Foa_Content_of_HHS-2022-ACF-OPRE-FA-0149.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation

Secondary Analyses of Data on the National Incidence of Child Maltreatment

HHS-2022-ACF-OPRE-FA-0149

Application Due Date: 04/25/2022

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

Funding Opportunity Title:

Secondary Analyses of Data on the National Incidence of Child Maltreatment Announcement Type:

Modification Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2022-ACF-OPRE-FA-0149

Primary CFDA Number:

93.670 Due Date for Applications:

04/25/2022 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 Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) is soliciting applications for Secondary Analyses of Data on the National Incidence of Child Maltreatment grants. These grants aim to support researchers conducting secondary analyses of data to inform the ongoing and accurate national surveillance of child abuse and neglect. The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) requires the examination of a wide range of topics related to the national incidence of child abuse and neglect with the aim of informing efforts to better protect children from maltreatment and improve the well-being of victims of maltreatment. These topics include, but are not limited to, trends in number and severity of cases, incidence of screened out and investigated (substantiated and unsubstantiated) cases, and incidence and prevalence of maltreatment by a wide variety of demographic characteristics. ACF is particularly interested in innovative methodological approaches that leverage existing local, state, or national survey or administrative data sources to inform a comprehensive national picture of the scope and characteristics of child maltreatment, account for unreported cases, and/or consider variation in child welfare policies and practices across states and over time.

For further information about OPRE, see https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre.

I. Program Description Statutory Authority Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, 42 U.S.C. 5105

Description The Secondary Analyses of Data on the National Incidence of Child Maltreatment grants are intended to inform the ongoing and accurate national surveillance of child abuse and neglect.

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

The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) requires the examination of a wide range of topics related to the national incidence of child abuse and neglect with the aim of informing efforts to better protect children from maltreatment and improve the well-being of victims of maltreatment. These topics include, but are not limited to, trends in number and severity of cases, incidence of screened out and investigated (substantiated and unsubstantiated) cases, and incidence and prevalence of maltreatment by a wide variety of demographic characteristics. For a full list of topics see clauses (i) through (xi) of paragraph (1)(O) in CAPTA Sec. 104. Research and Assistance Activities and Demonstrations (42 USC 5105(a)(1)(O)(i.-xi).

The specific goals of the Secondary Analyses of Data on the National Incidence of Child Maltreatment grants are to:

Examine research topics related to the national incidence of child abuse and neglect as articulated in CAPTA;

Encourage active communication, networking, and collaboration among prominent child maltreatment researchers and policymakers; and

Increase the capacity of child maltreatment researchers to analyze existing data source and disseminate their findings to multiple audiences.

ACF is particularly interested in innovative methodological approaches that leverage existing local, state, or national survey or administrative data sources to inform a comprehensive national picture of the scope and characteristics of child maltreatment, account for unreported cases, and/or consider variation in child welfare policies and practices across states and over time.

This may include, but is not limited to, secondary analyses that link the National Child Abuse & Neglect Data System (NCANDS) to other data sources, such as the:

State Child Abuse & Neglect (SCAN) Policies Database;

Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS);

U.S. Census Bureau data;

National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD); or National Vital Statistics.

Select data sources of potential relevance, including but not limited to NCANDS, AFCARS, NYTD, and the SCAN Policies Database, can be accessed through the National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect (NDACAN).

Project Requirements Grant recipients must conduct secondary analyses to inform the ongoing and accurate national surveillance of child abuse and neglect and publicly disseminate findings from those analyses.

Grant recipients may conduct analyses of individual data sources or linked data sources.

When issuing statements, press releases, publications, requests for proposal, bid solicitations and other documents -- such as tool-kits, resource guides, websites, and presentations (hereafter “statements”) -- describing the projects or programs funded in whole or in part with HHS federal funds, the recipient must clearly state the following:

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/law-regulation/child-abuse-prevention-and-treatment-act-capta https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/research-data-technology/reporting-systems/ncands https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/research-data-technology/reporting-systems/ncands https://www.scanpoliciesdatabase.com/ https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/data-research/adoption-fostercare https://www.census.gov/data.html https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/research-data-technology/reporting-systems/nytd https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/index.htm https://www.ndacan.acf.hhs.gov/ https://www.ndacan.acf.hhs.gov/

1. the percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the program or project funded with federal money; and

2. the percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the project or program funded by non-governmental sources.

When issuing statements resulting from activities supported by HHS financial assistance, the recipient entity must include an acknowledgement of federal assistance using the following statement or a similar statement.

If the HHS Grant or Cooperative Agreement is NOT funded with other non-governmental sources:

"This [project/publication/program/website, etc.] [is/was] supported by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the United States (U.S.) Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $XX with 100 percent funded by ACF/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ACF/HHS or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit the ACF website, Administrative and National Policy Requirements."

Attendance at Meetings.

The Project Director or Principal Investigator must attend quarterly virtual calls with other Secondary Analyses of Data on the National Incidence of Child Maltreatment grant recipients.

The Project Director or Principal Investigator must attend and present at two meetings of all Secondary Analyses of Data on the National Incidence of Child Maltreatment grant recipients .

These meetings will be held in early 2023 and 2024 in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area and will last approximately 1 day each. The proposed budget should reflect travel funds to attend the two meetings of grant recipients.

COVID-19 Response If, during the project period, OPRE and/or recipients are required to adjust project requirements due to COVID-19 or other emergency, OPRE will exercise maximum flexibilities as needed.

Requirements may be conducted virtually, or timelines may be modified in consultation with

OPRE.

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 NOFO, Section III.1.

Eligible Applicants. Additionally, all subrecipient(s) must obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, or after government-wide implementation, a Unique Entity Identifier https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements assigned by the System for Award Management (SAM), if they do not already have one. Prime recipients are required to check SAM to verify that the subrecipient(s) is/are not debarred, suspended, or ineligible.

Please reference the Award Term and Condition on Subawards on the ACF Administrative and National Policy Requirements website for further requirements involving subawards.

II. Federal Award Information Funding Instrument Type:

G (Grant) Estimated Total Funding:

$400,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$100,000 Per Project Period

Award Floor:

$90,000 Per Project Period

Average Projected Award Amount:

$100,000 Per Project Period

Anticipated Project Start Date:

09/30/2022 Length of Project Periods:

18-month project period and budget period

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

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

Applications requesting an award amount that exceeds the Award Ceiling per budget period, or per project period, as stated in this section, will be disqualified from 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 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#book_content_14 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.

Budget Period: The period of time for which funds are made available to a particular grantee will be only one budget period for the entire project period, which is 18 months in length starting on September 30, 2022, and ending March 29, 2024.

Project Period: The total length of the proposed project, which is 18 months in length, starts on September 30, 2022, and ends on March 29, 2024.

Continuation awards will not be offered. Applicants must provide a budget for the entire project period.

III. Eligibility Information III.1. Eligible Applicants Eligibility is open to organizations/entities that apply on behalf of researchers who hold doctorate or equivalent degrees in their respective fields, conduct research as a primary professional responsibility, and have been first or second author on publications in peer-reviewed research journals.

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.

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

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

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement:

No 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 Applicant organizations/entities may submit more than one application, on behalf of more than one researcher, subject to the qualifications listed in this section.

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."

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

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 received approval of an exemption from required electronic submission will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this funding opportunity.

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

IV. Application and Submission Information IV.1. Address to Request Application Package OPRE Review Team National Incidence of Child Maltreatment Grants c/o ICF International 9300 Lee Highway Fairfax

VA

22031

(877) 350-5913

(703) 934-3470 nationalincidence@icf.com Application Packages

Electronic Application Submission:

https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/

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.

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.

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

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:

With the exception of Standard Forms (SFs) and OMB-approved forms, the application submission is limited to 75 pages in its entirety.

Applicants must number the pages of their application beginning with the Table of Contents.

Applicants must include the following materials according to the format for their application package, and in the order presented below:

1. Project Description. (File 1) o Table of Contents.

o Project Summary.

o Project Description (Approach, Expected Outcomes, Timeline and Milestones).

The project description should be carefully developed in accordance with the research goals as described in Section I. Program Description of this opportunity and should describe the background, significance, and objectives of the work as well as the proposed research design and methodology. Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the detailed Evaluation Criteria found in Section V.1. to inform the development of their project description.

o Staffing and Management Plan.

o Protection of Sensitive and/or Confidential Information.

o Dissemination Plan.

o Budget and Budget Justification.

2. Appendices. (File 2) o Legal Status of Applicant Entity.

o Plan for Oversight of Federal Award Funds and Activities.

o Third-Party Agreements.

o Resumes/Curricula Vitae/Biographical Sketches and other evidence of

Organizational Capacity.

o Letters of Support.

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) https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/submitting-utf-8-special-characters.html

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.

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.

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/howto#chapter-6

Forms/Assurances/Certifications Submission Requirement Notes/Description

Protection of Human Subjects Assurance Identification / IRB Certification / Declaration of Exemption (Common Rule)

Submission of the required information and forms is due with the application package by the due date listed in the Overview and Secti on IV.4. Submission Dates and Times. If the information is not available at the time of application, it must be submitted prior to the award of a grant.

Form is available at http:// www.hhs.gov/ ohrp/ assurances/ forms/index.html.

General information about the HHS Protection of Human Subjects regulations can be obtained at http://www.

hhs.gov/ ohrp/ . Applicants may also contact OHRP by email (OHRP@HHS.gov) or by phone (240-453-6900).

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.

SF-424 Key Contact Form

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

Required for all applications.

Certification Regarding Lobbying (Grants.gov Lobbying Form)

Submission required of all applicants with

Submission of the certification is required for all applicants.

http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/assurances/forms/index.html http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/assurances/forms/index.html http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/assurances/forms/index.html http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/ http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/ mailto:OHRP@HHS.gov http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform https://www.sam.gov/

Requirement Notes/Description the application package. If it is not submitted with the application package, it must be submitted prior to the award of a grant.

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

Submission is required for all applicants when applying for a non-construction project.

Standard Forms must be used. Forms must be submitted by the application due date.

By signing and submitting the SF- 424B, applicants are making the appropriate certification of their compliance with all Federal statutes relating to nondiscrimination.

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

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

Requirement Notes/Description

United States to insure or guarantee a loan, the applicant shall complete and submit the SF-LLL, "Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying," in accordance with its instructions.

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

Disclosures must be sent in writing to:

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

And to:

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

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

Fax: (202) 205-0604 (Include “Mandatory Grant Disclosures” in subject line) or

Email: MandatoryGranteeDisclosures@oig.hhs.gov

SF-424 Key Contact Form The contact form should include information for the Principal Investigator or Project Director and the organization's authorized fiscal representative.

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

The Project Description The Project Description Overview http://MandatoryGranteeDisclosures@oig.hhs.gov

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

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

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

Letter of Intent Applicants are strongly encouraged to notify ACF of their intention to submit an application under this funding opportunity. Please submit a letter of intent by the deadline date listed in Section IV.4. Submission Dates and Times. The letter of intent should include the following information: number and title of this funding opportunity; the name and address of the applicant organization; and the name, phone number, fax number and email address of a contact person.

Letter of intent information will be used to determine the number of expert reviewers needed to evaluate applications. The letter of intent is optional. Failure to submit a letter of intent will not impact eligibility to submit an application and will not disqualify an application from competitive review.

Letters of intent should be submitted via e-mail to nationalincidence@icf.com or mailed to the following address:

OPRE Review Team: National Incidence of Child Maltreatment c/o ICF International 9300 Lee Highway Fairfax, VA 22031

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

Project Summary Provide a summary of the application project description. It must be clear, accurate, concise, and without cross-references to other parts of the application. The summary must include a brief description of the proposed grant project including the needs to be addressed, the proposed services, and the population group(s) to be served.

Please place the following at the top of the Project Summary:

Project Title Applicant Name Address mailto:nationalincidence@icf.com

Contact Phone Numbers (Voice, Fax, Cell) Email Address Website Address, if applicable

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

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

Non-Profit Organizations

Proof of Non-Profit Status Options:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Expected Outcomes Identify the outcomes to be achieved from the project. Outcomes should relate to the overall program as described in Section I. Program Description. If research is part of the proposed work, outcomes must include hypothesized results and implications of the proposed research.

Approach Outline a plan of action that describes the scope and detail of how the proposed project will be accomplished. Applicants must account for all functions or activities identified in the application.

Cite potential obstacles and challenges to accomplishing project goals and explain strategies that will be used to address these challenges.

Applicants must state concisely the objectives of the proposed project, including the impact that the results of the proposed research may exert on the ongoing and accurate surveillance of child abuse and neglect. Applicants must explain how the proposed project is innovative and identify any novel approaches or methods employed to rigorously address the research questions.

Applicants must demonstrate a familiarity with the proposed data source(s).

The following information must be included:

A. Background, Significance, and Objectives. Applicants must demonstrate their understanding of critical issues and existing knowledge and describe their objective and the overall significance of their proposal. Applicants must demonstrate how their proposal will inform the ongoing and accurate national surveillance of child maltreatment, how it is related to the goals of the grant program (articulated in Section I. Project Description), and how findings may address key gaps in knowledge and/or improve on existing methodological approaches to surveil child maltreatment. Applicants must include a thorough and rigorous literature review, drawing on the most recent literature available. The applicants are required to briefly discuss previous studies related to the proposed study and to identify gaps in the literature. The literature review must provide a sound justification for the proposed research project and the novel information that will be produced.

B. Research Design and Methodology. The applicant must demonstrate that they have a strong research design and clear methodology. Applicants are expected to make a clear connection between the research questions proposed and the research methodology that will be used, illustrating that the methodology is appropriate to address the research questions of interest.

Applicants should incorporate the following information:

1. Specific research questions of interest. The applicants must list the specific research questions proposed to inform the ongoing and accurate surveillance of the national incidence of child maltreatment.

2. Data sources. Identify and describe the data source(s) that will be used. Provide evidence of access to the selected data source(s) to the extent that such documentation can be generated at the time of application submission, by, for example, including copies of written agreements between the applicant and the individuals/entities authorized to provide access to specific administrative data sources or copies of licenses or approvals for restricted-use data sources. If data sources are not yet accessible at the time of application, describe the expected timeline and activities necessary to obtain data access prior to grant award. Describe, if applicable, how previous collaborations and/or communications with data owners or archivers have informed the expected timeline and the feasibility of the proposed activities. Describe the nature and scope, including the sample or population of each data source. Explain how the data is appropriate for the proposed project. If applicable, describe the procedures that will be used to link data sources. Describe the procedures that will be used to clean and process data.

3. Sample. Describe (if applicable) the proposed sampling frame, how it will be constructed, and how it relates to the population of interest. Describe how the proposed project will provide for adequate protection of human subjects and describe the process by which

Human Subjects Certification/Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval has or will be obtained prior to award or, if applicable, exemption has already been obtained.

4. Variables. The applicant is required to specify the specific variables that will be used, how they will be constructed (if applicable), and the psychometric properties of each measure (if applicable). The applicant must demonstrate that the data sources and associated variables are appropriate to answer the proposed research questions.

5. Analytic Strategy. Provide a detailed, state-of-the-art plan describing the approach that will be used to analyze and interpret the…