Foa_Content_of_HHS-2021-ACF-ORR-RP-1908-2.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Office of Refugee Resettlement

Preferred Communities (PC) Program

HHS-2021-ACF-ORR-RP-1908

Application Due Date: 06/21/2021

Table of Contents Executive Summary

I. Program Description

Goals, Objectives, and Scope of the PC Program

PC Site Selection

Partnership Agreements

Capacity Building

Eligible Clients

Intensive Case Management

Self-Sufficiency

Client Enrollment and Self-Sufficiency Plan

Enrollment Exceptions

Evidence-Based Activities and Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) ..10

Maintenance of Case Files

Duration of Service Period

Service Term Limits

Non-Duplicative Nature of Services

Grievance and Complaint Policy Form

Client Confidentiality Form

Client Release of Information Form

Case Documentation

Remote Intensive Case Management

Transfer of PC Clients

Withdrawals

Case Closure Form

Subawards

POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS

PC Program Guidelines

Participation in PC Program-Related Events

Program Performance Monitoring and Evaluation

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 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

The Review Criteria - Lead-In Paragraph

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:

Preferred Communities (PC) Program Announcement Type:

Initial Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2021-ACF-ORR-RP-1908

Primary CFDA Number:

93.576 Due Date for Applications:

06/21/2021 Executive Summary Notice:

Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the entire funding opportunity announcement (FOA) carefully and observe the application formatting requirements listed in Section IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission.

For more information on applying for grants, please visit "How to Apply for a Grant" on the ACF Grants & Funding Page at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/howto.

MODIFICATION: ORR has modified the FOA from its original version to extend the due date to June 21, 2021 to reflect the observation of Juneteenth on June 18, 2021. This is the only modification to the announcement.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announces the availability of funds for fiscal year 2021 under the Preferred Communities (PC) Program. The goal of the PC Program is the successful resettlement and integration of especially vulnerable groups of newly and vulnerable longer-term refugee arrivals (and other ORR client populations). Services under the PC Program include, but are not limited to, intensive case management, culturally and linguistically appropriate linkages, and coordination with other service providers to improve these refugees' access to services. For further details, please see Section I. Program Requirements, Eligible Clients.

The PC Program encompasses a comprehensive approach for refugee self-sufficiency and integration with the following four objectives:

1.To facilitate the achievement of self-sufficiency of especially vulnerable refugee populations with special needs.

2.To support, through the use of pass-through funds to affiliates and implementing partners, the development of PC Programs' capacity to assist refugee clients who require intensive case management.

3.To provide resources for PC Programs to develop new capacity for placement and to cover the costs of changing community placements so that refugees, including those with special or unique needs, are resettled in particular sites where they will have optimal chances of attaining self-sufficiency and of integrating in their new communities.

4.To alleviate the impact of increased or unanticipated arrivals in communities where state formula funds have not been allocated or are inadequate.

I. Program Description Statutory Authority The statutory authority for this program is Immigration and Nationality Act § 412 (c)(1)(A), 8 U.S.C.§1522 (c)(1)(A).

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/howto

Description

PREFERRED COMMUNITIES (PC) PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Background

ORR provides vulnerable refugees and other eligible immigrant populations with the opportunity to maximize their potential in the United States. During their initial resettlement period, refugees receive Reception & Placement (R&P) services from a network of resettlement agencies at diverse locations across the United States. While R&P services, funded under cooperative agreements through the Department of State (DOS), support many newly arriving refugees in their initial resettlement phase effectively, there is an increasing number of especially vulnerable individuals that still have difficulty navigating systems and attaining self-sufficiency. Their prolonged displacement in refugee camps, or survival on the fringes of society as “urban refugees", with inadequate access to food, supplies, and sanitation and health care services sometimes results in malnutrition, infectious diseases, and chronic conditions. Furthermore, most refugees have experienced varying levels of trauma, which can impact mental health, further affecting their ability to reach self-sufficiency and to integrate successfully in their new communities. ORR intends to address the service and capacity gaps affecting service providers and their refugee clients by providing funds under the PC Program to complement R&P services with intensive case management. By providing funds via the PC Program, ORR aims to increase access to intensive case management for especially vulnerable refugees, enhance PC Programs' ability to place vulnerable refugees in areas where they are most likely to achieve self-sufficiency, and increase PC Programs’ capacity to offer specialized services.

Goals, Objectives, and Scope of the PC Program The following are the two goals of the PC Program: resettle refugees successfully and integrate especially vulnerable populations (and other ORR-eligible populations) into their new communities; and enhance PC Program providers’ capacity to serve such populations at new, or established, PC Program locations.

The PC Program encompasses a comprehensive approach for refugee self-sufficiency and integration with the following four objectives:

1. To Facilitate Refugee Self-Sufficiency: To facilitate the achievement of self-sufficiency of especially vulnerable refugee populations.

Allowable Activities:

These include, but are not limited to, the following:

Providing intensive case management for a fixed term to especially vulnerable refugees who face difficulty in gaining access to supporting services; for further details refer to Section I. PC Program Requirements.

Holding extended cultural orientation on navigating systems in the United States.

Possible topics may include, but are not limited to, the following: navigating the healthcare system; living with disabilities including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); resources for survivors of domestic violence (DV) and gender-based violence (GBV); emotional wellness; and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) health.

Providing interpretation and transportation assistance during medical appointments.

Ensuring PC Program clients’ access and linkages to culturally and linguistically appropriate services. For further details refer to Section I. PC Program Requirements.

2. To Support Service Providers: To support, through the use of pass-through funds to affiliates and implementing partners, the development of PC Programs' capacity to assist vulnerable refugee clients who require intensive case management.

Allowable Activities:

These include, but are not limited to, the following:

Assessing and Selecting Locations: The assessments of sites are intended to result in the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services at PC Program providers, and in agencies’ enhanced capacity to provide such services for vulnerable refugees.

Monitoring and Providing Training and Technical Assistance: PC Programs will undertake to monitor, and provide training and technical assistance to PC Program personnel at PC Program providers to ensure their enhanced ability to provide specialized case management services that their vulnerable clients require. Technical assistance should focus on programming that help especially vulnerable refugees successfully resettle and integrate (e.g., Mental Health First Aid).

3. To Provide Resources: To provide resources for PC Programs to develop new capacity for placement and to cover the costs of changing community placements so that refugees, including those with special or unique needs, are resettled in particular sites where they will have optimal chances of attaining self-sufficiency and of integrating in their new communities.

Allowable Activities:

These include, but are not limited to, the following:

Engaging in Outreach and Collaboration: Engaging with multiple, mutually supportive service providers and other stakeholders at the national, state, and local levels. PC Programs should maintain relationships with other community services providers and resources to ensure PC Program clients are included in their services. It is required for local PC Program implementing partners to coordinate their services with other mainstream and refugee service providers in their communities, as appropriate.

Administering Project Implementation: The PC Programs will oversee all activities associated with implementation of the PC Program at participating sites. Such oversight will include, but is not limited to, monitoring project activities, providing training and technical assistance, maintaining oversight of federal funds, and reporting program progress to ORR to the extent authorized by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). For further details, please refer to Section I. Post-Award Requirements, Program Performance Monitoring and Evaluation.

At the local implementing site level, activities will include, but are not limited to, the following:

Providing Intensive Case Management: PC Program site activities will focus on intensive case management services appropriate for especially vulnerable refugee populations and on the supporting social services needed to manage increased placements across resettlement sites. The case management activities includes in-house direct services and appropriate referrals to external service providers to address clients’ unmet needs.

Services may be grouped under the various categories of assistance, such as health and medical interventions; mental health interventions; and social adjustment services. They include, but are not limited to, facilitating access to specialized medical care for refugees with identified health conditions (including HIV); assisting disabled clients to access physical therapy; training in development of independent living skills; facilitating options for appropriate housing; providing cultural orientation and social skills; linking PC Program clients to mental health services, such as those for coping with the traumatic experiences of war; providing focused assistance to LGBTQ refugees; disseminating information on DV and GBV to vulnerable women and families; pairing special-needs refugees with volunteer mentors; and assisting young refugee adults who lack family support.

Collaborating and Coordinating with Other Local Service Providers: These efforts will ensure that PC Program clients are enrolled at the appropriate sites that are well-placed to serve them, regardless of the agency that initially resettled them.

Incorporating Initiatives to Expand and Enhance Organizational Capacity: Such activities include increasing local staff and the coordination of volunteers or national service members to provide specialized services.

4. To Support Resettlement Communities to Address the Needs of Vulnerable Populations:

To alleviate the impact of vulnerable populations where gaps in services have been identified.

Allowable Activities:

These include, but are not limited to, the following:

Providing Remote Intensive Case Management: This mechanism would allow for the ORR-approved delivery of services to PC Program clients who move to underserved locations.

Expanding Organizational Capacity: Agencies may use approved PC Program funds to expand staff capacity at PC Program locations to demonstrating the need for services.

Planning and Coordinating with Community Partners: Agencies are encouraged to collaborate with and tap into existing community resources and providers to provide a holistic and comprehensive service package for clients to ensure successful integration.

Addressing Service Gaps: PC Program activities should include identifying gaps in services available to vulnerable refugees and develop a response to meet the unmet needs of vulnerable refugees.

Providing direct assistance to refugees that are in immediate need and not able to access other support systems. Examples of allowable direct assist include, but are not limited to, homeless prevention.

PC Site Selection The PC Program supports the resettlement of especially vulnerable refugee groups at resettlement sites designated by PC Program service providers as “preferred communities.”

Preferred communities are locations that offer excellent opportunities for the integration and resettlement of the most vulnerable newly arrived refugees that have been identified for PC Program services post-arrival. PC sites are established sites that are arranged by DOS. PC sites offer these refugees the opportunities to overcome barriers to integration, which include, but are not limited to, limited English proficiency (LEP), medical and mental health conditions, physical disabilities, lack of psychosocial support, and trauma. Using PC Program funds to implement specialized projects for refugees with increased vulnerabilities, PC Program service providers concurrently develop new programming strengths and/or enhance their organizational capacity in resettlement locations where refugees may not have been placed previously or in areas where vulnerable refugees had difficulty attaining self-sufficiency. PC sites are selected based on their ability to meet the goals of the PC Program, namely the successful resettlement and integration of especially vulnerable refugees (and other ORR client populations); and the enhancement of PC Program service providers' capacity to provide specialized services to those refugees. They may be established and successful resettlement sites or new locations showing increasing or unanticipated refugee arrivals. PC sites generally possess most, if not all, of the following features:

Extensive medical coverage through Refugee Medical Assistance, Medicaid, and/or Medicare;

Access to medical care and social adjustment support services;

Access to specialized medical services, treatments, and physical therapy, etc.;

Access to mental health counseling and related services;

Established community resources to address the needs of PC Program clients;

Excellent employment opportunities in a strong, entry-level labor market;

Affordable housing and accessible transportation;

Communities that meet the cultural and social needs of arriving populations;

Local community support for, and receptiveness to, refugees; and Diverse and supportive school environments.

To support the resettlement of refugees in communities where they will have the best opportunities for integration and to provide services for populations with special or unique needs, in their proposals PC Programs, the site plan must be national in scope and identify specific sites that they propose to implement PC Program projects during the first budget period. While most PC sites tend to have a history of successful refugee placement, new locations where refugees may not have been placed previously are occasionally necessary. Each PC Program's PC site plan is approved by ORR through the award process, and any proposed subsequent changes to the plan must be approved by ORR and the Office of Grants Management after consultations with respective local and national stakeholders.

PC PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Partnership Agreements ORR requires PC Programs to have existing cooperative agreements with DOS to provide R&P services that are national in scope.

Capacity Building In order to support the goal of sufficient capacity to support vulnerable refugees, ORR requires staffing at both grantee headquarters and PC sites to support this initiative. Responsibilities should include volunteer coordination and community sponsorship outreach activities.

Eligible Clients To qualify for PC Program-funded services, individuals are required to meet three essential criteria. They must: i. hold refugee status as defined below; ii. be deemed in need of intensive case management services by virtue of belonging to the especially vulnerable groups described below; and iii. have been in the United States for no longer than 5 years.

i. Persons deemed eligible for Refugee Resettlement Program benefits: (see 45 CFR § 400.43(a) (1)-(6) or statutory provisions cited below) include the following:

1. Individuals paroled as refugees or asylees under § 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

2. Refugees admitted under § 207 of the INA.

3. Asylees whose status was granted under § 208 of the INA.

4. Cuban and Haitian entrants, in accordance with the requirements in 45 CFR § 401.2.

a. Any individual granted parole status as a Cuban/Haitian Entrant (status pending) or granted any other special status subsequently established under the immigration laws for nationals of Cuba or Haiti, regardless of the status of the individual at the time assistance or services are provided;

b. A national of Cuba or Haiti who was paroled into the United States and has not acquired any other status under the INA and with respect to whom a final, non-appealable, and legally enforceable order of removal, deportation, or exclusion has not been entered;

c. A national of Cuba or Haiti who is the subject of removal, deportation, or exclusion proceedings under the INA and with respect to whom a final, non-appealable, and legally enforceable order of removal, deportation, or exclusion has not been entered; or

d. A national of Cuba or Haiti who has an application for asylum pending with the Department of Homeland Security/United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or Department of Justice/ Executive Office for Immigration Review and with respect to whom a final, non-appealable, and legally enforceable order of removal, deportation or exclusion has not been entered.

5. Lawful permanent residents provided the individuals previously held one of the statuses identified above. (Note that this does not refer to Amerasians and Special Immigrant Visa holders from Iraq & Afghanistan who are admitted as lawful permanent residents. See #6 and #7 below.)

6. Certain Amerasians from Vietnam who are admitted to the United States as immigrants pursuant to § 584 of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs.

Appropriations Act, 1988 (as contained in § 101(e) of Public Law 100-202), as amended (8 U.S.C. 1101 note).

7. Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrants per section 1244(g) of Div. A of Public Law 110181, as amended (8 U.S.C. 1157 note) and section 602(b) (8) of Div. F of Public Law 111-8 as amended (8 U.S.C. 1101 note).

8. Victims of a severe form of trafficking in persons per the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, Public Law No. 106-386, as amended, 22 U.S.C. 7105(b). (1)

(A) and (C).

Detailed information on eligibility, including documenting the date of eligibility, for ORR-funded projects is available at 45 CFR § 400.43 and ORR Policy Letter 16-01, which can be found on the ORR website at: www.acf.hhs.gov/progr ams/orr/resource/policy-letters.

ii. Refugees deemed as especially vulnerable and in need of intensive case management include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Refugees with special or unique needs who have migrated to underserved locations from their original resettlement communities;

2. Secondary migrants;

3. Youth and young adults without parents or permanent guardians who have spent an unusually long period in displaced situations;

4. Single-headed refugee households;

5. Victims of DV and GBV;

6. Elderly refugees without an adequate family support system;

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/resource/policy-letters http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/resource/policy-letters

7. Refugees experiencing anti-social or psychological conditions, including emotional trauma resulting from war, and those at risk of suicide;

8. LGBTQ refugees; and

9. Refugees with physical disabilities or medical conditions (including HIV) that are identified as needing intensive case management.

iii. Refugees must produce documentation that they have been in the United States for less than 5 years.

ORR-funded services under the PC Program are intended to benefit refugees (including other ORR-eligible populations) who have arrived in the United States within the last 5 years.

Naturalized U.S. citizens who entered as refugees are not eligible for ORR-funded services.

ORR assistance and services must be provided to refugees without regard to race, religion, nationality, sex, or political opinion.

To ensure eligibility, all individuals wishing to enroll in PC Program services are required to provide documentary proof of one of the statuses included in the list above, and the documentation must then be included in the client's case file upon enrollment. In exceptional cases, ORR grants approval for provision of services to refugees who may otherwise be ineligible for PC Program services, as noted below.

Intensive Case Management The PC Program requires the provision of intensive case management services (ICM) for a fixed term to overcome the barriers they might face on the path to integration. PC sites enroll clients identified as highly vulnerable and in need of ICM. Each individual’s ICM service will be customized to address the needs of that individual, regardless of whether that person arrived unaccompanied or as part of a family.

Self-Sufficiency While economic self-sufficiency is the primary goal of other ORR-funded programs, client self-sufficiency is defined differently in the PC Program. In light of the PC service population being categorized as especially vulnerable individuals in need of intensive case management, clients are regarded to have reached self-sufficiency when they have achieved the goals of their client self-sufficiency plan; found stability in life areas affected by their vulnerability; and are able to live independently of agency services, through individual capacity, family support, and/or linkages to necessary community support services.

Note: The definition of self-sufficiency for the purposes of the PC Program does not change the definition of self-sufficiency as categorized under other ORR-funded programs.

Client Enrollment and Self-Sufficiency Plan After establishing a client’s need for intensive case management and enrolling the individual in the PC Program, the PC site must establish a client self-sufficiency plan with each refugee participant. The self-sufficiency plan must include the following:

1. An identification of the specific areas of vulnerability that merit intensive case management;

2. The specific services that the client will receive under the intensive case management program;

3. The self-sufficiency goal(s) toward which the client and the agency (and, where necessary, family members) will work; and

4. A description of any training or counseling that the client agrees to attend, including the type, intended duration, expected outcomes, and the provider of the program.

Enrollment Exceptions ORR's approval of enrollment of clients under exceptional circumstances is necessary. ORR will consider PC Programs' requests for exceptions in the following circumstances:

Lapse of Eligibility Window: In the case of an exceptionally vulnerable client who has exceeded the 5-year eligibility window for enrollment in the PC Program, ORR may approve enrollment of the individual, providing the implementing site documents the exceptional circumstances pertaining to that prospective client. ORR considers all such requests on a case-by-case basis.

Evidence-Based Activities and Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) ORR requires the use of evidence-based case management activities that are rooted in effective best practices for serving vulnerable populations. Additionally, due to the diverse nature of the refugee population, mainstream local health and mental health providers must be engaged in implementing the National CLAS Standards. The National CLAS standards are intended to advance health equity, improve quality, and help eliminate health care disparities by providing a blueprint for individuals and health and healthcare organizations to implement culturally and linguistically appropriate services. More information on the National CLAS standards can be found at:

http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=2&;;lvlid=53 Maintenance of Case Files PC Program service providers are required to create and maintain case files for each client that are kept confidential. Providers must ensure compliance with 45 CFR § 75.303(e) to take reasonable measures to safe-guard protected personally identifiable information. Files should be stored in a filing cabinet or other records storage areas, locked at all times when not in use, and accessible only to program personnel. If the PC Program service provider uses an electronic case file system, then safeguards such as limiting access to the data, and encryption must be in place to protect participant information. The case file will, at the minimum, include copies of documents that show eligibility for service under this project, records of expenditures made on behalf of the participant, related documents, and case notes per the cooperative agreement and PC Program guidelines.

Intake information must include the participant's name, status under which client arrived in the United States, date of enrollment, date of projected program service termination, and documentation of eligibility for PC Program services. If a client is enrolled in other service programs, including ORR-funded programs, or is referred to another agency for service, documentation of the program and services provided under that program must be included in the case file.

Duration of Service Period Refugees with physical or mental health disabilities or medical conditions that are identified as needing long-term intensive case management should be enrolled for a service period of a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 2 years. All other refugees needing intensive case management should be enrolled for a service period of a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 1 year.

Service Term Limits If, at the end of their service period, a client has not achieved desired outcomes identified in the self-sufficiency plan and requires substantial further services, the PC Program must request ORR approval to re-enroll the client. Following ORR approval of that client’s re-enrollment, the local implementing agency will initiate a new service period with a new self-sufficiency plan, while maintaining documentation of the previous service period under the PC Program. A client may http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=2&;lvlid=53 be enrolled no more than two times in the PC Program unless specifically authorized by ORR through a request for exception.

Non-Duplicative Nature of Services The PC Program requires that a PC provider structure regular communication and coordination quarterly between the state refugee coordinator, state, ORR-funded refugee service providers, and refugee resettlement agencies to ensure that PC Program clients receive the full range of services that they are eligible for in order to facilitate their achievement of self-sufficiency and well-being, and to avoid duplication of services and/or documentation.

Intensive case management services funded under the PC Program must complement, rather than replace or duplicate, any case management provided under other federal, state, or local programming. Communication with other such projects or service providers is critical, as it will give providers the opportunity to share information as allowable, coordinate services, and avoid duplication of services or efforts, including duplication of case documentation.

If a client is receiving the same types of services (such as psychosocial and adjustment services) that requires a self-sufficiency plan from other ORR-funded programming, the PC Program provider is responsible for documenting the development and implementation of that of that plan.

In addition, PC Program providers are responsible for developing a self-sufficiency plan comparable with PC Program requirements and documenting how services are not duplicative of other services.

Grievance and Complaint Policy Form Upon enrollment, the client will receive a written description of the grievance and complaint policy procedures instituted by the PC Program service provider. Grantees are required to have or put in place a grievance and complaint process at both the local and national levels.

Client Confidentiality Form Upon enrollment, the client will receive a signed form from the agency regarding protecting the identity and privacy of clients.

Client Release of Information Form Upon enrollment, the client will receive a signed form from the agency regarding release of private information instituted by the PC Program service provider and/or ORR.

Case Documentation PC Program providers’ case information and/or materials, including self-sufficiency plans , can be included in the forms or case files of other ORR-funded programming, as long as information specific to the PC Program is clearly identified as such. Likewise, case information and/or materials (such as self-sufficiency plans) from other ORR-funded or Temporary Aid for Needy Families programs, may be included in PC Program provider case files, and to fulfill the case documentation requirements as long as the relevant program allows such information-sharing, and information specific to the PC Program is clearly identified as such.

Case workers are required to concisely record contact with, and monitor progress of, a client over time with summary notes regarding the purpose and outcomes of each contact. All documents requiring client signatures must take into consideration LEP clients. For further details, please see Section I. Program Requirements, Evidence-Based Activities and Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS).

Remote Intensive Case Management Occasionally particularly vulnerable clients are located in areas without a local PC Program provider. In such cases, enrollment in remote intensive case management may be approved by

ORR. ORR will consider whether the service plan is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound; demonstrates that all required PC Program services; and case management will be provided.

Transfer of PC Clients PC Programs must ensure the smooth transfer of services to PC clients who are migrating to locations where there is no PC provider within their respective agency’s resettlement network. In such cases, the implementing site must provide the out-migrating client with contact information of the implementing partners of other PC Programs. To ensure continuity and/appropriateness of services, agencies may also choose to transfer PC Program clients to another PC Program’s implementing site, when both providers are in agreement that the receiving agency is best equipped to provide required services due to special circumstances or needs. When a transfer has been arranged, the transfer status must be noted in the Case Closure Form of the transferring agency. Such transfers are to be noted in semi-annual and annual reports.

Withdrawals Clients who voluntarily cease to access PC services before the end of the service period are effectively withdrawing from the PC Program, and that withdrawal must be noted in the case file. Similarly, if a client has reached the two-term maximum enrollment for PC services without achieving the goals identified in the self-sufficiency plan during intake and assessment, the Case Closure Form must note that status and list the PC services provided. In all situations, where possible, the implementing site will notify the client in writing of the termination of PC services.

Case Closure Form Upon completion of the PC service term, clients must receive a document indicating the closure of their case. The document will contain, at minimum, the following items:

1. A description of the PC services received and the relevant outcome/s;

2. A reminder to adjust immigration status to that of Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) at the appropriate time frame from grant of the immigration status that made the individual eligible for ORR Services (if applicable), and resources or referrals to support the client’s adjustment to LPR;

3. A reminder that failure to naturalize will result in the loss of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits (where applicable);

4. A reminder that upon moving to a new address, the client must complete and submit a Change of Address Form AR-11 to USCIS and a Change of Address Form with the United States Postal Service (USPS); 5. A list of ORR-funded and mainstream resources and services available in the respective community. PC Program clients must be advised that they are eligible for ORR State- administered Social Services for up to 5 years from their date of eligibility; and

6. Contact information of a representative of the implementing partner as a reference point for subsequent service provider/s.

Subawards Recipients under this grant program may opt to transfer a portion of substantive programmatic work to other organizations through subaward(s). The prime recipient must maintain a substantive role in the project. ACF defines a substantive role as conducting activities and/or providing services funded under the award that are necessary and integral to the completion of the project. Subrecipient monitoring activities alone as specified in 45 CFR § 75.352 do not constitute a substantive role. Furthermore, ACF does not fund awards where the role of the applicant is primarily to serve as a conduit for passing funds to other organizations unless that arrangement is authorized by statute.

Subrecipient(s) must meet the eligibility requirements identified in the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), Section III.1. Eligible Applicants. Additionally, all subrecipient(s) must obtain a Data Universal Numbering System number, or after government-wide implementation, a Unique Entity Identifier assigned by the System for Award Management (SAM), if they do not already have one. Prime recipients are required to check the SAM to verify that the subrecipient(s) is/are not debarred, suspended, or ineligible.

Should a subrecipient perform unsatisfactorily, the prime recipient is responsible for remedying subrecipient issues. The prime recipient will be held accountable for cost disallowances regarding subawarded funds. Subrecipient performance will also be considered during review of applications for non-competing continuations. If requirements of the program cannot be met due to subrecipient issues, ACF may need to take one or more of the actions listed under 45 § CFR 75.371-.375.

Please reference the Award Term and Condition on Subawards;on the ACF Administrative and National Policy Requirements;website for further requirements involving subawards As the PC Program requires national coordination with clients served by local PC Service Providers, ORR expects that the major portion of the funding will be passed through to subrecipients. See further requirements in Section IV.2. Budget and Budget Justification

POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS

PC Program Guidelines All entities funded under this FOA must adhere to the PC Program Implementation Guidelines posted on the ORR website. PC Program guidelines are subject to change by ORR director during the project period.

Participation in PC Program-Related Events ORR recognizes that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person contact should be minimized to ensure the safety and health of participants. During this time, prime recipients and if applicable, subrecipient(s) are required to adjust activities. ORR will exercise maximum flexibilities, as needed. Prime recipients’ public-facing project activities must include proposed modifications that are responsive to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 recommendations that can be found at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html . Modifications must include safeguards to prevent the spread of COVID-

19. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: social distancing strategies (e.g., remote case management and use of video and audio conferencing) and planning for staffing absenteeism and shortages. Grantees that receive an award under this FOA must propose innovative solutions for providing services during the pandemic.

ORR will convene and/or facilitate annual and quarterly meetings that grantees are required to attend. These meetings are usually announced in advance. Additionally, there may be periodic workshops, peer learning circles, and other training and consultation events that grantees and their implementing partners are required to participate. The majority of these events will be held via teleconference; however, at the start of each program year, PC Program managers are required to attend one in-person meeting in the Washington, DC area.

Program Performance Monitoring and Evaluation ORR will be seeking approval from OMB for information collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) on collecting PC client level data by utilizing the Refugee Arrival Data System database.

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#chapter-15 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#chapter-15 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#chapter-15 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#chapter-15 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#chapter-15 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#chapter-15 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html

NOTE: Consistent with the PRA of 1995, (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), under this FOA, ORR will not conduct or sponsor – and a person is not required to respond to - a collection of information covered by such Act, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. ACF will obtain OMB approval under the PRA prior to collecting or requesting the collection of information from more than 9 individuals or entities Grantees are required to monitor implementing partner sites and to issue a report of monitoring visits. Grantees will document all instructions for corrective actions as well as the follow-up on those corrective actions. Monitoring reports are to be summarized and included in the semi-annual program progress reports provided to ORR to the extent authorized by OMB.

PC service providers are required to report client progress using the Intensive case management Client Assessment Indicators framework included in the PC data points. In addition, PC service providers should incorporate PC indicators as part of their goals and objectives. For subsequent years, ORR will utilize achieved outcomes against those proposed in their applications for PC funding to ORR.

As required by PRA, ORR has obtained approval from the OMB on data indicators for post-award reporting. Grant recipients will be required to report data points collected on OMB Form 0970-0490 (Expiration date: January 31, 2023) on a Semi Annual basis. See the Appendix for the complete list of indicators.

II. Federal Award Information Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Estimated Total Funding:

$ 32,000,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$ 4,500,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$ 1,500,000 Per Budget Period

Average Projected Award Amount:

$ 3,500,000 Per Budget Period

Anticipated Project Start Date:

09/30/2021 Length of Project Periods:

60-month project period with five 12-month budget periods

Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other'

Additional Information on Awards:

Awards made under this announcement 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 competitive review and from funding under this announcement. 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. Please see Section III.3. Other, Application Disqualification Factors.

Note: For those programs that require matching or cost sharing, recipients will be held accountable for projected commitments of non-federal resources in their application budgets and budget justifications by budget period or by project period for fully funded awards, even if the projected commitment exceeds the required amount of match or cost share. A recipient's failure to provide the required matching amount may result in the disallowance of federal funds.

For more information on these requirements, see Section III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching.

ORR’s expectation of requests for funding is that amounts support the proposed number of clients to be served and network capacity needs in the first year of the project period. Note that the expectation of a request for the award ceiling of $4,500,000 is that the proposal would support service to over 1,000 clients and demonstrate substantial capacity building.

In considering non-competing continuation applications for the remainder of the project period.

ORR will review performance of the grantee including indicators from PC Program data report and the results of monitoring visits. Numbers of clients served and success of capacity building will be evaluated in these requests. These awards will be made subsequent to ORR approval of a noncompeting continuation application and will be subject to the availability of funds, satisfactory performance by the grantee, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the federal government.

Description of ACF's Anticipated Substantial Involvement Under the Cooperative Agreement Award The following is a description of ORR's anticipated substantial involvement under the cooperative agreement. ORR will:

Provide approval for PC project sites proposed by grantees following consultation with DOS and the PC Programs on especially vulnerable refugee populations.

Provide annual funding for implementation of the approved grantees' activities as described in their respective applications, subject to the availability of federal funds.

Consider, as necessary, enrollment exception requests and interventions to address gaps in services to vulnerable refugees as proposed by grantees.

Closely monitor the implementation, compliance, and results of services provided to refugees under the cooperative agreement. Such monitoring may include site visits, follow-up calls in reference to submission of reports, and requests for access to information associated with the implementation of the PC Program.

To review, and respond to, all requests from grantees in a timely manner.

III. Eligibility Information III.1. Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants for refugee programs under § 412 (c)(1)(A), 8 U.S.C.§1522 (c)(1)(A) are "public and private nonprofit agencies.

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 this part and 42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq., the Department will not, in the selection of recipients, discriminate against an organization on the basis of the organization?s religious character, affiliation, or exercise.

Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement. 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 announcement.

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 For all federal awards, any shared costs or matching funds and all contributions, including cash and third-party in-kind contributions, must be accepted as part of the recipient’s cost sharing or matching when such contributions meet all of the criteria listed in 45 CFR § 75.306.

For awards that require matching by statute, recipients will be held accountable for projected commitments of non-federal resources in their application budgets and budget justifications by budget period, or by project period for fully funded awards, even if the projected commitment exceeds the amount required by the statutory match. A recipient’s failure to provide the statutorily required matching amount may result in the disallowance of federal funds.

Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

For awards that do not require matching or cost sharing by statute, where “cost sharing” refers to any situation in which the recipient voluntarily shares in the costs of a project other than as statutorily required matching, recipients will be held accountable for projected commitments of non-federal resources in their application budgets and budget justifications by budget period, or by project period for fully funded awards. These include situations in which contributions are voluntarily proposed by a recipient or subrecipient and are accepted by ACF. Non-federal cost sharing will be included in the approved project budget so that the recipient will be held accountable for proposed non-federal cost sharing funds as shown in the Notice of Award

(NOA). A recipient’s failure to provide voluntary cost sharing of non-federal resources that have been accepted by ACF as part of the approved project costs and that have been shown as part of the approved project budget in the NOA, may result in the disallowance of federal funds. Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

III.3. Other Application Disqualification Factors Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement.

Award Ceiling Disqualification

Applications that request an award amount that exceeds the Award Ceiling per budget period or per project period ("per project period" refers only to fully funded awards), as stated in Section II. Federal Award Information, will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement. 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 www.Grants.gov. Paper applications received from applicants that have not been approved for an exemption from required electronic submission will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement.

Applicants that do not have an Internet connection or sufficient computing capacity to upload large documents to the Internet may contact ACF for an exemption that will allow the applicant to submit applications 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" at www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/howto#chapter-6.

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.