable and available at the time of application, include in your appendices any formal, written agreements (e.g., MOUs) from the developer/purveyor/copyright holder of the intervention indicating that you have permission to use and to make any changes to materials. (Changes may include those to ensure medical accuracy, age-appropriateness, and alignment with applicable OASH priorities, for example.)

Recipients must maintain a staffing plan that ensures the expertise necessary to implement medically accurate and age-appropriate programs with accuracy and quality. Within three months of award, recipients must develop and maintain a professional development plan that supports staff capacity to effectively deliver program content. This plan must be reviewed and updated at least annually to ensure it remains responsive to project needs.

Effective Programs Eligible for Implementation

Recipients must ensure that all programs implemented under this NOFO meet the criteria outlined in Appendix A – Criteria for Eligible TPP Effective Programs. Selected programs must be implemented with fidelity to their core components while also being appropriate for the intended population and setting.

Within five months of award, recipients must submit their selected programs for approval.

Within six months, recipients are expected to pilot approved programs with a small number of participants to assess feasibility and implementation readiness. The purpose of the pilot is to determine whether the program can be successfully implemented as designed.

Within 12 months of award, recipients must fully implement approved programs, including obtaining approval for any proposed adaptations and establishing formal agreements (e.g., contracts or memoranda of understanding) and implementation plans for each site. Recipients may add or discontinue programs over the project period, as needed, provided all programs continue to meet eligibility requirements and are implemented in accordance with the medically accurate and age-appropriate standards described above.

2. Implement Body Literacy Education to Support Informed Consent

Recipients must incorporate body literacy education into program curricula as a foundational component of informed consent and adolescent health. Body literacy education should equip young people with a clear understanding of how their bodies function in a state of health, enabling them to interpret biological signals, recognize deviations from normal function, and make informed decisions about their well-being.

Programs must include two distinct educational modules: one focused on female reproductive health and one focused on male reproductive health.

The female reproductive health module must include, at a minimum: basic female anatomy and physiology; the four phases of the menstrual cycle (menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, and luteal) and associated patterns in energy, mood, and physical health; identification and interpretation of key biomarkers of the cycle; and recognition of ovulation as the central event and primary indicator of hormonal health and fertility. Instruction must also address the role of hormonal health as a key indicator of overall well-being, including its effects on multiple body systems, and support adolescents in distinguishing healthy cycle patterns from abnormalities that warrant medical evaluation. Programs should emphasize that persistent pain, irregularity, or other disruptive symptoms are not normal and may reflect underlying conditions requiring diagnosis and treatment. Instruction must also include an overview of approaches to managing menstrual health concerns, including the advantages and disadvantages of ovarian suppression compared to approaches that address root causes.

The male reproductive health module must include, at a minimum: basic male anatomy and physiology; an understanding of testosterone as a hormone responsive to sleep, physical activity, and environmental stimuli; the role of healthy testosterone levels in supporting physical, cognitive, and emotional health; and the function of the brain in sexual development and behavior. Instruction must include the physiology of arousal, including normal indicators of hormonal health such as waking erections or nocturnal emissions, and provide developmentally appropriate strategies for managing spontaneous arousal in ways that support self-regulation, health, and future fertility. Programs should also address how repeated or artificially stimulated arousal may affect neural development and behavior over time.

Across both modules, body literacy education must emphasize the connection between hormonal health and overall health, including the role of sleep, nutrition, physical activity, and stress in shaping endocrine function, mental well-being, and long-term reproductive health. Instruction should support adolescents in developing self-awareness, recognizing patterns in their physical and emotional health, and engaging more effectively with healthcare providers.

Recipients are expected to ensure that body literacy content is medically accurate, age-appropriate, and aligned with current standards. Recipients must coordinate with the TPP Training Center to access up-to-date guidance, curricula, and training resources to support effective implementation of body literacy education.

3. Implement Reproductive Goals Counseling

Recipients must incorporate reproductive goals counseling as a core component of program implementation. Reproductive goals counseling should be developmentally appropriate and designed to help adolescents reflect on their future aspirations related to relationships, childbearing, and family formation.

Reproductive goals counseling must support adolescents in understanding how current behaviors, health choices, and life decisions may affect their future reproductive health and overall well-being. Counseling should present evidence-informed pathways associated with improved economic and family stability, including completion of education, participation in the workforce, and marriage prior to childbearing. Research indicates that individuals who follow this sequence experience substantially lower risks of poverty across socioeconomic groups.

Program counseling should affirm marriage and parenthood as meaningful and valued components of adult life and support adolescents in considering long-term reproductive goals within the broader context of health, responsibility, and future planning. Counseling should support informed decision-making by helping adolescents understand how life choices, reproductive health, and fertility intersect to shape long-term stability, health, and well-being.

Recipients are expected to ensure that reproductive goals counseling is medically accurate, age-appropriate, and aligned with program requirements. Counseling should be delivered in a manner that promotes optimal health, supports informed consent, and is responsive to the developmental needs of adolescents.

4. Ensure Transparency and Protection of Parental Rights

Fostering the relationship between adolescents and their parents or caregivers is important for the prevention of adolescent health risk behaviors including sexual activity. The TPP grant recipients should ensure transparency and respect for parental rights by providing parents or guardians advance notice of program content, materials, and activities, and offer meaningful opportunity to review such materials. Recipients should also provide a clear and accessible process for parents to opt their children out of any specific content or activities, particularly those related to sexuality, that may burden their religious exercise or conflict with sincerely held beliefs. These three main elements of providing advance notice of materials to parents and guardians; offering meaningful opportunity for parents and guardians to review first; and having in place a clear process for parents and guardians to opt their child out of content or activities should also be implemented for funded projects that occur outside school hours or in a non-school setting.

These requirements reflect longstanding constitutional and statutory protections for religious liberty and parental authority. In Mahmoud v. Taylor, 606 U.S. ___ (2025), which relates to school programs during school hours, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that public programs may not impose conditions that burden a parent’s religious exercise. In Mirabelli v. Bonta, No.

25A810 (U.S. 2026), the Court emphasized the fundamental role of parents in directing the upbringing and education of their children.

Consistent with these principles, recipients should structure program delivery in a way that does not compel participation in content that conflicts with protected beliefs and preserves the ability of parents to guide their children’s education. Consistent with applicable state law, recipients are expected to only provide referrals for other medical procedures with parental consent. Programs should avoid incorporating content that would undermine these protections or condition participation on acceptance of such content.

5. Incorporate Sexual Risk Avoidance Education

Recipients are expected to incorporate sexual risk avoidance (SRA) education as a component of program delivery. SRA education provides adolescents with clear, evidence-informed information about the health and social benefits of avoiding sexual activity during adolescence, and supports young people in developing the knowledge, skills, and motivation to make risk-avoidance decisions consistent with their long-term well-being.

Programs should draw on SRA curricula and frameworks that provide developmentally appropriate instruction on the risks associated with adolescent sexual activity, the benefits of delay, and strategies for resisting social pressure. SRA content should complement body literacy education and reproductive goals counseling by reinforcing connections between sexual decision-making, hormonal health, emotional well-being, and future reproductive outcomes.

SRA instruction must be medically accurate, age-appropriate, and should be delivered in a manner that is supportive, non-stigmatizing, and responsive to the developmental needs of adolescents. Recipients are expected to coordinate with the TPP Training Center to identify appropriate SRA resources and ensure alignment with program goals and current guidance.

6. Regularly monitor and evaluate project activities, analyze findings, and apply results to strengthen implementation, improve quality, and ensure progress toward achieving project goals.

Throughout the course of the project, OPA expects recipients to monitor, evaluate, and continuously improve the 1) fidelity and quality of effective program implementation; 2) the quality and effectiveness of body literacy education and reproductive goals counseling; and 3) the project approach in achieving the goals of the NOFO. For this NOFO, the purpose of monitoring and evaluation is to focus on implementation evaluation and ensuring the quality of all aspects of the project. Recipients are expected to develop a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Improvement (MEI) Plan within 3 months of funding that:

• Determines if the project approach is achieving its goals.

• Determines if effective teen pregnancy prevention programs are being implemented with high fidelity and quality to include collecting data on fidelity and quality from program facilitators as well as from observations of at least 10% of all program sessions and 100% of all program facilitators.

• Identifies what is working and what is not to improve implementation and the project approach.

• Ensures recipient staff are maintaining and enhancing the competencies and skills needed to execute the project successfully.

The MEI plan should demonstrate how you will use performance measures and other relevant data, including parent and stakeholder feedback, to monitor progress in meeting approved project goals and objectives.

We expect recipients to foster collaboration and data-sharing between implementation staff, evaluation staff, and other partners (if applicable) to reflect a team approach. Such an approach is critical to the success of the overall project. Implementation and evaluation staff should work together to determine the data to collect, methods and process of collection, and translating data collected to improve the project and make data-informed decisions.

Recipients must also collect all performance measures (OMB #0937-0213, Expiration July 31, 2026, renewal in progress see Appendix B – TPP Performance Measures) and report them on a semi-annual basis. In collecting performance measures and other project data, recipients should review all relevant state laws, organizational policies, and other administrative procedures prior to collection to ensure the feasibility of data collection. If necessary, recipients should obtain any necessary permission from all partner organizations to collect required data.

As this is an initiative intended to replicate effective programs, any evaluation-type activities should focus on monitoring project activities, implementation, and ensuring the quality of all aspects of the project. This is not a research award.

As a condition of the award, we may require selected recipients to participate in any OPA-directed Federal Evaluation, if funding for such an evaluation becomes available. The Federal Evaluation contractor will pay for any costs associated with evaluation data collection for the Federal Evaluation.

2. Federal Involvement in the Project If you receive an award, we will encourage you to seek the advice and opinion of federal staff when problems arise. However, you would be responsible for making sound programmatic and administrative judgments. The responsibility for operating decisions will be yours and does not shift to HHS, OASH, or Office of Population Affairs.

Under a grant, the program office’s involvement may include routine monitoring and technical assistance such as monthly conference calls, occasional site visits, ongoing review of plans and progress, participation in relevant meetings, provision of training and technical assistance.

Awards will be in the form of cooperative agreements with the recipient. Cooperative agreements are a form of assistance that allows for substantial involvement between federal program office and the recipient during the project period. Substantial programmatic involvement from OPA may include:

a. Prior approval for change of time that Key Personnel are dedicated to the project and for replacement of Key Personnel. Key Personnel includes any position that is responsible for the day-to-day management and oversight of the project.

b. Consulting with the recipient throughout the preparation and dissemination of materials related to the grant.

c. Review all materials prior to use in the project, to include effective program materials, for medical accuracy, age appropriateness, alignment with OASH priorities, and use of clear and accurate language.

d. Review and approval of effective programs selected for replication, implementation plans, and proposed adaptations to effective programs.

e. Serving as a programmatic resource during the implementation of the project by contributing with subject matter expertise.

f. Assisting the recipient in the review and revision of priorities for activities conducted under the cooperative agreement.

3. Eligibility criteria for project participants You must not restrict participation in the project on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, or another protected characteristic (See Section I.5).

D. AWARD INFORMATION

Budget period(s)

We expect to fund awards in two 12-month budget periods for a total period of performance up to 24 month(s) with an optional competitive third year. However, we may approve shorter periods of performance. Budget periods may vary from the estimated 12 months because of the timing of award issuance or other administrative factors.

For multi-year projects, recipients must submit a non-competing continuation (NCC) application for each budget period after the first. We anticipate offering a competing continuation for a third year for the purpose of providing funding to support selected recipients as they transition projects to sustainability. We will provide guidance generally 3 months prior to the end of the active budget period. Continuation funding is contingent upon the availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the project, appropriate stewardship of federal funds, and the best interests of the government. Funding for all approved budget periods after the first is generally the same as the initial award amount and may be subject to any offset with funds unused in a previous budget period.

E. APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT

1. Format of the Application You must prepare your application using the forms and information described in this NOFO.

The official online application package on Grants.gov contains all necessary forms and guidance for preparing an application. This package includes but is not limited to:

• Full Text of the NOFO

• Standard forms (required) and their instructions o SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance o SF-424A Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs o SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities o Project Abstract Summary

• Sample templates, if available.

In addition to the four standard forms in the application package, your application will consist of 3 sections of materials you prepare:

1. Project Narrative

2. Appendices to the Project Narrative

3. Budget Package.

We strongly encourage you to read all instructions for the application format and content to avoid disqualification of your application. An application checklist is available in Section K.1.

a. Project Narrative – Formatting Following the formatting instructions below will help ensure that your application is readable for review process. Acceptable electronic file formats are in Section F.3.a.

Names of Individuals

We encourage you to use individuals’ full names (first, middle, last) on the standard forms and any other documents such as résumés/curricula vitae/biographical sketches to distinguish them for verification in the SAM exclusion records. Delays may result in award processing if full names are not provided.

You should avoid submitting personally identifiable information such as personal contact information (e.g., home address and telephone number) on résumés/curricula vitae/biographical sketches. Do not submit social security numbers.

If you receive an award, only one Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) will be named on the award documents. (Section A.1.b) Avoid using a placeholder or honorary PD/PI. If you have not hired an individual to be the PD/PI, you should name an interim PD/PI, and your application should clearly identify that person as such.

We typically expect the PD/PI to be named on the SF-424 in box 8.f. Avoid naming grant writers in box 8.f unless they have the expertise to respond to technical questions about the proposed project in a timely manner.

Identify other personnel who are essential or key to the execution of the proposed project clearly in your project narrative.

If you receive an award, a request for a change in PD/PI or key personnel under any circumstance requires prior approval of the grants management officer before becoming effective. We may disallow any costs incurred as a result of that change prior to our approval. See Section I.1.c.

Page Formatting

If you submit documents that do not conform to the following instructions, GAM will disqualify your application during the review process (Section G.1.b).

Use an easily readable typeface, such as Times New Roman or Arial.

Use a 12-point font.

Use an 8.5” X 11” page size. Any other size page (e.g., A4, legal) will disqualify your application.

You must double-space the Project Narrative pages or we will disqualify your application. You may single-space tables or use alternate fonts, but you must ensure the tables are easy to read.

Do not number pages or include a table of contents. Our grants management system will generate page numbers once your application is complete.

You must submit your application in the English language and in terms of U.S. dollars (2 C.F.R. § 200.111(a)).

Page Limits

Your project narrative and appendices must adhere to these page limits.

The page limits do not include the budget package (Section E.2.c)

The page limits do not include the required forms (SF-424, SF-424A, SF-LLL, and the Project Abstract Summary)

If your application exceeds the specified page limits when printed on 8.5” X 11” page, we will not review your application further.

We encourage you to print out your application before submitting it to ensure that it is within the page limits and is easy to read. Do not reduce pages to fit multiple pages on a single sheet to avoid exceeding the page limitation.

Do not hyperlink to documents or sites outside of your application to augment your application. Reviewers will not be permitted to follow links to external content during their assessment of your application. The one exception to this is a link to your internal controls as part of your budget package (Section E.2.c.3).

Page Limit

Project Narrative _____50____ https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-B/section-200.111#p-200.111(a)

Project Narrative plus Appendices ____100_____

Labeling Proprietary Information

Proprietary information includes patentable ideas, trade secrets, privileged or confidential commercial or financial information, the disclosure of which may harm the applicant.

You should include proprietary information in your application only to the extent that it is essential to the reviewers’ understanding of the project. Proprietary information should not appear in your Project Abstract Summary.

If your application contains proprietary information, you should clearly label the top of the first…