Foa_Content_of_HHS-2022-ACF-ORR-RG-0142.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Office of Refugee Resettlement

Refugee Family Child Care Microenterprise Development Program

HHS-2022-ACF-ORR-RG-0142

Application Due Date: Application Due Date will be submitted as: date based on specified number of days after the actual Synopsis Post Date

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:

Refugee Family Child Care Microenterprise Development Program Announcement Type:

Initial Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2022-ACF-ORR-RG-0142

Primary CFDA Number:

93.576 Due Date for Applications:

Application Due Date will be submitted as: date based on specified number of days after the actual Synopsis Post Date 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 Administration for Children and Families (ACF) invites eligible entities to submit competitive grant applications for funding under the Refugee Family Child Care Microenterprise Development (RFCCMED) program. Through the RFCCMED program, ORR will fund applicants to enable eligible Afghan entrants to achieve self-sufficiency by establishing small family child care businesses. The program will provide participants with training and technical assistance (TA) in professional child care, microenterprise development, and financial literacy; assist participants in navigating the child care licensing process; and provide direct financial assistance, as needed, to enable participants to prepare their homes for child care business operation.

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

Further Extending Government Funding Act, Public Law 117-70, Title III

Description

RFCCMED PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Since 2012, ORR has funded the RFCCMED program to support refugees in achieving self-sufficiency by establishing and operating licensed family child care (FCC) businesses. Refugee families often depend on income from both parents for financial support. Families with young children face the choice of sacrificing potential income from one parent to provide child care at home, or securing outside child care, which is often expensive and difficult to arrange. This https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant burden is most often faced by refugee women, who consequently have difficulty accessing the job market and remain unemployed. According to the 2018 ORR Annual Report to Congress, 43 percent of refugee women out of the workforce cited family responsibilities as a reason.

Establishment of small FCC businesses is a solution that has enabled many refugees to earn a reliable income while continuing to care for their own children. Refugees often have substantial formal or informal experience in child care prior to resettlement. Furthermore, there is often a significant demand for child care in refugee communities, presenting refugee FCC providers with a customer base from their own network. The resulting increase in available child care services likewise enables additional refugees with young children to seek employment. As noted in ACF's informational memo Why Prioritize Early Childhood, "When parents have access to child care supports, they are more likely to enter or remain in the workforce, work more hours, increase earnings, and pursue higher education or training (Committee for Economic Development, 2019; Morrissey, 2017; Sabol & Chase-Lansdale, 2015). (see Section VIII, Other Information)."

While FCC is a promising opportunity, new arrivals to the US face challenges in establishing successful businesses. The child care licensing system is complex and difficult to navigate without assistance. Recent arrivals may not be accustomed to United States (U.S.) child care regulations, norms, and practices, or with the requirements of operating a small business, particularly in the U.S. context.

Through the RFCCMED program, ORR will support local organizations to provide recently arrived Afghan entrants with the necessary training and TA to establish FCC businesses. They will equip participants with knowledge, skills, and limited financial support in preparation for opening their business. As Afghan entrants adjust to life in their new communities, some participants may require longer term services such as guidance in identifying and securing housing that meets local requirements for child care businesses. Program implementers will also provide personalized technical support to participants as they undergo the child care licensing process and in the early stages of business operation.

ORR has published a joint information memorandum (IM) with the ACF Office of Child Care (OCC), which administers the Child Care Development Fund through block grants to states, territories, and tribes. The IM encourages coordination and alignment of early childhood and refugee programs between ORR and OCC. ORR expects programs funded under RFCCMED to meet and provide training and TA services to entrepreneurs in accordance with child care standards, as specified in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014. Further information on OCC and CCDBG can be found through the links provided in Section VIII, Other Information.

Program Focus Funding for this NOFO is provided through the Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriations (ASA) Act, 2022 for carrying out refugee and entrant assistance activities in support of citizens or nationals of Afghanistan paroled into the United States and citizens or national of Afghanistan for whom such refugee and entrant assistance activities are authorized. For this reason, ORR is only able to fund projects that propose to serve citizens or nationals of Afghanistan paroled into the US between July 31, 2021 and September 30, 2022 and citizens or nationals of Afghanistan https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/orr/ARC_FY2018_508_2_28_2021.pdf for whom such refugee and entrant assistance activities are authorized who entered the US on or after July 31, 2021.

RFCCMED Goal and Objectives

The goal of the RFCCMED program is to generate a source of income and economic self sufficiency for economically vulnerable Afghan entrants, by funding organizations that will, along their partner(s), train eligible participants to establish licensed, high-quality FCC businesses.

Specifically, the main objectives of the RFCCMED program are to:

1) Help Afghan entrants attain economic self-sufficiency, by establishing licensed FCC businesses;

2) Help Afghan entrant families gain access to licensed FCC businesses able to meet the early care and developmental needs of children; and

3) Assist Afghan entrants in learning how to navigate mainstream child care services.

Through the RFCCMED program, ORR will achieve these objectives, by funding local organizations to provide personalized, culturally and linguistically appropriate training and TA to participants interested in establishing FCC businesses.

Implementing organizations must work in close cooperation with the state, territory, tribal, or local agency responsible for child care regulation to ensure that participants have completed all necessary steps to legally operate their business at a capacity that will enable the participant to achieve financial self-sufficiency.

FCC Business Definition

For the purposes of this NOFO, an FCC business is defined as a small business owned and operated by the participant that provides in-home child care services in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Depending on local regulations and the type of services provided, participants may or may not require specific licensing or certification to operate an FCC business. RFCCMED program funds may not be used for the sole purpose of preparing a participant for employment in a child care facility not operated by members of the participant’s household, though participants' temporary employment, internship, or volunteering in such a facility for the purpose of obtaining child care experience is allowable. Please refer to Section IV.6, Funding Restrictions for more information.

RFCCMED Required Program Activities

The RFCCMED program will meet its objectives through the following required activities:

FCC Training

Specialized FCC training is required to be provided to enrolled participants. Training must be designed to accommodate the cultural and linguistic needs of recent Afghan entrants. Training must be provided directly or through an established partnership with local agencies that already have existing expertise in FCC training. For more information on partnership(s), please refer to Section I, Program Description, RFCCMED Program Overview, RFCCMED Required Program Activities, Training Partnerships for requirements. Training must fully prepare participants to establish successful, high-quality FCC businesses that comply with state and local child care laws designed to protect health and safety as referenced in section 5(b) of the CCDBG Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-186) (42 U.S.C. 9859c(c)(2)(I)). Health and safety training areas must include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. the prevention and control of infectious diseases;

2. prevention of sudden infant death syndrome and use of safe sleeping practices;

3. the administration of medication, consistent with standards for parental consent;

4. the prevention of and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions;

5. building and physical premises safety, including identification of and protection from hazards that can cause bodily injury, such as electrical hazards, bodies of water, and vehicular traffic;

6. prevention of shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma;

7. emergency preparedness and response planning for emergencies resulting from a natural disaster, or a man-caused event;

8. the handling and storage of hazardous materials and the appropriate disposal of biological contaminants;

9. appropriate precautions in transporting children for providers that offer transportation;

10. first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation; and

11. requirements relating to nutrition, access to physical activity, or any other subject area determined by local regulation to be necessary to promote child development or to protect children’s health and safety.

Microenterprise Development Training

Specialized microenterprise development (MED) training is required to be provided to enrolled participants. Training must be designed to accomodate the cultural and linguistic needs of recent Afghan entrants. These trainings must be provided directly or through an established partnership with local agencies that must have existing expertise in the area of MED.

MED training must include all aspects of small business knowledge and skills required to operate a profitable and successful business and comply with all applicable laws and regulations. Examples of MED training topics include business planning, financial literacy, customer service, record keeping, time management, inventory management, cash flow projections, financial and cash management, personnel management, employment regulation, taxation, and general small business management.

Technical Assistance

Under the RFCCMED program, TA is broadly defined as one-on-one consulting, counseling, mentoring, or facilitation related to FCC business development. The RFCCMED program requires providing TA to all participants on a regular and/or as-needed basis to enable them to establish and improve their businesses during their participation in the program. TA must be provided by the RFCCMED program directly or through partner(s). TA plans must be designed to fully prepare the participant to establish a successful FCC business. Examples of TA include assisting with the development of a business plan, assistance in applying for a child care license, providing expert advice on business start-up and development, accounting, and interpretation and translation services for Limited English Proficiency participants. While individual TA must be available to participants, assistance may be provided to participants in small groups when appropriate.

This program is intended to serve Afghan evacuees who are recent arrivals to the US and who may have limited housing opportunities available in their new communities. ORR recognizes enrollees may need varying degrees of support through this program based on bacground and skills. As such, ORR anticipates that some entrants will have limited or no English language skills and may not have evidence of education required for a child care license. Given these circumstances, some participants may require a multi-year approach to become fully prepared to establish an FCC business. RFCCMED programs will provide guidance to participants in identifying and securing eligible housing, developing English language skills, and overcoming any additional barriers to establishing a quality FCC business. While the RFCCMED program is not intended to support participants whose ultimate goal is child care employment rather than business ownership, programs may connect participants with appropriate child care employment opportunities that will enable participants to gain experience and earn income while working towards a longer term goal of business ownership.

Participant Stipends

RFCCMED programs are required to provide a stipend of no less than $500 and not to exceed $3,000 per enrolled participant for the full project period to assist with business startup costs. Costs must be directly related to preparing the participant’s home for FCC business operation. Participants must not receive stipend funds until the program implementer has verified that the participant is fully prepared to begin the process of establishing their business or obtaining a required child care license or certification. Eligible costs include, but are not limited to the following: educational materials for children, furniture, toys, business equipment, office supplies, home improvements or repairs for the purpose of meeting child care or business regulations, safety equipment, and cleaning supplies. As referenced in Section IV.6, Funding Restrictions, all program-related expenditures must be paid directly to the vendor. Participants may be reimbursed only if the purchase was approved in writing by the implementing organization prior to the sale, and the participant provides verification that costs were incurred. Costs associated with participant training and TA and payment of required fees related to licensing are not considered to be stipend expenditures and do not count towards the $3,000 per participant limit. Programs must include in each year’s budget sufficient funding for a stipend of no less than $500 and no more than $3,000 per anticipated participant. See Section IV.6, Funding Restrictions, for further information regarding allowable use of stipend funds.

Collaboration with Local Child Care Licensing Agency

RFCCMED programs are required to establish connections with the local agency responsible for FCC licensing in the service area to ensure that the program has accurate and current information regarding FCC requirements and regulations. Programs must ensure that local licensing requirements support establishment of FCC businesses in the type of housing commonly used by eligible populations in the service area. Programs must be aware of appropriate procedures to address licensing-related issues that may arise during implementation.

Coordination with Refugee Resettlement Community

Coordination with the local refugee resettlement community is critical to the success of the RFCCMED program. Programs are required to include regular coordination with resettlement agencies, 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. Attendance at quarterly consultations with resettlement agencies, regular meetings with State Refugee Coordinators, and participation in other relevant forums are examples of activities with strategic partnerships to facilitate resource mapping. As part of the application in response to this NOFO, ORR is requiring evidence demonstrating consultation on the proposed program 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 where the proposed project will be implemented. Contact information for State Refugee Coordinators or individuals responsible for statewide or regional coordination of the refugee resettlement program can be found on ORR's website at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/resource/orr-funded-programs-key-contacts.

Licensing-Related Fees

RFCCMED funds may be used to cover participants’ costs for meeting FCC licensing requirements. These may include:

Licensing application fee Required orientation Background check/fingerprinting Required immunizations and health screenings Required CPR/First Aid training Costs associated with transportation to training- and licensing-related activities Other fees required for licensing by local regulation

Program funds may also be used during the project period to cover costs of FCC business insurance. Program implementers must request approval from the ORR Division of Refugee Services to cover any additional expenses deemed essential to licensing and business operation.

Costs associated with the items outlined in this section are not considered part of the participant stipend described in Section I, Program Description,RFCCMED Program Overview, RFCCMED Required Program Activities, Participant Stipends and do not count toward the cap referenced in that section.

As referenced in Section IV.6, Funding Restrictions, all program-related expenditures must be paid directly to the vendor. Participants may be reimbursed only if the purchase was approved in writing by the implementing organization prior to the sale and they provide documentation that costs were incurred.

Applicants may propose to cover all or some of these costs as deemed appropriate. Program funds may be used to pay for services required for family members and others living in the home, such as background checks, if required by regulation. If different rates for required services are available, program implementers must choose the least expensive option accessible to the participant that will fulfill associated requirements.

See Section IV.6, Funding Restrictions for further information.

Training Partnerships https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/resource/orr-funded-programs-key-contacts

FCC and MED partnership(s) are required if the applicant is not able to deliver all required FCC and MED trainings through its own internal capacity. For those partnership(s) that are paid through subawards, please refer to Section I, Program Description, RFCCMED Program Overview, Subawards for requirements.

Examples of partnerships for FCC training include the following: tribal, territory, state, and local early childhood agencies; local child care resource and referral agencies; after-school programs;

resettlement agencies; and other community-based organizations that can provide FCC trainings that will be compliant with federal, state, and local child care laws.

Examples of partnerships for MED training include business development institutions, such as the Small Business Administration's (SBA's) micro-loan offices, Community Development Financial Institutes, and other public and private institutions funded by agencies like the ACF, Office of Community Services’ Community Economic Development program and SBA's Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs.

Examples of partnerships for cultural and language competency include ethnic community based organizations (ECBOs), resettlement agencies, established vocational English training programs, interpretation services, and other public and private organizations that have an established relationship, trust, and expertise of the target refugee population.

Examples of partnerships for TA include territory, tribal, state or local agencies, voluntary agencies, ECBOs, or other public or private organizations with the capacity to maintain detailed case files and individualized assistance as the enrolled clients become established FCC businesses.

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. The prime recipient assumes overall responsibility for implementation of program activities and collection of required information and data on program outcomes.

Subrecipient(s) must meet the eligibility requirements identified in Section III.1, Eligible Applicants. Additionally, all subrecipient(s) must obtain a 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 the 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.

Eligible Participants Defined

The Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022, authorizes refugee and entrant 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 activities in support of citizens or nationals of Afghanistan paroled into the United States under section 212(d)(5) of the INA and citizens or nationals of Afghanistan for whom such refugee and entrant assistance activities are authorized. Due to this, eligible recipients of services are limited to individuals with the following statuses:

1. Citizens or nationals of Afghanistan paroled into the United States under section 212(d)(5) of the INA between July 31, 2021, and September 30, 2022,. The benefits and assistance will be available until March 31, 2023, or the end of an individual’s parole term, whichever is later.

2. A spouse or child of any Afghan humanitarian parolee who is paroled into the United States after September 30, 2022. The benefits and assistance will be available until March 31, 2023, or the end of an individual’s parole term, whichever is later.

3. Citizens or nationals of Afghanistan paroled as refugees or asylees under section 212(d)(5) of the INA.

4. Citizens or nationals of Afghanistan admitted under section 207 of the INA.

5. Citizens or nationals of Afghanistan whose asylum status was granted under section 208 of the

INA.

6. Citizens or nationals of Afghanistan who are lawful permanent residents provided that they previously held one of the statuses identified above.

7. 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. 118-8, as amended (8 U.S.C. § 1101 note).

8. Citizens or nationals of Afghanistan who are identified as victims of a severe form of trafficking in persons per the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, Pub.

L. No. 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 § 400.43; and ORR Policy Letters 16-01, 22-01, and 22-02, which can be found on the ORR website at: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/resource/policy-letters.

Additionally, eligibility for this program is limited to individuals fulfilling the requirements above who entered the US on or after July 31, 2021.

For convenience, the term "refugee" is used in this NOFO to encompass all such eligible persons.

ORR assistance and services must be provided to eligible individuals without regard to race, religion, nationality, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), or political opinion.

RFCCMED programs may enroll additional participants from the same household as the primary participant if they plan to fill roles such as assistant or substitute in the primary participant’s FCC business. Such participants can only be enrolled if they meet all other eligibility requirements described in this section. Such participants are not eligible for additional stipend payments.

Programs may not enroll participants who do not reside in the principal participant’s household who do not plan to establish their own FCC business.

RFCCMED POST-AWARD PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) Response http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/resource/policy-letters

ORR recognizes that, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person contact should be minimized to ensure the safety and health of participants. During this time, prime recipients and, if applicable, subrecipient(s) are required to adjust activities. ORR will exercise maximum flexibilities as needed. Prime recipients’ public-facing project activities must include proposed modifications that are responsive to the CDC COVID-19 recommendations that can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html. Modifications must include safeguards to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: social distancing strategies (e.g., remote case management and use of video and audio conferencing) and planning for staffing absenteeism and shortages.

Refugee Program Service Agreement (RPSA)

A standardized, signed and dated RPSA is required for each participant. The RPSA must include:

1. Confirmation of participant's eligibility for the RFCCMED program;

2. Itemized list of fees to be paid using RFCCMED program funds and fees, if any, to be incurred by the participants in order to complete the RFCCMED program (e.g., criminal background check fees, licensing fees, transportation costs, etc.);

3. A list of FCC and MED training sessions the participant must successfully complete;

4. Any TA that will be provided to the enrolled participant through the RFCCMED program;

5. A statement by the organization on which partner(s) (if applicable) will be engaged during the participants’ enrollment and how the partner(s) (if applicable) will contribute;

6. The terms by which a participant qualifies for participant stipends and assurances that stipends will only be used for purchases needed for operation of an FCC business, the maximum stipend amount assistance that will be provided, costs that may be covered by stipends, and the procedure for determining purchases that will be made on behalf of the participant;

7. The qualifications for establishing and operating an FCC business under applicable laws and regulations (e.g., criminal background and medical screenings), including any required licenses or certifications; and

8. A proposed timeline for completion of all required activities not to exceed the project period.

Program Case Files

RFCCMED programs are required to create and maintain confidential case files for each client. Programs must ensure compliance with 45 CFR §75.303 (e) to take reasonable measures to safe-guard protected personally identifiable information. Files should be stored in a filing cabinet or other records storage areas, locked at all times when not in use, and accessible only to program personnel. If the RFCCMED program is using an electronic case file system, then safeguards, such as limiting access to the data and encryption, must be in place to protect participant information. The case file will, at the minimum, contain a completed RPSA, copies of documents that show eligibility for service under this project, records of expenditures made on behalf of the participant, copies of licenses and related documents, and case notes.

Intake information must include the participant's name, status under which client arrived in the U.S., date of enrollment, date of projected program service termination, and documentation of eligibility for RFCCMED program services.

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

Federal, State, and Local Requirements

RFCCMED programs are required to ensure that enrollment, trainings, certifications, and licensing are completed by qualified entities - either internally or through partnerships - and meet all tribal, territory, federal, state, and local requirements. Of particular importance are those requirements that directly relate to the safety of the children being served by the FCC businesses.

FCC trainings must adhere to the CCDBG Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-186) (42 U.S.C. § 9868c(c)(2)(I)(xi)), as referenced in Section I, Program Description, RFCCMED Program Overview, RFCCMED Required Program Activities, FCC Training.

Program Performance Evaluation

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), ORR has obtained approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on data indicators for post-award reporting. Grant recipients will be required to report data points collected on OMB Form 0970-0490 on a quarterly basis.

Data indicators include:

1. Number of participants enrolled;

2. Number of participants trained;

3. Number of participants who obtained FCC licenses;

4. Number of participants who established FCC businesses;

5. Number of new child care slots made available by participants establishing FCC businesses;

6. Average percentage increase in household income 6 months after establishment of an

FCC business;

7. Number of businesses sustained at the conclusion of the project period; and

8. Average increase in household income for all participants who established an FCC business by the conclusion of the project period.

Participation in ORR-Sponsored Training and Workshops

RFCCMED programs are required to participate in ORR-sponsored webinars, trainings, and peer sharing events throughout the program period. Attendance is required for one key staff member to participate in an annual 2-day workshop in Washington, DC. ORR may choose to hold the workshop in a remote format.

RFCCMED Program Evaluation

If ACF identifies additional resources to fund a federal study of the funded RFCCMED 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 RCP activities, as appropriate.

For more information on application requirements specific to this NOFO, please refer to Section IV.2, The Project Description and Project Budget and Budget Justification.

II. Federal Award Information Funding Instrument Type:

G (Grant) Estimated Total Funding:

$8,000,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$562,500 Per Project Period

Award Floor:

$450,000 Per Project Period

Average Projected Award Amount:

$562,500 Per Project Period

Anticipated Project Start Date:

09/30/2022 Length of Project Periods:

Other

Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' Awards under this NOFO will be fully funded for a single budget period of 36 months.

Additional Information on Awards:

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

Applications requesting an award amount that exceeds the Award Ceiling per budget period, or per project period, as stated in this section, will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this funding opportunity. This disqualification applies only to the Award Ceiling listed for the first 12-month budget period for projects with multiple budget periods. If the project and budget period are the same, the disqualification applies to the Award Ceiling listed for the project period. Please see Section III.3. Other, Application Disqualification Factors.

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

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

ACF will use the recipient’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 NOFO and statute, if satisfactory progress is being made. ACF will factor in the recipient’s ability to meet the dues dates as identified in the NOFO. ACF’s review of reports and other documentation will be used to assess progress in: 1) accomplishing the project goals, objectives, and activities; 2) completing proposed activities; and 3) 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 section 412(c)(1)(A) (8 U.S.C.

1522(c)(1)(A)) are “public or private nonprofit agencies.”

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.

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

No For all federal awards, any shared costs or matching funds and all contributions, including cash and third-party in-kind contributions, must be accepted as part of the recipient’s cost sharing or matching when such contributions meet all of the criteria listed in 45 CFR § 75.306.

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

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

For awards that do not require matching or cost sharing by statute, where “cost sharing” refers to any situation in which the recipient voluntarily shares in the costs of a project other than as statutorily required matching, recipients will be held accountable for projected commitments of non-federal resources in their application budgets and budget justifications by budget period, or by project period for fully funded awards. These include situations in which contributions are voluntarily proposed by a recipient or subrecipient and are accepted by ACF. Non-federal cost sharing will be included in the approved project budget so that the recipient will be held accountable for proposed non-federal cost sharing funds as shown in the Notice of Award (NoA). A recipient’s failure to provide voluntary cost sharing of non-federal resources that have been accepted by ACF as part of the approved project costs and that have been shown as part of the approved project budget in the NoA, may result in the disallowance of federal funds. Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

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

Award Ceiling Disqualification

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

Required Electronic Application Submission

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

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

Missing the Application Deadline (Late Applications)

The deadline for electronic application submission is 11:59 pm ET on the due date listed in the Overview and in Section IV.4. Submission Dates and Times. Electronic applications submitted to www.Grants.gov after 11:59 pm ET on the due date, as indicated by a dated and time-stamped email from www.Grants.gov, will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this funding opportunity. That is, applications submitted to www.Grants.gov, on or after 12:00 am ET on the day after the due date will be disqualified from competitive https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ACF_Policy_for_Requesting_an_Exemption_from_Required_Electronic_FINAL_0.pdf https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ACF_Policy_for_Requesting_an_Exemption_from_Required_Electronic_FINAL_0.pdf https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ 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 Ryan Foster Administration for Children and Families Office of Refugee Resettlement Division of Refugee Services Mary E. Switzer Building 330 C Street, SW.

Washington

DC

20201

(202) 260-6949

(202) 401-5772 ryan.foster@acf.hhs.gov www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr Application Packages

Electronic Application Submission:

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

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

English Language Applications must be submitted in the English language and must be in the terms of United https://www.Grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.gsa.gov/fedrelay

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 SFs and OMB-approved forms, the application submission in its entirety (Project Description and Appendices) is limited to 80 pages.

File 1: Project Description

The Project Description can be organized in the following order:

Table of Contents Project Summary Geographic Location Need For Assistance Objectives Expected Outcomes Approach Project Timeline and Milestones Organizational Capacity

Plan for Oversight of Federal Award Funds and Activities Program Performance Evaluation Plan Logic Model The Project Budget and Budget Justification

File 2: Appendices

The Appendices file must include:

Legal Status of Applicant…