Foa_Content_of_HHS-2022-ACF-ORR-RG-0053.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Office of Refugee Resettlement

Refugee Microenterprise Development Program

HHS-2022-ACF-ORR-RG-0053

Application Due Date: 06/20/2022

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 (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM)

IV.4. Submission Dates and Times

Explanation of Due Dates

Acknowledgement of Received Application

IV.5. Intergovernmental Review

IV.6. Funding Restrictions

IV.7. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Criteria

V.2. Review and Selection Process

V.3. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

VI. Federal Award Administration Information

VI.1. Federal Award Notices

VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

VI.3. Reporting

VII. HHS Award Agency Contact(s)

VIII. Other Information

Reference Websites

Application Checklist

Appendix

Funding Opportunity Title:

Refugee Microenterprise Development Program Announcement Type:

Initial Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2022-ACF-ORR-RG-0053

Primary CFDA Number:

93.576 Due Date for Applications:

06/20/2022 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 Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), invites eligible entities to submit competitive grant applications for the Refugee Microenterprise Development (MED) Program.

Since 1991, ORR has provided funding and Training/Technical Assistance (T/TA) to a variety of public agencies, community economic development agencies, local mutual assistance associations, and voluntary agencies. The purpose of the ORR MED Program is to support the provision of economic inclusion and integration opportunities for newly arrived refugees and asylees.

Under the Refugee MED Program, recipients are permitted to disburse credit builder and microenterprise loans, provide culturally/linguistically appropriate T/TA, and allocate grant funds to the management of MED Program(s).

I. Program Description Statutory Authority Immigration and Nationality Act § 412(c)(1)(A), 8 U.S.C. § 1522(c)(1)(A)

Description Background

The path to economic integration for refugees in the United States frequently involves the desire to pursue economic inclusion through entrepreneurship. Refugees bring a wealth of skills, https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant educational backgrounds, and experiences with them from their countries of origin. Often, they may have owned small businesses or had entire careers prior to immigrating.

Refugees typically endure many hardships on their paths to the United States. As a result, it is difficult, if not nearly impossible, for them to start small businesses when they first arrive, as they may lack the necessary resources and/or social capital necessary to access financial products from traditional banking institutions. Moreover, several barriers may contribute to an inability to acquire capital, such as limited English proficiency, cultural incompatibilities, insufficient and/or poor credit history, inadequate collateral and/or equity, and limited knowledge of business practices in the United States.

To overcome these challenges, ORR developed the Refugee MED Program, which has provided thousands of refugees with the opportunity to realize their dreams of entrepreneurship through the provision of access to capital, financial literacy curricula, and T/TA. Throughout its tenure, the ORR MED Program has contributed to the creation of numerous microenterprises and employment opportunities for refugees in the United States.

Purpose and Scope of the MED Program

The purpose of the ORR Refugee MED Program, hereafter referred to in the NOFO as the MED Program, is to promote refugee economic integration by supporting the development, expansion, and/or sustainability of refugee-owned microbusinesses.

The MED Program assists refugees in establishing microenterprises through the provision of access to capital, the ability to repair and/or establish credit, and T/TA. More specifically, MED Program recipients may provide Credit Builder Loans (CBLs) to ORR-eligible entrepreneurs who intend to pursue a MED loan, but first need assistance in establishing or repairing their credit.

Under the MED Program, allowable activities include, but are not limited to, the disbursement of loan capital, the establishment of loan opportunities with traditional banking institutions, the maintenance of a Revolving Loan Fund (RLF), the provision of T/TA, and the administration of the MED program. The list of allowable activities is described in more detail in the next section, MED Allowable Activities.

MED Allowable Activities

Business Development Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA)

MED Program recipients are required to provide their ORR-eligible entrepreneurs with appropriate T/TA. Please note, within this NOFO, MED Program participants may interchangeably be referred to as refugee clients, entrepreneurs, and/or microentrepreneurs.

The primary objective of business development T/TA is to support refugee microentrepreneurs as they establish, develop, and/or maintain sustainable businesses.

Additionally, within this NOFO, training is defined as a curriculum delivered to potential, or current entrepreneurs, in a classroom and/or group setting. Moreover, TA is defined as individualized or one-on-one consulting, counseling, mentoring, or facilitating related to the business or personal development of the entrepreneur.

As previously stated, refugees bring a variety of skills and educational and professional backgrounds with them to the United States. As such, the type, duration, and intensity of T/TA provided to participants will depend on their specific needs and availabilities. MED Program recipients are encouraged to incorporate the input and/or lived experiences of clients and graduates into their program designs and implementation practices. More specifically, T/TA curricula should be collaboratively designed to accurately reflect the cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic needs of served communities. Additionally, it is preferable that the training be short in duration (e.g., not to exceed 4 or 5 weeks) and contain a comprehensive curriculum that promotes successful and compliant business development and sustainability.

Examples of appropriate MED T/TA topics include business planning, customer service, cashflow projections, employment regulations, financial and cash management, financial literacy, inventory management, licensing/regulation, marketing, personnel management, record-keeping, taxation, time management, and any other topic deemed essential to the success of small businesses.

Credit Builder Loans (CBLs)

As previously mentioned, newly arrived refugees often lack the financial resources and credit required to access traditional loan products. To meet its goal of promoting economic inclusion, accessibility, and mobility, ORR encourages recipients to assist ORR-eligible clients in establishing credit histories and/or improving their credit scores by providing credit-specific T/TA and by disbursing CBLs to clients with no, low, and/or damaged credit.

Within this NOFO, CBLs are defined as microloans that are disbursed to ORR-eligible microentrepreneurs who are not yet eligible for MED loan products, but have intentions of eventually applying for MED loan(s). Moreover, CBL recipients must only use loan funds for business-related purposes.

More specifically, to be approved for CBLs, refugee entrepreneurs must:

Meet the definition of eligibility for ORR services (see Section III.3. Eligible Clients for more information), but first need to strengthen their loan application before they are ready to apply for a MED loan.

Successfully complete CBL-related T/TA prior to applying for and/or receiving the CBL.

The T/TA should cover topics such as general financial literacy, the importance of credit, budgeting, etc.

Clearly demonstrate a commitment to continue with the MED Program after repayment of the CBL, as evidenced by written confirmation (and as stipulated by the MED Program recipient).

Use the CBL funds for business-related purposes only.

The business-related purpose of CBLs should be directly linked to the microenterprise that the ORR-eligible entrepreneur is establishing, expanding, and/or sustaining. Examples of appropriate CBL utilization activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Supplies needed to provide home-based services.

Tools required for car service providers and maintenance technicians.

Inventory supplies for small retail stores or food service providers.

Training to obtain needed licenses or certifications (e.g., food handlers licenses, drivers licenses, etc.), and Computer equipment, software, and/or digital access tool(s) needed to establish and/or expand a business.

As previously stated, microentrepreneurs who receive CBLs should demonstrate a commitment to continuing with the MED Program upon full repayment of their CBL. The specific conditions of the CBL are as follows:

The CBL amount must not exceed $1,500 per refugee client.

To build credit, the refugee client should not repay the CBL all at once. Instead, the payment must be incrementally structured over a 6- to 12-month period.

When the principal loan amount is repaid with interest, it becomes program income. The program income is added back to the recipient’s CBL fund to disburse CBL loans to other refugees throughout the grant’s project period. Within this NOFO, budget year refers to fiscal year (FY) and project period refers to the entirety of the 5-year project.

MED Programs should report loan repayments to one of the credit bureaus, if necessary, through arrangements with a member organization.

Microentrepreneurs who receive CBLs are not eligible for additional loans until their CBL is repaid in full.

MED Loans

MED loans are small amounts of capital (e.g., $15,000, or less) that are disbursed to ORR-eligible entrepreneurs who are clearly committed to starting, expanding, stabilizing, and/or sustaining a small business. Typically, these funds are disbursed as individual loans from an established Revolving Loan Fund (RLF). A RLF is a fund set aside within the grant that is allocated to disbursing loans to refugee clients, with stipulations that repayment of the principal with interest to the fund is used to make loans to new borrowers. To give flexibility of operations to recipients, ORR does not specify how much of the grant should be allocated for revolving loans, as opposed to operating funds, and will review each project on a case-by-case basis to determine reasonableness.

The microentrepreneur may ultimately use MED loans for working capital, inventory, supplies, furniture, fixtures, machinery, tools, equipment, minor building renovation, and/or leasehold improvements (which neither add to the permanent value of the property nor appreciably prolong its intended life) to meet the business licensing requirements. The following factors are specific conditions of MED loans:

The maximum loan amount to be given to a refugee client from the ORR RLF is $15,000.

MED Programs should attempt to make at least 15 loans per year; of the 15 loans, 5 loans may be repeat loans (repeat loans do not include CBL loans).

Repeat loans to refugee clients are limited to 25 percent of the loans in any budget year.

Refugee clients must pay any outstanding loan in full before applying for another loan.

Furthermore, if a refugee client takes out a repeat loan, excluding CBLs, they may not receive more than $20,000 total in MED loans during the entire (5-year) project period.

MED Program recipients must establish policies and procedures to screen potential refugee clients, and those policies and procedures must be clearly conveyed to clients. Screening typically includes assessing the client’s credit history, capacity to repay, collateral offering(s), equity investment(s), and most importantly, their character. While ORR does not establish the exact evaluation formula for recipients to follow, ORR expects MED recipients to lend in a responsible manner and always prioritize the financial health of the client.

MED Program recipients may elect to use funds from local, state, and federal grant programs, and from commercial lending institutions and philanthropic donors to leverage the limited amount of ORR funds available for this purpose. Thus, MED Program recipients may elect to establish cooperative relationships and Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with one or more community financial institution(s), in order in order to bridge the financial gap for clients searching for loans greater than $15,000, and to facilitate client access to the mainstream banking sector.

Financial management and reporting must meet the standards established in 45 CFR §75.302 (b)(3). Moreover, if an MED Program recipient does choose to leverage loan or T/TA funds from a different source, such funds must be kept separate and not be commingled with ORR grant funds.

MED Program recipients are responsible for the management and collection of outstanding loans during the project period. During loan repayment period(s), MED Program recipients may restructure loans to facilitate client repayment abilities. MED Program recipients are also permitted to refinance business loans that a client may have received from a predatory financial institution, or payday lender. However, the loan application requirements and maximum loan amount must be the same as any other MED loan.

The guidelines for MED loan repayment are as follows:

The repayment period must be determined by the borrower’s ability to submit payments from business-derived income. However, all loans must be repaid within the 5-year project period. Additionally, if ORR funds are used in combination with other sources, the ORR portion of the loan must be repaid within the 5-year project period.

New refugee business owners are permitted a 3-month grace period. For purposes of this NOFO, a grace period is defined as the 3-month period from the date the loan is disbursed to the time the refugee client starts repaying the loan with interest.

Refugee clients with existing businesses are not permitted a grace period before repayment begins. For existing business owners, payment of the principal with interest should begin within 30 days of the loan’s disbursement.

When the principal loan amount is repaid with interest, it becomes program income.

Any program income should be added back to the MED Program recipient’s fund to disburse MED loans to other clients during the 5-year project period. For more information, please see the Treatment of Program Income section, under Post-Award Requirements.

MED Program recipients are also expected to make a diligent effort to collect loans within the project period; however, because of the risks involved, some defaults may occur. Uncollectable debts may not be charged to the grant. Collection-related and legal costs arising from such debts, after they have been determined to be uncollectable, are also unallowable per 45 CFR §75.426.

However, MED Programs are encouraged to leverage additional non-federal funds to create a loan loss reserve (LLR). A LLR is a separate fund that is used to make up for the dollar amount of loans made to refugee clients if the loan, or part of the loan, is declared non-recoverable and written off.

Program Requirements

Case Files

MED Program recipients are required to open and maintain confidential case files, for each of their enrolled clients, to demonstrate programmatic eligibility, verify grant-related spending, and to track program-related outcomes. Consistent with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number for this record keeping requirement is: 0970-0558, and the expiration date is 11/30/2023.

If the MED Program recipient utilizes an electronic case file system, then safeguards, such as limited access to the data and encryption, must be in place to protect refugee client information. Additionally, as per § 75.361 - Retention Requirements for Records, with a few exceptions, MED grant-related records (including case files) must be retained for a period of at least 3 years.

At a minimum, comprehensive case files must contain the following:

A completed enrollment and/or intake form;

Copies of documents that verify eligibility for this project;

A completed application, that includes the business’ net income at the time of enrollment;

A brief business that includes a 1-year cash flow statement and/or projection;

A promissory note or a loan agreement; and Detailed documentation of all T/TA provided, including the type of service(s) provided, the name of the individual who provided the service(s), the date of service(s), and the duration (in hours) of service(s) provision.

More specifically, intake information must include the following information for each client:

Full Name;

Alien Number;

Date of Birth (DOB);

Date of Eligibility;

Date of Enrollment;

Date of Projected Program Service Termination;

Documentation of Eligibility for MED Program Services;

Current Address; and Status(es) Under Which Client Arrived in the United States.

MED Program recipients should refer to the following ORR website for the list of documents that are acceptable proof of refugee status: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/resource/status-and-documentation-requirements-for-the-orr-refugee-resettlement-program.

As previously stated, MED Program recipients must establish and maintain written policies and procedures, and procedures pertaining to lending, administering loan repayments, and collections (if needed). Lending policies must clearly state the following:

The maximum amount of money to be loaned, The interest to be charged on the loan (MED Program recipients may not charge interest rates that exceed 4 percentage points above the U.S. Prime Rate), The period of loan repayment, The specific criteria, weights, and/or process to be used in evaluating loan applications, including who approves or disapproves loan applications, and The loan collection policy and procedures, including writing off uncollectible loan amounts.

Interest Rates & Loan Stipulations

MED Program recipients may not charge interest rates that exceed 4 percentage points above the U.S. Prime Rate, as published in the Wall Street Journal at the time of loan approval. If ORR loan funds are to be used in combination with funds from other sources to meet the capital needs of clients, the interest rates on the ORR portion(s) of the loan may not exceed 4 percentage points above the U.S. Prime Rate.

Additionally, ORR funds may not be used for the following:

Gambling or speculation, including buying and selling equity (or debt instruments), Employing undocumented or unverified workers, Massage parlors and spas without appropriate licensing, Non-profit undertaking(s), Paying legal fees of any kind, Any illegal activities, including the producing, servicing, or distributing of illegal products, Non-MED-related purposes (e.g., purchasing an automobile for personal use), https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/resource/status-and-documentation-requirements-for-the-orr-refugee-resettlement-program https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/resource/status-and-documentation-requirements-for-the-orr-refugee-resettlement-program

Costs prohibited under applicable laws and regulations (or prohibited under the cost principles governing HHS grants, 45 CFR §§ 75.400-75.477), and

Any other activity that ORR determines, in consultation with the recipient, to be inappropriate for the MED Program and federal funding. Please reference Section IV.6.

Funding Restrictions for more information.

Eligible Clients

The MED Program is open to any eligible individual who is interested in starting, expanding, or strengthening a microbusiness. It is important to note that the MED Program is open to individuals who only require access to capital and/or T/TA. Please reference Section III.3. Other for more information about eligibility.

Coordination with the Refugee Resettlement Community

Coordination with the local refugee resettlement community is critical to the success of MED Program recipients. MED Program recipients are required to include regular coordination with Resettlement Agencies (RAs), State Refugee Coordinators or Replacement Designees, and other relevant community services providers to extend the effort of the outreach, awareness, and coordination with the refugee resettlement community. Examples of activities that further strategic partnerships and facilitate resource mapping include:

Attendance at quarterly consultations with RAs, Regular meetings with State Refugee Coordinators, and Participation in other relevant forums (related to refugee resettlement).

Post-Award Requirements

COVID-19 Response

ORR recognizes that COVID-19 has necessitated the minimization of in-person contact to ensure the safety and health of MED Program staff and participants. While ORR will exercise maximum flexibilities and provide updated, programmatic guidance, during this time, recipients, and if applicable, subrecipient(s), are required to adjust activities according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 recommendations. The most current CDC COVID-19 recommendations can be found via the following website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.

Moreover, modifications to prevent the spread of COVID-19 should include, but are not limited to the following:

Social distancing strategies (e.g., remote case management and use of video and audio conferencing), and

Planning for staff-related absenteeism and shortages.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html

Please note that recipients who receive an award under this NOFO must propose innovative solutions for service provision during the pandemic.

Program Performance Evaluation

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), ORR has obtained approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its post-award data indicators. Grant recipients will be required to report data points collected on OMB Form 0970-0490 (Expiration date: 01/31/2023) on a semi-annual basis. Please reference the Appendix for the full list of current indicators.

Participation in ORR-Sponsored Training Events

MED Program recipients are expected to participate in ORR-sponsored seminars, trainings, and peer-sharing events throughout the project period. ORR will heavily rely on MED Program recipients to share their expertise and present on relevant topics. An annual workshop is planned for each program year, and MED Program recipients are required to attend.

ORR funds are permitted to be used to support the attendance of up to two staff members, including, but not limited to Directors, Program Managers, and Program Coordinators.

Additional staff members are welcome to attend, but the organization must request ORR approval and pay for the trip with other funds.

Refugee MED Program Evaluation

If ACF identifies additional resources to fund a federal study of the funded Refugee MED Program activities, then the recipient will be required to participate. The study would utilize an outside non-recipient evaluation team and would focus on the processes, implementation, progress indicators, and quality improvement of funded activities.

NOTE: Consistent with the PRA of 1995, (44 U.S.C. §§ 3501-3521), under this NOFO, ORR will not conduct or sponsor – and a person is not required to respond to – a collection of information covered by such Act, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. ORR will obtain OMB approval for a federal study of the funded MED Program activities, as appropriate.

Treatment of Program Income

Within the MED Program, program income is any income derived from the project. In accordance with 45 CFR § 75.305, to the extent possible, recipients must disburse funds available from program income before requesting additional cash payments. In this case, program income generally consists of the following:

The principal amount of loan repaid, Interest earned on individual loans or from the revolving loan fund deposited in the bank, Application and/or closing fees, and Late payment fees.

During the project period, MED Program recipients may retain the program income to expand the pool of credit, as per 45 CFR § 75.307(e)(2). However, at the end of the project period, all unexpended program income funds must be returned to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Payment Management Services in accordance with 45 CFR § 75.381(d).

Any fees, such as application fees, closing fees, and/or charges imposed on refugee clients by the MED Program recipient or its subrecipients or affiliates (e.g., loan processing or training fees), must be disclosed in the recipient’s application and pre-approved by the Office of Grants Management (OGM). Additionally, all program income must be reported on the Financial Standard Form (SF-425) semi-annually throughout the project period. For more information about reporting requirements, please see Section VI.3. Reporting.

Subawards

Recipients under this grant program may opt to transfer a portion of their programmatic work to other organizations through subaward(s). See Section IV.2. The Project Description and The Project Budget and Budget Justification. 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. As specified in 45 CFR § 75.352, subrecipient monitoring activities alone 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, as per 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 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:

$5,000,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$250,000 Per Budget Period https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#book_content_14 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements

Award Floor:

$150,000 Per Budget Period

Average Projected Award Amount:

$175,000 Per Budget Period

Anticipated Project Start Date:

09/30/2022 Length of Project Periods:

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

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

Awards made under this 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 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.

Awards for the second, third, fourth, and fifth 12-month budget periods will be made subsequent to approval of Non-Competing Continuation applications and will be subject to the availability of funds, satisfactory performance progress by the recipient, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the federal government.

The Grants Project Team (Grant Management Specialist and Federal Project Officer) will use the grantee’s semi-annual performance progress and financial reports, site visits, audit reports, and other supporting documentation to determine, in accordance with the requirements in the Competitive MED Program NOFO and statute, if satisfactory progress is being made. ORR will factor in the grantees ability to meet the due dates as identified in the NOFO.

Additionally, the Grants Project Team’s review of reports and other documentation will be used to assess progress in:

Accomplishing the project goals, objectives, and activities;

Completing proposed activities; and

Documenting allowable expenses that support project goals, objectives, and the approved budget.

Please refer to Section VI.3. Reporting for more information on required reports.

III. Eligibility Information III.1. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants for refugee programs under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) § 412(c)(1)(A) are "public and private nonprofit agencies," such as the following:

City or township governments, County governments, Independent school districts, Native American tribal governments (federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments), Non-profits with 501(c)(3) IRS status (other than institutions of higher education), Non-profits without 501(c)(3) IRS status (other than institutions of higher education), Private institutions of higher education, Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Public- and state-controlled institutions of higher education, Special district governments, and State governments.

MED Program recipients that were awarded in fiscal year (FY) 2016 or FY 2017 are eligible to re-apply under this NOFO. MED Program recipients that were awarded in FY 2021 are eligible to re-apply under this NOFO but must target a new geographic area.

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

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

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

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 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

Eligible Clients

Only those ORR-eligible individuals, who are not yet citizens and who have been in the United States for no more than 5 years at the time of enrollment, are eligible for the MED Program. ORR assistance and services must be provided to eligible individuals without regard to race, religion, nationality, sex, or political opinion.

Additionally, for ease of reference and purposes of this NOFO, the term refugee refers to individuals with the following statuses, who are eligible for ORR benefits (see 45 CFR § 400.43(a) (1)-(6) or statutory provisions cited below):

1. Individuals paroled as refugees or asylees under § 212(d)(5) of INA.

2. Refugees admitted under § 207 of INA.

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

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

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

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

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

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

5. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) provided the individuals previously held one of the statuses identified above. (Note that this does not refer to Amerasians (#6 below) or Special Immigrant Visa holders from Iraq and Afghanistan (#7 below), who are admitted as LPRs.

6. Certain Amerasians from Vietnam, who are admitted to the U.S. as immigrants pursuant to § 584 of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1988 (as contained in § 101(e) of Public Law (Pub. L.) 100-202), as amended (8 U.S.C. § 1101 note).

7. Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrants per section 1244(g) of Div. A of Pub. L. 110-181, as amended (8 U.S.C. § 1157 note) and section 602(b) (8) of Div. F of Pub. L. 111-8, as amended (8 U.S.C. § 1101 note).

8. Afghan citizens or nationals, as per Policy Letter (PL) 22-01 and PL 22-02, paroled into the United States between July 31, 2021, and September 20, 2022. Additionally, a spouse of any Afghan humanitarian parolee who is paroled into the United States after September 20, 2022. ORR benefits are available until March 31, 2023, or the end of an individual’s parole term, whichever is later.

9. Victims of a severe form of trafficking in persons per the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, Pub. L. 106-386, as amended, 22 U.S.C. § 7105(b) (1)(A) and (C).

Detailed information on eligibility of ORR-funded projects is available at 45 CFR § 400.32, ORR PL 16-01, and ORR PL 22-02, which can be found on the following ORR website: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/policy-guidance/policy-letters.

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

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/policy-guidance/policy-letters

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 funding under this funding opportunity. This disqualification applies only to the Award Ceiling listed for the first 12-month budget period for projects with multiple budget periods. If the project and budget period are the same, the disqualification applies to the Award Ceiling listed for the project period.

Required Electronic Application Submission

ACF requires electronic submission of applications at Grants.gov. Paper applications received from applicants that have not been approved for an exemption from required electronic submission will be disqualified from competitive review and 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 Grants.gov after 11:59 pm ET on the due date, as indicated by a dated and time-stamped email from Grants.gov, will be disqualified from competitive review and funding under this funding opportunity. That is, applications submitted to Grants.gov, on or after 12:00 am ET on the day after the due date will be disqualified from competitive review and funding under this funding opportunity.

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

Each time an application is submitted via 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 funding under 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 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 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 Ashley Davis-Barham Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Mary E. Switzer Building 330 C Street SW Washington

DC

20201 Ashley.Davis-Barham@acf.hhs.gov Application Packages

Electronic Application Submission:

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

Applications in Paper Format:

For applicants that have received an exemption to submit applications in paper format, Standard Forms (SFs), assurances, and certifications are available in the "Select Grant Opportunity Package" available in the NOFO's Grants.gov Synopsis under the Package tab at 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 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 Grants.gov is required to upload only two electronic files, excluding SFs and Office of Management and Budget (OMB)-approved forms. No more than two files will be accepted for the review, and additional files will be removed. SFs and OMB-approved forms will not be considered additional files.

FOR ALL APPLICATIONS:

http://www.gsa.gov/fedrelay

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 and 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 SFs 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 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 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 80 pages in its entirety. Documents exempted from double-spacing were identified earlier in this section.

File One (Project Description) The Project Description should be organized in the following order:

Project Summary/Abstract Table of Contents Need for Assistance

Objectives Expected Outcomes Geographic Location

Approach Project Timeline and Milestones Program Performance Evaluation Plan Logic Model

Project Sustainability Plan Organizational Capacity Plan for Oversight of Federal Award Funds & Activities

Itemized Budget Budget Justification/Narrative

File Two (Appendices)

Legal Status of Applicant Entity/Proof of Nonprofit Status Protection of Sensitive and/or Confidential Information Third-Party Agreements Letters of Support, including from the State Refugee Coordinator, or the individual responsible for the statewide or regional coordination of the refugee resettlement program, as applicable, of the state(s) where the proposed project will be implemented

Organizational Capacity Documentation (if…