Foa_Content_of_HHS-2022-ACF-ACYF-CS-0079.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Administration on Children, Youth, and Families - Children's Bureau

Standing Announcement for Tribal Title IV-E Plan Development Grants

HHS-2022-ACF-ACYF-CS-0079

Application Due Date: 07/06/2022

Due Date for Applications:

FY 2023: 07/06/2023

FY 2024: 07/06/2024

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 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:

Standing Announcement for Tribal Title IV-E Plan Development Grants Announcement Type:

Modification Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2022-ACF-ACYF-CS-0079

Primary CFDA Number:

93.658 Due Date for Applications:

07/06/2022 Due Date for Applications:

FY 2023: 07/06/2023

FY 2024: 07/06/2024

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 grants, please visit "How to Apply for a Grant" on the ACF Grants & Funding Page at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant.

The purpose of this NOFO is to solicit proposals for one-time grants to tribes, tribal organizations, or tribal consortia that are seeking to develop and, within 24 months of grant receipt, to submit to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) a plan to implement a title IV-E foster care, adoption assistance, and, at tribal option, guardianship assistance program.

Grant funds under this NOFO may be used for the cost of developing a title IV-E plan under section 471 of the Social Security Act (the Act) to carry out a program under section 479B of the Act. The grant may be used for costs relating to the development of data collection systems, a cost-allocation methodology, agency and tribal court procedures necessary to meet the case review system requirements under section 475(5) of the Act, or any other costs attributable to meeting any other requirement necessary for approval of a title IV-E plan.

I. Program Description Statutory Authority Title IV, part E section 476(c)(2)(A)(iii) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 676(c)(2)(A)(iii))

Description

BACKGROUND

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant

The purpose of this grant is to enable tribes to complete an approvable title IV-E plan to operate a foster care, adoption assistance, and, at the tribe’s option, guardianship assistance program.

This funding opportunity is for a one-time development grant to tribes, tribal organizations, or tribal consortia that are seeking to develop, and, not later than 24 months after receiving such a grant, intend to submit to the Secretary a plan to implement a title IV-E program. To assist tribes in meeting the 24-month timeline, the Children’s Bureau (CB) offers information, advice, educational materials, and technical assistance.

Development grants may be used by the Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortia for any costs attributable to meeting the requirements for approval of a tribally operated title IV-E plan. The law cites the following as examples of allowable costs under the development grant:

development of a data collection system, development of a cost-allocation methodology, and establishment of tribal agency and court procedures necessary to meet the case review requirements in the law (section 476(c)(2)(A)(iii) of the Act).

Family First Prevention Services Act

On February 9, 2018, the President signed into law the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, (Pub. L. 115-123). FFPSA made a number of significant changes to the title IV-E program, as well as the title IV-B program. It is important for tribes to consider the changes to title IV-E, as they consider whether to apply for a title IV-E development grant.

Overall, the FFPSA amends the title IV-E program to provide more resources to help families in crisis stay together, while limiting federal funding for congregate care placements for youth in foster care. The law is very complex, so we urge tribes interested in operating the title IV-E program to review CB policy issuances that provide more detail on the requirements and opportunities. A brief summary of some of the significant provisions include:

The law authorizes title IV-E agencies to claim title IV-E foster care maintenance payments for children placed with parents in a licensed residential family-based treatment facility for substance abuse.

The law places restrictions on the availability of title IV-E funding for children placed in a child care institution (CCI). Title IV-E agencies may claim title IV-E for foster care maintenance payments (FCMP) paid on behalf of an eligible child placed in any CCI for up to 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, title IV-E FCMP for a child placed in a CCI are only available if that CCI is one of the following specified settings: a setting specializing in providing prenatal, post-partum, or parenting supports for youth; a supervised independent living setting for youth age 18 – 21; a setting providing high-quality residential care and supportive services to children and youth who have been found to be, or are at risk of becoming, sex trafficking victims; a licensed residential family-based treatment facility for substance abuse; or a qualified residential treatment program. These provisions became effective October 1, 2019, but a title IV-E agency may choose to delay implementation for up to two years.

The law authorizes a new optional program to provide title IV-E funding for certain time-limited (one year) prevention services for mental health, substance abuse prevention, and treatment and in-home parent skill-based programs for: 1) candidates for foster care, 2) pregnant/parenting foster youth, and 3) the parents/kin caregivers of those children and youth. For title IV-E agencies approved to operate the program, funding for these services became available October 1, 2019, but an agency choosing to delay implementation of the limitation of funding for CCIs must also delay implementation of the prevention services option for the same period.

Beginning October 1, 2018, the law authorizes title IV-E funding for certain evidence-based kinship navigator programs.

For additional information see ACYF-CB-IM-18-02, which provides a summary of FFPSA.

ACYF-CB-PI-18-06 provides instructions on addressing FFPSA amendments to the title IV-B programs and the Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood. ACYF- CB-PI-18-07 provides instructions on changes to the title IV-E plan requirements as a result of FFPSA that are effective as of January 1, 2018, and later. Guidance on the title IV-E Prevention Services Program is provided in ACYF-CB-PI-18-09 (for state title IV-E agencies) and ACYF- CB-PI-18-10 (for tribal title IV-E agencies), and guidance on the Kinship Navigator Program is provided in ACYF-CB-PI-18-11. All of these information memoranda and program instructions are available at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/laws-policies/policy-program-issuances.

LESSONS LEARNED

The following lessons learned from previous rounds of the grant program may be helpful to potential applicants:

1. Scope of the Title IV-E Program The title IV-E program represents a component of a comprehensive child welfare system. The title IV-E plan, developed with the support of this grant program, addresses requirements needed for administration of the title IV-E foster care, adoption assistance, and optional guardianship assistance programs only. It is not a plan for a comprehensive child welfare program and, therefore, does not address, regulate, or provide reimbursement for other aspects of a comprehensive child welfare program, such as child protective service investigations. Therefore, development of a title IV-E program may be most appropriate for tribes that already have other components of a comprehensive child welfare program in place. Grant recipients will be best prepared to undertake the work of the grant if, prior to application, they have reviewed their current capacity and infrastructure for child welfare services, including existing Tribal Code, policies, programs, systems, and services, to have a better understanding of their current capacity and how a title IV-E program would enhance the tribe’s child welfare program.

2. Realistic Expectations for Amount of Federal Reimbursement Under a Title IV-E Program Title IV-E provides federal reimbursement (referred to as Federal Financial Participation or FFP) to title IV-E agencies for a percentage of the allowable costs they incur in operating the program.

Title IV-E provides FFP for maintenance costs (i.e., room and board) of eligible children who are in out-of-home placement in a licensed foster care placement and for assistance payments to help support eligible children who have achieved permanency via adoption or guardianship. It also provides FFP for a percentage of allowable administrative costs to manage the program and for a percentage of the costs for training eligible staff, court personnel, professional partners, current or prospective foster and adoptive parents, and relative guardians.

The federal reimbursement or FFP rate varies by category of cost. Foster care maintenance costs and adoption and guardianship assistance costs are reimbursed at the tribe’s Federal Medical https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cb/im1802.pdf https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-18-06 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-18-07 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-18-07 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-18-09 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-18-10 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-18-10 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-18-11 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/laws-policies/policy-program-issuances

Assistance Percentage (FMAP) rate which is tribe-specific based on per capita income and ranges from 50 percent to 83 percent. To date, most tribes have had FMAP rates at or near the maximum rate of 83 percent. There is a FMAP Look-up Table on CB’s web page for reference at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/resource/tribal-fmap. The FMAP rate is reviewed annually and could change from year to year. Allowable administrative costs are reimbursed at 50 percent.

Allowable training costs are reimbursed at 75 percent. The non- federal share of program costs (i.e., the difference between the tribe’s total cost and FFP received) in each funding category constitutes the required match to be met by the title IV-E agency.

As noted previously, the title IV-E program was amended to create optional title IV-E program components that provide funding for certain preventive services and kinship navigator programs.

Additional information on FFP available for these programs is addressed in ACYF-CB-IM-18-

02. Tribes must have an approved title IV-E plan for foster care and adoption assistance and, at tribal option, guardianship assistance programs, in order to participate in the optional title IV-E prevention services and kinship navigator programs.

3. Collaboration, Partnerships, and Buy-in Collaboration, partnerships, and buy-in are critical as grant recipients develop an approvable plan and will continue to be important as grant recipients implement the program. Grant recipients that have engaged all relevant tribal partners to support a team and have the support of tribal leadership in assessing existing capacity and readiness in discussing the advantages of implementing a title IV-E program prior to application will be in a strong position to begin the work of developing a title IV-E plan. Successful grant recipients will continue that engagement throughout the plan implementation. Some of the partners needed to achieve a successful title IV-E plan include social services, the courts, agency finance staff, and other entities with which a tribe may want to have an agreement, such as the state social services agency. Successful grant recipients have also found the oversight and support of tribal leadership critical to success.

4. Staffing Grant recipients may find it helpful to designate a full-time project director to oversee the day-to-day work and coordinate the title IV-E plan development grant. That approach may allow the social services director to attend to demanding regular duties and limit involvement to an oversight role.

5. Data Collection and Information Technology (IT) Systems Title IV-E requires submission of data to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS). Federal regulations for AFCARS were initially promulgated in 1993. On May 12, 2020, CB published a final rule in the Federal Register revising AFCARS data elements. ACYF-CB-IM-20-07 provides information on the new final rule for AFCARS. While it is important for title IV-E plan development grant recipients to learn about AFCARS and begin planning how they will approach data reporting, actual submission of data will not be required until after approval of the title IV-E plan and implementation of the program. At that time, reimbursement under title IV-E may be available to support allowable costs associated with development and implementation of the tribe’s approved approach to data collection and IT development. Some tribes are interested in developing IT capabilities to support case management as well as required data collection. While development of a case management system is not a requirement of title IV-E, tribes interested in developing such a system are encouraged to first develop the business process involving input from both program and IT staff https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/resource/tribal-fmap https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/im-18-02 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/im-18-02 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/im-20-07 to ensure that all program needs are met and to identify policy gaps. Useful Information Memoranda (IMs) and Program Instructions (PIs) are listed in the following section titled Project Requirements. CB encourages grant recipients to delay finalization of system plans and development of a system until after they have finalized and received approval for their title IV-E program.

6. Technical Assistance

CB developed "Considerations for Indian Tribes, Indian Tribal Organizations, or Tribal Consortia Seeking to Operate a Tribal Title IV-E Program." The document is a simplified walk-through of some key areas of title IV-E requirements with suggested questions for discussion that may be helpful in deciding when or whether to operate a title IV-E program. It may be useful in determining whether or not implementing a title IV-E plan is right for a tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortia. It may also assist in identifying areas that may need to be addressed through a title IV-E development grant. The document can be found at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/resource/tribal-considerations.

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

In implementing their grants, grant recipients must use the funds to address areas in which they need to build capacity in order to submit an approvable plan within 24 months to successfully operate a title IV-E foster care, adoption assistance, and, at tribal option, guardianship assistance program. Grant recipients should be familiar with all the requirements of the title IV-E program.

Note that the grant recipient is required to develop a plan for the title IV-E foster care and adoption assistance programs. Being approved to operate these mandatory title IV-E programs is a prerequisite to being able to participate in new optional programs authorizing funding for prevention services and kinship navigator programs.

Note: If the grant recipient does not submit a title IV-E plan within the 24-month timeframe, it must repay the total grant amount. Given the statutory requirement to repay the grant if a title IV- E plan is not submitted within 24 months of grant receipt, it is important that grant recipient first make the decision to implement a title IV-E program. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is authorized to waive the requirement to repay the grant if it is determined that failure to submit a title IV-E plan during the 24-month period was beyond the control of the grant recipient (see section 476(c)(2)(B)(ii) of the Act).

CB issued ACYF-CB-PI-18-07, which includes a comprehensive listing of all the title IV-E requirements (referred to as a pre-print) a grant recipient will need to address when developing a title IV-E plan. ACF strongly encourages applicants to review the document and to use it as a reference as they develop their applications in response to this NOFO.

The following CB policy issuances may also be useful to funded projects:

Information Memoranda:

ACYF-CB-IM-09-02;

ACYF-CB-IM-16-02;

ACYF-CB-IM-16-06; and

ACYF-CB-IM-18-02.

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/resource/tribal-considerations https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-18-07 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/im-09-02 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/im-16-02 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/im-16-06 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/im-18-02

Program Instructions:

ACYF-CB-PI-09-11;

ACYF-CB-PI-18-06;

ACYF-CB-PI-18-09;

ACYF-CB-PI-18-10;

ACYF-CB-PI-18-11; and

ACYF-CB-PI-21-08.

These policy issuances can be found at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/laws-policies. See the Appendix for links to these policy issuances.

In addition to IMs and PIs, CB maintains an online Child Welfare Policy Manual (CWPM) that contains questions and answers on a range of policy issues and is arranged by topic. The CWPM can be found at https://acf.hhs.gov/cwpm/public_html/programs/cb/laws_policies/laws/cwpm/index.jsp.

Grant recipients may find it particularly useful to review two sections of the CWPM relevant to tribes planning to implement a title IV-E program:

Section 8 addresses policies applicable to all title IV-E agencies; and Section 9 addresses policies applicable specifically to tribes on procedural requirements, tribal title IV-E agencies, and tribal IV-E agreements.

Based on a readiness assessment of current child welfare service programs, tribal code, and policies, funded projects will develop plans for operating a title IV-E program. For example, grant recipients may need to revise tribal code, develop policy guidance, or expand the types of services they currently offer in order to meet title IV-E requirements. Some tribes have previous experience with the title IV-E program through participation in a state-tribe title IV-E agreement.

As they develop their title IV-E plans, grant recipients will consider current provisions of any such agreements, the roles of the state and tribe under such agreements, how those roles are anticipated to change if the tribe begins operation of its own title IV-E program, and how the experience of participating in that agreement has informed its planned use of the development grant.

As they develop their title IV-E plans, grant recipients will also consider current capacity in key areas of agency infrastructure or interagency coordination needed to operate a title IV-E program, and whether changes or improvements will be needed before an approvable title IV-E plan can be submitted. For a list of potential areas grant recipients can address, refer to Section IV.2. The Project Description, Approach.

Funded projects are free to address additional areas through the development grant on the condition that such use of grant funds would contribute to the grant recipient's ability to develop and submit an approvable title IV-E plan. Projects will follow a timeline for addressing each area identified for use of development grant funds.

Overall, funded projects' success will be enhanced if, prior to application, grant recipients have assessed the readiness of their own current child welfare program and capacities; have gained a clear understanding of the title IV-E program and the steps that will need to be taken to prepare to directly operate a title IV-E program; and have developed a well-thought-out plan for using https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-18-06 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-18-06 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-18-09 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-18-10 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-18-11 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-21-08 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/laws-policies https://acf.hhs.gov/cwpm/public_html/programs/cb/laws_policies/laws/cwpm/index.jsp development grant funds to address identified areas needing to be strengthened. Successful completion of these activities will prepare a tribe to submit an approvable title IV- E plan within 24 months of grant receipt.

Should there be any conflict between what is proposed in the grant application and the requirements of the Act at section 471 for an approvable title IV-E plan, the requirements in the Act must be met.

Grant recipients will be required to review their proposed work plan and update it with timelines, tasks, and persons responsible. In addition, the work plan must include timelines for submissions of drafts including policies, procedures, Code, forms and templates, foster home licensing standards, etc. This will be due no later than 90 days after the grant award date.

Successful applicants will have taken the internal steps to ensure that the tribe intends to develop a title IV-E plan and then to implement it. The decision to implement needs to be made prior to accepting the grant.

Grant Recipient Meetings A minimum of three staff, but not more than five, will be required to attend two grant recipient meetings over the course of the 24-month budget period. These two-day meetings may be held in Washington, DC. In the event of an extension of the public health emergency due to COVID-19, these meetings may be held virtually. Grant recipients and other tribal leaders, including the Principal Investigator/Principal Director, tribal leadership, judicial/legal representative, and tribal child welfare director, are expected to participate in peer-to-peer sharing of implementation activities. (See Section IV.2. The Project Budget and Budget Justification for more information.)

II. Federal Award Information Funding Instrument Type:

G (Grant) Estimated Total Funding:

$1,500,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$300,000 Per Project Period

Award Floor:

$150,000 Per Project Period

Average Projected Award Amount:

$300,000 Per Project Period

Anticipated Project Start Date:

09/30/2022 Length of Project Periods:

Other

Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' One 24-month project with one 24-month budget period.

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 competitive review and from 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. 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.

As discussed in Section IV.6 Funding Restrictions, section 476(c)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act requires the repayment of the grant if the tribe fails to submit a title IV-E plan within 24 months of the grant award.

III. Eligibility Information III.1. Eligible Applicants Eligibility is limited to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and tribal consortia. The terms "Indian tribe" and "tribal organization" have the meanings given those terms in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, Pub. L. 93-638, 25 U.S.C. 5304. Also see sections 479B(a) and 476(c)(2)(A)(iii) of the Social Security Act.

These definitions are:

1. 25 U.S.C. 5304(e) "Indian tribe" means any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. 688) [43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.], which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians.

2. 25 U.S.C. 5304(l) "tribal organization" means the recognized governing body of any Indian tribe; any legally established organization of Indians which is controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by such governing body or which is democratically elected by the adult members of the Indian community to be served by such organization and which includes the maximum participation of Indians in all phases of its activities: Provided, that in any case where a contract is let or grant made to an organization to perform services benefiting more than one Indian tribe, the approval of each such Indian tribe shall be a prerequisite to the letting or making of such contract or grant.

Applications from consortia and collaborations must identify a primary applicant responsible for administering the grant.

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

Funding Restrictions Reference Please see Section IV.6. Funding Restrictions for any limitations on the use of federal funds that could affect the eligibility of an applicant or project.

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 funding opportunity.

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 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 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 funding opportunity.

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."

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 www.Grants.gov after 11:59 pm ET on the due date, as indicated by a dated and time-stamped email from www.Grants.gov, will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this funding opportunity. That is, applications submitted to www.Grants.gov, on or after 12:00 am ET on the day after the due date will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this funding opportunity.

Applications submitted to www.Grants.gov at any time during the open application period, and prior to the due date and time, which fail the www.Grants.gov validation check, will not be received at, or acknowledged by ACF.

Each time an application is submitted via www.Grants.gov, the submission will generate a new date and time-stamp email notification. Only those applications with on-time date and time stamps that result in a validated application, which is transmitted to ACF will be acknowledged.

The deadline for receipt of paper applications is 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 competitive review and from funding under this funding opportunity. Paper applications received from applicants that have not https://www.grants.gov/ 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 https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ received approval of an exemption from required electronic submission will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this funding opportunity.

Tribal IV-E Disqualification Factor

NOTE: Applications submitted on behalf of a tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortia must include a Tribal Resolution directing the entity that is acting on their behalf to apply for the Tribal Title IV-E Plan Development Grant.

If an application does not meet this submission criteria, it will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this NOFO.

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 CB Operations Center c/o LCG, Inc.

ATTN: HHS-2022-ACF-ACYF-CS-0079

6000 Executive Boulevard Suite 410 Rockville

MD

20852

(888) 203-6161 CB@grantreview.org Application Packages

Electronic Application Submission:

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

Applications in Paper Format:

For applicants that have received an exemption to submit applications in paper format, Standard Forms, assurances, and certifications are available in the "Select Grant Opportunity Package" available in the NOFO's Grants.gov Synopsis under the Package tab at www.Grants.gov. See Section IV.2. Request an Exemption from Required Electronic Application Submission if applicants do not have an Internet connection or sufficient computing capacity to upload large documents (files) to www.Grants.gov.

Federal Relay Service:

Hearing-impaired and speech-impaired callers may contact the Federal Relay Service (FedRelay) for assistance at www.gsa.gov/fedrelay.

https://www.Grants.gov/ https://www.Grants.gov/ http://www.gsa.gov/fedrelay

IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

FORMATTING APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS

Each applicant applying electronically via www.Grants.gov is required to upload only two electronic files, excluding Standard Forms and OMB-approved forms. No more than two files will be accepted for the review, and additional files will be removed. Standard Forms and OMB-approved forms will not be considered additional files.

FOR ALL APPLICATIONS:

Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) AOR is the designated representative of the applicant/recipient organization with authority to act on the organization’s behalf in matters related to the award and administration of grants. In signing a grant application, this individual agrees that the organization will assume the obligations imposed by applicable Federal statutes and regulations and other terms and conditions of the award, including any assurances, if a grant is awarded.

Point of Contact In addition to the AOR, a point of contact on matters involving the application must also be identified. The point of contact, known as the Project Director or Principal Investigator, should not be identical to the person identified as the AOR. The point of contact must be available to answer any questions pertaining to the application.

Application Checklist Applicants may refer to Section VIII. Other Information for a checklist of application requirements that may be used in developing and organizing application materials.

Accepted Font Style Applications must be in Times New Roman (TNR), 12-point font, except for footnotes, which may be TNR 10-point font. Pages that contain blurred text, or text that is too small to read comfortably, will be removed.

English Language Applications must be submitted in the English language and must be in the terms of United States (U.S.) dollars. If applications are submitted using another currency, ACF will convert the foreign currency to U.S. currency using the date of receipt of the application to determine the rate of exchange.

Page Limitations Applicants must observe the page limitation(s) listed under "PAGE LIMITATIONS AND CONTENT FOR ALL SUBMISSION FORMATS:". 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 in the Project Description file or the Appendices file 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: the table of contents, the one-page Project Summary, required Assurances and Certifications, required SFs, required OMB-approved forms, resumes, logic models, proof of legal status/non-profit status, third-party agreements, letters of support, footnotes, tables, the 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 objective review. The removed page(s) will not be made available to reviewers.

Applications that have more than one scanned page of a document on a single page will have the page(s) removed from the review.

For applicants that submit paper applications, double-sided pages will be counted as two pages.

When the maximum allowed number of pages is reached, excess pages will be removed 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 make revisions to a previously submitted application, ACF will accept only the last on-time application for pre-review under the Application Disqualification Factors. The Application Disqualification Factors determine the application's acceptance for competitive review. 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 submitting electronic applications need not provide additional copies of their application package.

Applicants submitting applications in paper format must submit one original and two copies of the complete application, including all Standard Forms and OMB-approved forms. The original copy must have original signatures.

Signatures Applicants submitting electronic applications must follow the registration and application submission instructions provided at www.Grants.gov.

The original of a paper format application must include original signatures of the authorized representatives.

Accepted Application Format With the exception of the required Standard Forms (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.

ACF generally does not encourage submission of scanned documents as they tend to have reduced clarity and readability. If documents must be scanned, the font size on any scanned documents must be large enough so that it is readable. Documents must be scanned page-for-page, meaning that applicants may not scan more than one page of a document onto a single page. Pages with blurred text will be removed from the application.

PAGE LIMITATIONS AND CONTENT FOR ALL SUBMISSION FORMATS:

Total page limit, inclusive of both files, is 90 pages.

The Project Description file must include these items:

1. Table of Contents

2. Program Summary

3. Objectives and Need for Assistance

4. Approach

5. Organizational Capacity

6. Line Item Budget and Budget Justification

The Appendices file must include these items:

1. Certifications and Assurances

2. Third-party Agreements

3. Staff and Position Data (e.g., resumes, job descriptions, organizational charts)

4. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)

ELECTRONIC APPLICATION SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Applicants are required to submit their applications electronically unless they have requested and 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 www.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.

Adherence to the Two-File Requirement No more than two files will be accepted for the review. Applications with additional files will be amended and files will be removed from the review. SFs and OMB-approved forms will not be considered additional files.

Application Upload Requirements ACF strongly recommends that electronic applications be uploaded as Portable Document Files (PDFs). One file must contain the entire Project Description and Budget Justification; the other file must contain all documents required in the Appendices. Details on the content of each of the two files, as well as page limitations, are listed earlier in this section.

To adhere to the two-file requirement, applicants may need to convert and/or merge documents together using a PDF converter software. Many recent versions of Microsoft Office include the ability to save documents to the PDF format without need of additional software. Applicants using the 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, as scanned documents may have reduced clarity and readability.

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", which is listed under "Applicant Resources." The Adobe verification process allows applicants to test their version of the software by opening a test Workspace PDF form. Grants.gov also includes guidance on how to download a supported version of Adobe, as well as troubleshooting instructions for use, if an applicant is unable to open the test form.

The Adobe Software Compatibility page located on Grants.gov also provides guidance for applicants on filling out a Workspace PDF form. In addition, it addresses local network and/or computer security settings and the impact this has on use of Adobe software.

Required Standard Forms (SFs) and OMB-approved Forms Standard Forms (SFs) and OMB-approved forms, such as the SF-424 application and budget forms and the SF-P/PSL (Project/Performance Site Location), are uploaded separately at Grants.gov. These forms are submitted separately from the Project Description and Appendices files. See Section IV.2. Required Forms, Assurances, and Certifications for the listing of required Standard Forms, OMB-approved forms, and required assurances and certifications.

Naming Application Submission Files Carefully observe the file naming conventions required by www.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 It is critical that applicants submit applications using only the supported file formats listed here.

While ACF supports all of the following file formats, we strongly recommend that the two application submission files (Project Description and Appendices) are uploaded as PDF documents in order to comply with the two-file upload limitation. Documents in file formats that are not supported by ACF will be removed from the application and will not be used in the competitive review. This may make the application incomplete, and ACF will not make any awards based on an incomplete application.

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)

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 be removed from the application and will not be reviewed. This removal may make the application incomplete, and ACF will not make awards based on an incomplete application.

FORMATTING FOR PAPER APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS:

The following requirements are only applicable to applications submitted in paper format.

Applicants must receive an exemption from ACF in order for a paper format application to be accepted for review. For more information on the exemption, see "ACF Policy on Requesting an Exemption from Required Electronic Application Submission'" at www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/howto#chapter-6

Format Requirements for Paper Applications All copies of mailed or hand-delivered 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 application submission must be packaged separately. The package(s) must be clearly labeled with the NOFO title and Funding Opportunity Number

(FON).

Applicants using paper format should download the application forms package associated with the NOFO's Synopsis on www.Grants.gov under the Package tab.

https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/submitting-utf-8-special-characters.html https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/howto#chapter-6 https://www.Grants.gov/

Applicants are advised that the copies of the application submitted, 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.

Addresses for Submission of Paper Applications See Section IV.7. Other Submission Requirements for addresses for paper format application submissions.

Required Forms, Assurances, and Certifications Applicants seeking grant or cooperative agreement awards under this funding opportunity must submit the listed Standard Forms (SFs), assurances, and certifications with the application. All required Standard Forms, assurances, and certifications are available in the Application Package posted for this NOFO at www.Grants.gov.

Forms/Assurances/Certifications Submission Requirement Notes/Description

SF-424 - Application for Federal Assistance

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

Required for all applications.

Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS) and Systems for Award Management (SAM) registration.

Required of all applicants. To obtain a DUNS number, go to http://fedgov.dnb.co m/ webform.

Active registration at the Systems Award Management (SAM) website must be maintained throughout the application and project award period.

SAM registration is available at http://www.sam.gov.

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

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

Submission of the certification is required for all applicants.

https://www.grants.gov/ http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform https://www.sam.gov/

Forms/Assurances/Certifications Submission Requirement Notes/Description submitted prior to the award of a grant.

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…