Family Self-Sufficiency Demo Dev Phase 2_HHS-2024-ACF-OPRE-PE-0045.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation

Family Self-Sufficiency Demonstration Development Phase 2 Awards

HHS-2024-ACF-OPRE-PE-0045

Application Due Date: 06/18/2024

Table of Contents Executive Summary

I. Program Description

II. Federal Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

III.3. Other

IV. Application and Submission Information

IV.1. Address to Request Application Package

IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Required Forms, Assurances, and Certifications

The Project Description

The Project Budget and Budget Justification

Application Submission Options

IV.3. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM)

IV.4. Submission Dates and Times

Explanation of Due Dates

Acknowledgement of Received Application

IV.5. Intergovernmental Review

IV.6. Funding Restrictions

IV.7. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Criteria

V.2. Review and Selection Process

V.3. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

VI. Federal Award Administration Information

VI.1. Federal Award Notices

VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

VI.3. Reporting

VII. HHS Award Agency Contact(s)

VIII. Other Information

Reference Websites

Application Checklist

Appendix

Funding Opportunity Title:

Family Self-Sufficiency Demonstration Development Phase 2 Awards Announcement Type:

Initial Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2024-ACF-OPRE-PE-0045

Assistance Listing Number:

93.595 Due Date for Applications:

06/18/2024

Executive Summary Notice:

• Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the entire notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) carefully and observe the application formatting requirements listed in Section IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission. For more information on applying for an award, please visit "Applying for an ACF Award" at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant.

The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announces the availability of funds for the Family Self-Sufficiency Demonstration Development Phase 2 Awards. The goal of this funding opportunity is to provide continued support to recipients of the initial award (HHS-2021-ACF-OPRE-PE-1944) to continue building their internal capacity to understand, create, and use evidence to strengthen program services and contribute to the evidence base on interventions serving families receiving and eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). This NOFO will also support recipients in strengthening their network of peer organizations focused on similar capacity building efforts, with the goal of fostering shared learning and building communication skills to disseminate their learnings to the broader research and human services communities. Eligible applicants are those who received the initial funding award (HHS-2021-ACF-OPRE-PE-1944) and are part of the network of services available to families eligible for or at risk of becoming eligible for TANF. Interventions must target outcomes related to employment (e.g., removing barriers to employment, increased earnings, career advancement) and at least one other outcome related to family well-being, such as education, health, food security, financial security, or social capital.

Funds are 24-month cooperative agreements, with two 12-month budget periods. Funds may not be used for program services (e.g., cash assistance, support services) or to fund staff time providing program services. Award recipients must have a clearly defined intervention that is currently being implemented and have an interest in strengthening and evaluating that intervention. Award recipients will work with a federally funded, third-party evaluation technical https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant assistance (TA) provider, who will provide tailored support to recipients to further strengthen their interventions and build their evidence capacity in line with one or more of the five dimensions of evidence capacity building outlined here:

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/evidence-capacity-organizations-literature-informed-framework.

I. Program Description

Statutory Authority Title IV, part A, section 413 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 613

Description A. Background

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 established the TANF program to replace the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program. More information about the TANF program can be found at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/programs/temporary-assistance-needy-families-tanf.

The research office within the Administration for Children and Families— the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) – has a long history of supporting TANF and other human services agencies in (1) understanding and producing high-quality research and in (2) using that research and evidence to improve their programs and services for families with low incomes. One way OPRE supports this work is through research projects where TA providers partner with state and local TANF agencies and other human services organizations to build their internal evidence capacity to produce and use evidence to improve programming and outcomes for the children and families they serve. For the purposes of this funding opportunity, an organization’s “evidence capacity” is defined as the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and resources that support an agency’s [or organization’s] ability to build and use evidence to make decisions and inform its work (Mastri et al., 2022).

Through these previous projects, OPRE and its contractor developed and used the Learn, Innovate, Improve (LI2) framework to support the process through which human services professionals build their internal evidence capacity (https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/learn-innovate-improve-li2-enhancing-programs-and-improving-lives and https://peerta.acf.hhs.gov/content/project-improve-learn-innovate-improve-practice-guide-enhancing-programs-and-improving). LI2 is a research-based approach to program improvement that embeds analytic methods in the process of designing, implementing, and iteratively testing program changes (Derr et al., 2017). LI2 includes three phases of work: Learn, Innovate, and Improve.

In 2021, OPRE funded 20 award recipients through the Family Self-Sufficiency Demonstration Development (FSSDD) award program (henceforth referred to as the “initial” award; HHS-2021- ACF-OPRE-PE-1944), and simultaneously awarded the separate FSSDD Evaluation Support contract to provide TA related to evidence capacity building (https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/project/family-self-sufficiency-demonstration-development-grants-and-evaluation-support). The purpose of the initial FSSDD award program was to build award recipient capacity to use and conduct research and evaluation and to use data to improve program outcomes. Award recipients worked with the TA provider to implement specific phases https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/evidence-capacity-organizations-literature-informed-framework https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/evidence-capacity-organizations-literature-informed-framework https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/programs/temporary-assistance-needy-families-tanf https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/learn-innovate-improve-li2-enhancing-programs-and-improving-lives https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/learn-innovate-improve-li2-enhancing-programs-and-improving-lives https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpeerta.acf.hhs.gov%2Fcontent%2Fproject-improve-learn-innovate-improve-practice-guide-enhancing-programs-and-improving&data=05%7C02%7Cdamon.waters%40acf.hhs.gov%7C36bd0dc81d0b4356321208dbfa96e1aa%7Cd58addea50534a808499ba4d944910df%7C0%7C0%7C638379298166471941%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=5zb0x3WqpaWTwhDgKpZBLJ25HMfFGy7KKoCCWjd0x6Y%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpeerta.acf.hhs.gov%2Fcontent%2Fproject-improve-learn-innovate-improve-practice-guide-enhancing-programs-and-improving&data=05%7C02%7Cdamon.waters%40acf.hhs.gov%7C36bd0dc81d0b4356321208dbfa96e1aa%7Cd58addea50534a808499ba4d944910df%7C0%7C0%7C638379298166471941%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=5zb0x3WqpaWTwhDgKpZBLJ25HMfFGy7KKoCCWjd0x6Y%3D&reserved=0 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/project/family-self-sufficiency-demonstration-development-grants-and-evaluation-support https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/project/family-self-sufficiency-demonstration-development-grants-and-evaluation-support of the LI2 process and conduct foundational activities related to strengthening and evaluating their intervention, including developing a program logic model; identifying core components;

identifying potential data sources, interpreting data, and assessing and improving data quality;

developing an evaluation plan; and conducting pilot or other small-scale studies. As part of the early award activities, FSSDD initial award recipients participated in a three-part training series to learn the LI2 process. Following the training, FSSDD award recipients worked collaboratively with the TA provider to apply the LI2 process to examine one component of their organization’s intervention through a “road test.” Award recipients presented their “road test” projects at the second Grant Recipient Annual Meeting (GRAM) in May 2023. Throughout the project period, recipients also received training on culturally responsive and equitable evaluation principles (Frierson et al. 2010; Hood et al. 2015), as well as equity-focused support from their TA coaches and one-on-one consultations from the TA contractor’s senior equity advisor to ensure that an equity lens was applied to all activities across the entire project period.

Recipients of the initial FSSDD award also received an introduction to the evidence capacity framework (https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/evidence-capacity-organizations-literature-informed-framework). This framework was developed by the OPRE-funded ACF Evidence Capacity Support project (https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/project/acf-evidence-capacity-support), in collaboration with program offices and the project contractor. The purpose of the evidence capacity framework is to help organizations develop a shared understanding of the dimensions of capacity relevant to their organization and to take steps toward identifying organizational strengths and opportunities to develop or deepen specific evidence capacities. The five dimensions are:

1. Evidence culture: the organization routinely uses evidence to support its mission, objectives, program and policy choices, and decision-making.

2. Evidence infrastructure: the organization provides data- and evidence-related tools, resources, routines, and processes that help staff build and use evidence efficiently and effectively.

3. Engagement: There are systems and processes in place to promote collaboration among and between internal and external groups to enhance evidence building and evidence use.

4. Human capital: Staff have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to build evidence and communicate about it, and opportunities to develop further expertise.

5. Leadership: Leaders create an evidence culture in the organization. They identify opportunities to generate evidence, allocate time and resources to evidence-related activities, and make decisions based on evidence in a transparent way.

Throughout the initial award, recipients and the TA provider worked collaboratively using the evidence capacity framework, where the framework informed, for example, early discussions to determine the baseline evidence capacity of each recipient; the collaborative work between the TA provider and recipients to identify and strengthen specific aspects of recipients' interventions;

and recipients' work during the second GRAM.

The Family Self-Sufficiency Demonstration Development Phase 2 Awards (henceforth referred to as “continuation awards”) will build on this initial award, supporting the continued improvement of organizations’ capacity to understand, produce, and use evidence to strengthen their interventions and improve outcomes for the families they serve. This NOFO will also support recipients in strengthening their network of peer organizations focused on similar https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/evidence-capacity-organizations-literature-informed-framework https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/evidence-capacity-organizations-literature-informed-framework https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/project/acf-evidence-capacity-support capacity building efforts, with the goal of fostering shared learning and building communication skills to disseminate their learnings to the broader research and human services communities.

Under this NOFO, ACF seeks eligible entities who received the initial award (HHS-2021-ACF- OPRE-PE-1944), are implementing multi-faceted approaches to support family economic self-sufficiency and well-being, and are part of the network of services available to families eligible for or at risk of becoming eligible for TANF. (Note that all instances of the term “continuation” that appear throughout the NOFO refer to Phase 2 of the program).

B. Program Goals and Requirements

The three specific goals and requirements of the Family Self-Sufficiency Demonstration Development Phase 2 Awards are:

1. To continue building the evidence capacity of award recipient organizations to strengthen interventions and improve participant outcomes

Award recipients will build directly on the progress made during their participation in the initial FSSDD project period to continue building their internal evidence capacity related to strengthening their interventions that support families with low incomes. Applicants will also develop clear plans for sustaining an evidence-driven organizational culture beyond the funding of this continuation award.

To achieve this goal, continuation award recipients are expected to complete at least one full cycle of the LI2 process over the course of the project period, in consultation and collaboration with the third-party TA provider and OPRE. The specific program services or aspects(s) of the intervention that is the focus the LI2 cycle must be grounded in, and informed by, at least one dimension of the evidence capacity framework (https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/evidence-capacity-organizations-literature-informed-framework). The focus of the continuation award must be related to, and build upon, what was achieved and learned during the initial award.

The intervention of focus for the FSSDD continuation award must be:

• Currently being implemented by the applicant organization,

• Clearly defined, as evidenced by a completed logic model and identification of core components, and

• Primarily targeting outcomes related to employment (or removing barriers to employment) and at least one other outcome related to family well-being such as education, health, food security, financial security, social capital, or other relevant domains.

As with the initial FSSDD award, interventions of particular interest are those that rely on coordination across multiple programs, agencies, or funding sources. ACF continues to be interested in funding organizations that are part of the network of services available to families eligible for or at risk of becoming eligible for TANF.

In addition to conducting at least one full LI2 cycle to further refine their intervention and strengthen key practices or program components, during the continuation award period, recipients are expected to develop a sustainability plan for how they will institutionalize aspect(s) of the evidence capacity framework and sustain a continued culture of evidence capacity after FSSDD continuation award funding ends.

2. To foster active communication and collaboration among award recipients, OPRE, and the third-party TA provider to improve individual interventions and build knowledge of evidence capacity dimensions and strategies for strengthening them.

Award recipients must fully participate in TA and capacity-building activities in close partnership with OPRE and its third-party TA provider. Specific activities will vary depending on the award recipients’ proposed project, current evidence capacity, and phase within the LI2 cycle. Award recipients must:

• Actively participate in onsite TA visits from OPRE and the TA provider, as needed (up to two per year and may be held virtually, if necessary). This includes working with OPRE and the TA providers to coordinate logistics and an agenda, as requested, and arrange for participation by necessary award recipient staff. If relevant to their award activities, award recipients must be willing and able to share program data with the TA provider.

• Be responsive to communications from OPRE and the TA provider, meet and communicate regularly, and provide a primary point of contact (e.g., Project Director) to OPRE and the TA provider.

• Allow for sufficient time for all key staff to participate in TA and related award activities.

• Meet periodically with the other funded award recipients, with whom they will progress through each phase of the LI2 process on a similar schedule. A schedule with key milestones identified will be developed collaboratively with the TA provider after the award. Although award recipients’ projects will likely have different foci and methods, the common milestone plans will facilitate sharing of lessons learned, project findings, and collective expertise across award recipients at the completion of each of the three Learn, Innovate, and Improve phases.

• Participate in quarterly calls with all award recipients. Quarterly calls will provide an opportunity for award recipients to communicate about their progress; identify any shared issues or challenges; receive peer input; and generate cross-site learning among all recipients, OPRE, and the TA provider. At least one key staff from each award recipient must attend quarterly calls. Given the diversity in award recipient organizations' structure and staff roles, key staff is not explicitly defined in this NOFO. However, key staff designated to attend quarterly calls must be substantively involved in the project and have sufficient authority to speak on behalf of the award recipient organization as it relates to this project.

To further support shared learning, award recipients must budget for at least two key staff to attend up to two in-person award recipient meetings (one meeting per budget period) in Washington, DC. These meetings will correspond to key award milestones. For example, the first in-person meeting may occur at the completion of the Innovate phase and provide an opportunity for award recipients to share their approach, process, and any challenges. It will also offer an opportunity for each award recipient to have in-person sessions with the TA provider.

The second in-person meeting may occur at the completion of the Improve phase and will provide an opportunity for award recipients to share findings and implications.

3. To foster the exchange of current research, ideas, and information among research, policy, and practice communities.

Project learnings and implications of the capacity building efforts funded through this opportunity will be shared with appropriate research, policy, and practice audiences.

Participation in conferences and dissemination activities facilitates connections and the exchange of information between practitioners, researchers in the field, and key stakeholders. To facilitate communication and dissemination of work funded through this opportunity, award recipients must actively participate in the following activities:

• Conferences: At least one key staff member from each award recipient is required to attend in-person OPRE’s biennial Research and Evaluation Conference on Self- Sufficiency (RECS), expected to be held in May 2026. This 3-day meeting is held in Washington, DC (in-person with some select sessions held virtually) and brings together state and local administrators, practitioners, policymakers, federal officials, and researchers to discuss cutting-edge research on family self-sufficiency and social welfare programs and policies. To learn about previous RECS meetings, please visit:

https://recsconference.net/index.htm

• Dissemination: Develop at least one dissemination/communication product to share project learnings and implications with audiences including, but not limited to, researchers, policymakers, funders, or collaborative partners. This product may take the form of a brief, poster, infographic, presentation, briefing, webinar, article for inclusion in partner newsletters, and/or another format as approved by OPRE. This requirement also may be achieved by an accepted and presented proposal at RECS 2026. Award recipients will receive support from the TA provider to plan and develop dissemination product(s), as appropriate.

II. Federal Award Information

Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Estimated Total Funding:

$1,000,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$200,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$100,000 Per Budget Period

Average Projected Award Amount:

$150,000 Per Budget Period

Anticipated Project Start Date:

09/30/2024 Length of Project Periods:

https://recsconference.net/index.htm

24-month project period with two 12-month budget periods

Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' Additional Information on Awards:

Awards made under this funding opportunity are subject to the availability of federal funds.

Applications requesting an award amount that exceeds the Award Ceiling per budget period, or per project period, as stated in this section, will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity. Please see Section III.3. Other, Application Disqualification Factors.

Initial awards will be made for the first 12-month budget period. Non-competing continuation awards for the second 12-month budget period will be subject to the availability of funds, satisfactory progress by the recipient, and a determination that continued funding would be in the interest of the federal government. ACF will determine satisfactory progress for continuation of the federal award by assessing the recipient's semi-annual Performance Progress Report.

The 24-month project period must be noted in Item 17 on the Standard Form (SF) 424, the project narrative, and the annual budgets and budget narrative.

Indirect Costs: Indirect costs are included in the Award Ceiling and are taken into consideration under the Award Ceiling disqualification factor.

Description of ACF's Anticipated Substantial Involvement Under the Cooperative Agreement Award

Awards made under this NOFO will be funded in the form of cooperative agreements. A cooperative agreement is federal assistance in which substantial federal involvement in project activities is anticipated. By choosing to participate in this cooperative agreement, the award recipients agree to participate in a partnership composed of key staff from the recipients, key federal staff with interest in this project, ACF’s third-party TA provider, and any other parties identified as relevant by the award recipients and ACF. Under the cooperative agreement, substantial federal involvement is anticipated throughout the duration of the funded project.

1. OPRE will work closely with the award recipients and the third-party evaluation TA provider to ensure that the award recipients' needs are being met appropriately and progress is being made toward project goals.

2. OPRE will convene and participate in the in-person, cross-recipient meetings.

3. OPRE will convene and participate in quarterly conference calls with recipients to provide any necessary TA and to remain informed about project activities and progress.

4. OPRE will organize additional consultations, meetings, briefings, teleconferences, and other forums, as necessary, with award recipients to review current and planned activities and to share information among award recipients and with other stakeholders.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants Applicants eligible to receive this award are those who were awarded the initial award: the Family Self-Sufficiency Demonstration Development Grant (HHS-2021-ACF-OPRE-PE-1944).

Because this current NOFO builds on the foundational work completed and the relationships established between award recipients and the third-party TA provider during the project period of the initial FSSDD funding opportunity, only organizations awarded funds under HHS-2021- ACF-OPRE-PE-1944 are eligible for funding consideration under this NOFO.

Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity. See Section III.3. Other, Application Disqualification Factors.

Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity. Faith-based organizations may apply for this award on the same basis as any other organization, as set forth at and, subject to the protections and requirements of 45 CFR Part 87 and 42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq., ACF will not, in the selection of recipients, discriminate against an organization on the basis of the organization's religious character, affiliation, or exercise.

Reference to Legal Status See Section IV.2. Legal Status of Applicant Entity for documentation required to support eligibility.

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement:

No See Section IV.2. The Project Budget and Budget Justification, Commitment of Non-Federal Resources for more information.

III.3. Other

Application Disqualification Factors Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity.

Award Ceiling Disqualification

Applications that request an award amount that exceeds the Award Ceiling per budget period or per project period, as stated in Section II. Federal Award Information, will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity. This disqualification applies only to the Award Ceiling listed for the first 12-month budget period for projects with multiple budget periods. If the project and budget period are the same, the disqualification applies to the Award Ceiling listed for the project period.

Required Electronic Application Submission

ACF requires electronic submission of applications at Grants.gov. Paper applications received that have not been approved for an exemption from required electronic submission will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity.

If you do not have an internet connection or sufficient capacity to upload large documents to the internet you may contact ACF for an exemption that will allow you to submit your application in paper format. Information and the requirements for requesting an exemption from required electronic application submission are found in "ACF Policy for Requesting an Exemption from Electronic Application Submission."

Missing the Application Deadline (Late Applications)

The deadline for electronic application submission is 11:59 pm ET on the due date listed in the Overview and in Section IV.4. Submission Dates and Times. Electronic applications submitted to Grants.gov after 11:59 pm ET on the due date, as indicated by a dated and time-stamped email from Grants.gov, will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity.

Applications submitted to Grants.gov which fail their validation check, will not be received at, or acknowledged by ACF. If you submit an application for the same NOFO more than once, only the last on-time submission will be acknowledged.

Paper applications with an approved exemption from the electronic submission requirement must be received by 4:30 pm ET on the due date listed in the Overview and in Section IV.4. Submission Dates and Times. Paper applications received after 4:30 pm ET on the due date will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity.

NOFO-specific disqualification factor: Entity must have been awarded funding under funding opportunity HHS-2021-ACF-OPRE-PE-1944

An applicant is eligible to apply for this NOFO if they are an organization that was one of the 20 award recipients funded under HHS-2021-ACF-OPRE-PE-1944. Applicants that are not one of the 20 award recipients funded under HHS-2021-ACF-OPRE-PE-1944 will be disqualified from the merit review and ineligible for funding under this funding opportunity.

Notification of Application Disqualification Applicants will be notified of a disqualification determination by email or by USPS postal mail within 30 federal business days from the closing date of this NOFO.

IV. Application and Submission Information

IV.1. Address to Request Application Package Family Self-Sufficiency Demonstration Development Phase 2 Awards c/o ICF 1902 Reston Metro Plaza https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ACF_Policy_for_Requesting_an_Exemption_from_Required_Electronic_FINAL_0.pdf https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ACF_Policy_for_Requesting_an_Exemption_from_Required_Electronic_FINAL_0.pdf

Reston

VI

20190

(877) 350-5913

(703) 934-3740 fssdemogrants@icf.com Application Packages

Electronic Application Submission:

The electronic application submission package is available in the NOFO's listing at Grants.gov.

IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

FORMATTING APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS

Notice of Two-File Requirement Applicants applying via Grants.gov must upload only two electronic files, excluding Standard Forms (SFs) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB)-approved forms. Additional files will be removed prior to the merit review.

FOR ALL APPLICATIONS:

Signature of Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) Each applicant must designate an authorized organization representative (AOR) with authority to act on the organization’s behalf on matters related to the application submission and administration of awards. The AOR signature must appear on all forms in which a signature is required. By signing, the AOR agrees the organization will abide by all applicable Federal statutes, regulations and terms and conditions of the award.

Accepted Font Style and Size Applications must be in Times New Roman 12-point font, except for footnotes, which may be 10-point font. Pages that contain blurred or illegible text will be removed.

If documents must be scanned, the font size on any scanned documents must be large enough so that it is readable. You may not scan more than one page of a documents onto a single page.

Pages with blurred text will be removed from the application.

English Language Applications must be submitted in the English language and must be in the terms of United States (U.S.) dollars. See 45 CFR §75.111 for more information.

Page Limitations You must observe the page limitation(s) listed under "PAGE LIMITATIONS AND CONTENT FOR ALL SUBMISSION FORMATS" later in this section. Page limitation(s) do not include SFs and OMB-approved forms.

All applications must be double-spaced. An application that exceeds the cited page limitation for double-spaced pages will have extra pages removed, and those pages will not be reviewed.

Application Elements Exempted from Double-Spacing Requirements The following elements of the application submission are exempt from the double-spacing requirements and may be single-spaced:

• Table of Contents

• One-page Project Summary

• Required Assurances and Certifications

• SFs and OMB-approved forms

• Resumes, Logic Models, Proof of Legal Status/Non-Profit Status, Third-Party

Agreements, Letters of Support, footnotes and tables

• Line-Item Budget and/or the Budget Justification

Adherence to NOFO Formatting, Font, and Page Limitation Requirements Applications that fail to adhere to ACF’s NOFO formatting, font, and page limitation requirements will be adjusted by the removal of page(s) from the application. Pages will be removed before the merit review and will not be made available to reviewers.

NOTE: Applicants failing to adhere to ACF’s NOFO formatting, font, and page limitation requirements will receive a letter from ACF notifying them that their application was amended.

The letter will be sent after awards have been issued and will specify the reason(s) for removal of page(s).

Corrections/Updates to Submitted Applications When applicants revise a previously submitted application, ACF will accept only the last on-time application for pre-review under the Application Disqualification Factors. See Section III.3.

Other, Application Disqualification Factors and Section IV.2. Application Submission Options.

Copies Required Applicants must submit one complete copy of the application package electronically. Applicants must follow the registration and application submission instructions provided at Grants.gov.

Accepted Application Format With the exception of the required SFs and OMB-approved forms, all application materials must be formatted so that they are 8 ½" x 11" white paper with 1-inch margins all around.

If possible, applicants are encouraged to include page numbers for each page within the application.

PAGE LIMITATIONS AND CONTENT FOR ALL SUBMISSION FORMATS:

1. Page Limits: Applicants must limit their entire application to 80 pages. This page limit applies to the combined length of File One: Project Description and File 2: Appendices. Standard forms (SF) do not count towards the page limit.

2. Organization of Application Submission: Applicants are strongly advised to use headings and subheadings that correspond to the required application sections outlined below. Additional headers and subheaders can be used to organize the content of each section. Applicants are further advised to include all required forms and materials.

A. File One: Project Description includes the following sections. See additional instructions in Section IV.2. (under “The Project Description”) for details on preparing the full project description.

1. Table of Contents

2. Project Summary

3. Approach

1. Objectives and Significance

2. Proposed Project Approach

3. Key Staff

4. Organizational Capacity (See Section IV.2. Project Description, Organizational Capacity)

5. Budget and Budget Justification

B. File Two: Appendices (for details on preparing the appendices, see additional instructions in Section IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission, The Project Description

1. Additional Eligibility Documentation: Letter of Support from organization leadership

2. Resumes of Key Staff

3. Protection of Sensitive and/or Confidential Information

4. Plan for Oversight of Federal Awards Funds

5. Proof of Legal Status of Applicant Entity (if applicable)

ELECTRONIC APPLICATION SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

You are required to submit applications electronically unless you have received an exemption that will allow submission in paper format. See Section IV.2. Application Submission Options for information about requesting an exemption.

Electronic applications will only be accepted via Grants.gov. ACF will not accept applications submitted via email or via facsimile.

Each applicant is required to upload ONLY two electronic files, excluding SFs and OMB-approved forms.

File One: Must contain the entire Project Description, and the Budget and Budget Justification (including a line-item budget and a budget narrative).

File Two: Must contain all documents required in the Appendices.

Formatting Submission Files ACF strongly recommends that File One and File Two be uploaded as Portable Document Files (PDFs).

To adhere to the two-file requirement, you may need to convert and/or merge documents together using a PDF converter software. Applicants using Adobe Acrobat Reader software will be able to merge these documents together. ACF recommends merging documents electronically rather than scanning multiple documents into one document manually.

Applicants must ensure that the version of Adobe Acrobat Reader they are using is compatible with Grants.gov. To verify Adobe software compatibility please go to Grants.gov and click on “Applicants” at the top bar menu and select “Adobe Software Compatibility."

Naming Application Submission Files Carefully observe the file naming conventions required by Grants.gov. Limit file names to 50 characters (characters and spaces).Please also see https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/submitting-utf-8-special-characters.html.

Use only file formats supported by ACF While ACF supports all of the following file formats, we strongly recommend that the two files (Project Description and Appendices) are uploaded as PDFs in order to comply with the two-file upload limitation.

ACF supports the following file formats:

• Adobe PDF – Portable Document Format (.pdf)

• Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)

• Microsoft Excel (.xls or .xlsx)

• Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt)

• Image Formats (.JPG, .GIF, .TIFF, or .BMP only)

Documents in file formats not listed here will be removed from the application and will not be used in the merit review. This may make the application incomplete, and ACF will not make awards based on an incomplete application.

Do Not Encrypt or Password-Protect the Electronic Application Files If ACF cannot access submitted electronic files because they are encrypted or password protected, the affected file will not be reviewed. This may make the application incomplete, and ACF will not make awards based on an incomplete application.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PAPER APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS:

You must receive an exemption in order for a paper application to be accepted for review. For more information on the exemption, see "ACF Policy for Requesting an Exemption from https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/submitting-utf-8-special-characters.html https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ACF_Policy_for_Requesting_an_Exemption_from_Required_Electronic_FINAL_0.pdf

Required Electronic Application Submission."

Applicants with an approved exemption for paper application submission should download the forms package associated with the NOFO's Synopsis on Grants.gov under the Package tab.

All copies of mailed paper applications must be submitted in a single package. If an applicant is submitting multiple applications under a single NOFO, or multiple applications under separate NOFOs, each submission must be packaged separately. The package(s) must be clearly labeled with the NOFO title and Funding Opportunity Number.

Applicants must submit one original and two copies of the complete application, including all SFs and OMB-approved forms. The original copy must have original signatures. Copies of the application, not the original, will be reproduced by the federal government for review. All application materials must be one-sided for duplication purposes. All pages in the application submission must be sequentially numbered.

Required Forms, Assurances, and Certifications Applicants seeking an award under this funding opportunity must submit the listed SFs, assurances, and certifications with the application. All required SFs, assurances, and certifications are available in the Application Package posted for this NOFO at Grants.gov.

Forms/Assurances/Certifications Submission Requirement Notes/Description

Certificate of Good Standing

Submission is required for all for-profit organizations.

Sole proprietorships are not eligible applicants. The submission of the Certificate of Good Standing, along with the current list of board members, and organizational documents that require the establishment and maintenance of a Board of Directors, provide proof of eligibility for for-profit organizations.

SF-424 - Application for Federal Assistance

Submission is required for all applicants by the application due date.

Required for all applications.

Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) registration.

Required of all applicants.

Applicants must have a UEI and maintain an active SAM registration

See Section IV.3. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) for more information.

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ACF_Policy_for_Requesting_an_Exemption_from_Required_Electronic_FINAL_0.pdf

Forms/Assurances/Certifications Submission Requirement Notes/Description throughout the application and project award period.

Obtain a UEI and SAM registration at:

http://www.sam.g ov.

SF-424 Key Contact Form

Submission is required for all applicants by the application due date.

Required for all applications.

Certification Regarding Lobbying (Grants.gov Lobbying Form)

Submission required of all applicants with the application package. If it is not submitted with the application package, it must be submitted prior to the award of a grant.

Submission of the certification is required for all applicants.

SF-424A - Budget Information - Non- Construction Programs and SF-424B - Assurances - Non- Construction Programs

Submission is required for all applicants when applying for a non-construction project. SFs must be used. Forms must be submitted by the application due date.

By signing and submitting the

SF-424B,

Required for all applications when applying for a non-construction project.

https://www.sam.gov/

Forms/Assurances/Certifications Submission Requirement Notes/Description applicants are making the appropriate certification of their compliance with all Federal statutes relating to nondiscrimination

SF-Project/Performance Site Location(s) (SF-P/PSL)

Submission is required for all applicants by the application due date.

Required for all applications. In the SF-P/PSL, applicants must cite their primary location and up to 29 additional performance sites.

SF-LLL - Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

If submission of this form is applicable, it is due at the time of application. If it is not available at the time of application, it may also be submitted prior to the award of a grant.

If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of Congress in connection with this commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan, the applicant shall complete and submit the SF-LLL, "Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying," in accordance with its instructions.

Additional Required Assurances and Certifications Mandatory Grant Disclosures All applicants and recipients are required to submit, in writing, to ACF and the HHS Office of the Inspector General, all information related to violations of federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the federal award. (Mandatory Disclosures, 45 CFR § 75.113)

Disclosures must be sent in writing to:

The Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Grants Management, ATTN: Grants Management Specialist, 330 C Street, SW., Switzer Building, Corridor 3200, Washington, DC 20201

And to:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, ATTN:

Mandatory Grant Disclosures, Intake Coordinator, 330 Independence Avenue, SW., Cohen Building, Room 5527, Washington, DC 20201

Fax: (202) 205-0604 (Include “Mandatory Grant Disclosures” in subject line) or Email: grantdisclosures@oig.hhs.gov

Proprietary Information and Personally Identifiable Information (PII) ACF will be using non-federal reviewers in the review process. You have the option of omitting from the application copies (not the original) specific salary rates or amounts for individuals specified in the application budget as well as Social Security Numbers, if otherwise required for individuals. The copies may include summary salary information. If applications are submitted electronically, ACF will omit the same specific salary rate information from copies made for use during the review process.

The Project Description The Project Description Overview

General Expectations and Instructions The Project Description requests the information by which an application is evaluated and ranked in competition with other applications for financial assistance. It must address all activities for which federal funds are being requested and all application requirements as stated in this section. The Project Description must explain how the project will meet the purpose of the NOFO, as described in Section I. Program Description. As a reminder, reviewers will be evaluating this section in accordance with Section V.1. Criteria.

The Project Description must be clear, concise, and complete. ACF is particularly interested in Project Descriptions that convey strategies for achieving intended performance. Project Descriptions are evaluated on the basis of substance and measurable outcomes, not length.

Cross-referencing should be used rather than repetition. Supporting documents designated as required must be included in the Appendix of the application.

Letter of Intent Applicants are strongly encouraged to notify ACF of their intention to submit an application under this NOFO. The letter of intent is optional. Failure to submit a letter of intent will not impact eligibility to submit an application and will not disqualify an applicant from the merit review. Letter of intent information will be used to determine the number of expert reviewers needed to evaluate applications.

Please submit a letter of intent by the deadline date listed in Section IV.4. Submission Dates and Times. The letter of intent should include the following information: number and title of this funding opportunity; the name and address of the applicant organization; and the name, phone number, fax number and email address of a contact person.

Applicants are encouraged to submit the letter of intent via email to fssdemogrants@icf.com.

mailto:grantdisclosures@oig.hhs.gov

Letters of intent may also be submitted via mail to:

Family Self-Sufficiency Demonstration Development Phase 2 Awards c/o ICF

1902 Reston Metro Plaza

Reston, VA 20190

Table of Contents List the contents of the application including corresponding page numbers. The table of contents may be single spaced.

Project Summary Provide a summary of the project description. The summary must include a brief description of the applicant's proposed project including the needs to be addressed, the proposed activities or services, and if applicable, the population group(s) to be served. The summary must be clear, accurate, concise, and without cross-references to other parts of the application. Please place the following at the top of the Project Summary:

• Project Title

• Applicant Name

• Address

• Contact Phone Numbers (Voice, Fax, Cell)

• Email Address

• Website Address, if applicable

The Project Summary must be single-spaced, Times New Roman 12-point font, and limited to one page in length. Additional pages will be removed and will not be reviewed.

Legal Status of Applicant Entity Applicants must provide the following documentation:

Non-Profit Organizations

Proof of Non-Profit Status Options:

Option 1: 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) non-profit organizations are eligible Non-profit organizations applying for funding are required to submit proof of their non-profit status. Proof of non-profit status is any one of the following:

• A reference to the applicant organization's listing in the IRS's most recent list of tax-exempt organizations described in the IRS Code.

• A copy of a currently valid IRS tax-exemption certificate.

• A statement from a state taxing body, state attorney general, or other appropriate state official certifying that the applicant organization has non-profit status and that none of the net earnings accrue to any private shareholders or individuals.

• A certified copy of the organization's certificate of incorporation or similar document that clearly establishes non-profit status.

• Any of the items in the subparagraphs immediately above for a state or national parent organization and a statement signed by the parent organization that the applicant organization is a local non-profit affiliate.

Unless directed otherwise, applicants must include proof of non-profit status in the Appendices file of the application submission.

For-Profits and Small Businesses For-profit organizations (including small businesses) applying for funding must submit the following to provide proof of their legal status: Documentation establishing the power granted to the entity to enter into contractual relationships and/or accept awards (i.e., articles of incorporation, bylaws).

Applicants must describe their organization, intervention, objectives, and clear rationale for participation that demonstrates a thorough understanding of the purpose of the current funding opportunity and how the work to be conducted under this award will build on what was learned and accomplished during the initial award. In addition, applicants must propose a project plan in which they complete at least one full cycle of LI2, which will be refined and completed in consultation with the TA provider during the project period. The description must clearly demonstrate the applicant’s capacity to actively engage in the project and how the project will continue to build the organization’s evidence capacity and strengthen their intervention, based on what the organization learned and accomplished during the initial award period. The description must also clearly demonstrate the support of organizational leadership to participate in the funding opportunity. Applicants must address the following specific element(s) in each section:

1. Objectives and Significance

Applicants must:

• Clearly describe…