Foa_Content_of_HHS-2022-ACF-ORR-ZM-0156.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Office of Refugee Resettlement

Refugee Career Pathways Program

HHS-2022-ACF-ORR-ZM-0156

Application Due Date: 07/01/2022

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

Funding Opportunity Title:

Refugee Career Pathways Program Announcement Type:

Initial Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2022-ACF-ORR-ZM-0156

Primary CFDA Number:

93.576 Due Date for Applications:

07/01/2022 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 Administration for Children and Families (ACF) invites eligible entities to submit competitive grant applications for the Refugee Career Pathways (RCP) program. Through the RCP program, ORR will provide funding to enable Afghan entrants to obtain self-sufficiency by obtaining the means to secure professional or skilled employment drawing upon previously acquired knowledge, skills, and experience. Under the RCP program, the primary focus is to assist participants in learning about career pathways and developing individualized plans to gain employment and advance within their chosen career field. Allowable activities will include case management, training and technical assistance, specialized English language training, and mentoring. In addition, eligible refugee participants may receive financial assistance for costs related to the establishment or re-establishment of credentials, such as obtaining educational credits or enrollment in required certification programs. ORR is requiring that RCP programs have a partnership with at least one educational institution (i.e., university, college, community college, or other institution with expertise in career and technical education) to facilitate career opportunities in ways that supplement, rather than supplant, existing services. RCP programs implemented by an educational institution must collaborate with at least one refugee-focused entity (i.e., resettlement office and/or other organization with programming specifically aimed at refugees).

I. Program Description Statutory Authority Immigration and Nationality Act 412(c)(1)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1522(c)(1)(A); Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022, Public Law 117-43, title III, as amended through Public Law 117-86.

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

Description

REFUGEE CAREER PATHWAYS OVERVIEW

The RCP program was established by ORR to address the obstacles faced by resettled refugees in initiating professional careers in their new communities. While many refugees have previous professional experience in their country of origin, they often lack the degrees, certifications, and knowledge specific to the U.S. job environment needed to attain professional employment after resettlement. Even highly skilled refugees are often required to take low-skilled jobs with little opportunity for advancement or skill development. This, in turn, limits refugees’ potential to achieve economic self-sufficiency and to benefit their communities by making full use of the skills and experience that they bring to their new homes.

The Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022 (ASA), authorizes refugee and entrant 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. For convenience, the term "refugee" is used in this NOFO to encompass all such eligible persons. Please refer to Section I. Refugee Career Pathways Overview, Eligible Participants Defined for more information.

The goal of the RCP program is to support eligible populations in attaining the knowledge and resources needed to begin a professional career in their new communities. Existing job training programs for refugees often focus on supporting initial job placement, which may not be adequate to securing long-term self-sufficiency. The RCP program will assist recent Afghan entrants in beginning professional careers that provide not only a salary but also greater job security and the possibility of career advancement.

To achieve this goal, the program will employ the career pathways approach, which has shown promise in enabling immigrants to gain entry into career fields in the United States.

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 (29 U.S.C. 3102(7)) defines a career pathway as follows:

a combination of rigorous and high-quality education, training, and other services that—

(A) aligns with the skill needs of industries in the economy of the State or regional economy involved;

(B) prepares an individual to be successful in any of a full range of secondary or postsecondary education options, including registered apprenticeships;

(C) includes counseling to support an individual in achieving the individual’s education and career goals;

(D) includes, as appropriate, education offered concurrently with and in the same context as workforce preparation activities and training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster;

(E) organizes education, training, and other services to meet the particular needs of an individual in a manner that accelerates the educational and career advancement of the individual to the extent practicable;

(F) enables an individual to attain a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, and at least 1 recognized postsecondary credential; and

(G) helps an individual enter or advance within a specific occupation or occupational cluster.

The career pathways approach stems from the Building Linkages through Career Clusters initiative developed by the U.S. Department of Education and other partners in 1996. This approach recognizes that every career field comprises a number of specific job functions that require different levels of experience, education, and training. Practitioners of career pathway training emphasize educating job seekers on the types of positions they may be able to secure in the short-term, while creating actionable plans to advance within that field in the long-term. For further information on career pathways, refer to the U.S. Departments of Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services’ Joint Letter on Career Pathways.

Successful implementation of the career pathways approach relies upon a strong network of local partners with the capacity to address all aspects of individual career development.

Organizations implementing the RCP program will work in close cooperation with local partners and service providers to guide participants through program activities and ensure access to ongoing career support following participation in the program.

Program Scope and Activities

The RCP program will enable recent Afghan entrants to overcome the obstacles associated with obtaining skilled and/or professional employment following resettlement. Program objectives are as follows:

Helping Afghan entrants achieve self-sufficiency by obtaining the means to secure professional certification or skilled employment

Increasing Afghan entrants’ understanding of career pathways and equipping them with the knowledge and tools to succeed in their chosen career path

Through the RCP program, organizations will work directly with Afghan entrants to apply the career pathways approach through training and individualized technical assistance. They will assist eligible participants to identify opportunities to enter their chosen career field and make a plan to advance in this field over time. They will identify barriers to entering this field – such as lack of a recognized credential or unfamiliarity with specific workplace regulations – and provide support and resources to mitigate these barriers. Activities must be culturally appropriate to eligible populations and include accommodations for participants with limited English proficiency. As ORR anticipates that many program participants will be working, activities must provide flexible scheduling for participants who may be working during traditional or non-traditional work hours.

Under the RCP program, there are the following two opportunities to receive bonus points:

ACF has made advancing equity a key component of its strategic plan, to ensure that all ACF beneficiaries have the opportunity to reach their full potential. As such, ORR has incorporated an equity and inclusion lens in all aspects of its programming to ensure that all ORR-eligible populations, regardless of race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or other characteristics, receive fair treatment, access, and opportunity. Through funding from ASA, https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/policy-guidance/doe-hhs-and-dol-issue-joint-letter-promoting-use-career-pathways-approaches https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/policy-guidance/doe-hhs-and-dol-issue-joint-letter-promoting-use-career-pathways-approaches

ORR will launch a new Integration Services for Afghan Women (ISAW) initiative to further advance equity and inclusion in service to new Afghan newcomers. As part of this initiative, the RCP program includes an emphasis on engaging with, and effectively serving, women hoping to enter professional and skilled career fields. ORR therefore encourages applicants to develop a plan to reach out to and provide RCP services to eligible women. ORR will award bonus points to applicants that identify effective outreach strategies specifically designed to target eligible women in the community; and describe anticipated barriers eligible Afghan women may face in program participation and attainment of career goals and how the program will enable them to overcome these obstacles.

ORR encourages applicants to propose programs that will serve locations to which significant numbers of Afghan entrants have resettled. ORR will award bonus points to applicants whose proposed service area includes cities that are among the locations that have received the highest numbers of resettled Afghan humanitarian parolees and special immigrant visa holders, as described in Section V.1. Criteria, Bonus Points.

RCP Program Activities

The RCP program will meet its objectives through the following activities:

Career Development Plans

A career development plan must be established for each participant based on that participant’s skills, experience, credentials, and desired career path. The plan must include actions that will contribute to participants’ short-, medium-, and long-term career prospects. The plan is intended to serve as a guide to assist participants in ongoing career advancement after their participation in the RCP program concludes.

A selected career field must be one that the participant can qualify for and attain at least an entry-level job in while participating in the RCP program, provides opportunities for professional advancement, and has employment opportunities in the local community. The plan must lay out a clear and realistic path for qualifying and attaining employment in the participant’s career field. The plan must include the following, as applicable:

Description of the career field the participant intends to enter, along with any corresponding skills, experience, and credentials that will be beneficial in gaining employment in that field

Specific job titles that the participant could qualify for within the term of the participants’ involvement with the RCP program, along with any additional education, credentials, or experience required to qualify

Identification of other potential barriers to entry in the participant’s chosen career field (such as limited English skills, lack of familiarity with workplace standards, or inexperience with job search strategies) and a corresponding strategy to eliminate or mitigate these barriers

Specific educational courses and/or programs of study to be completed by the participant Opportunities to gain additional experience such as on-the-job training, mid-career internships, or apprenticeships to be completed by the participant Exams and/or training programs required to acquire a credential required for, or are helpful in obtaining, employment in the participant’s chosen career field; if it is possible for a previously acquired credential to be recognized by U.S. employers, a plan detailing the steps needed for recognition of this credential

Local employers hiring for the positions described by the applicant A list of mentors and other potential contacts able to provide guidance in locating a job and succeeding in the participant’s chosen field Any costs associated with each item described above

In addition, plans must include options for further career development that participants can continue to pursue following their participation in the RCP program, and how they can save and plan for future career development. The plan is intended to be a living document that will be modified and improved throughout the participants' involvement with the program. Programs must create a concept for a finalized version of the career development plan that participants can continue to refer to following their direct participation in the RCP program. The plan should include referrals and linkages as a road map for future career development.

The plan must include a service agreement to be signed by participants with information on the role, responsibilities, and expectations of both the participants and the implementing organization.

Training and Technical Assistance

RCP programs are required to provide participants with training and technical assistance that will enable them to attain employment within their chosen career field. Specialized training must be available to participants to enable them to overcome obstacles to employment and to attain success in their careers. Training programs must be based on the needs of the local refugee population and the requirements for employment in the career fields on which the local program focuses. Examples of potential training areas include vocational English skills; familiarization with the U.S. workplace environment; and related skills such as resume writing, interviewing, and forming professional networks.

In addition to group training, RCP programs are required to provide career counseling and technical assistance to participants on an individual basis. Individual technical assistance will focus on development and continuous improvement of the participant’s career development plan, and completion of the steps contained in the plan.

The program will provide guidance to participants as they attain the necessary educational credits, credentials, and professional experience to qualify for employment in their chosen field. The program will assist participants in overcoming obstacles to employment and making adjustments when faced with difficulties in attaining career goals. The program will connect participants with employers, mentors, local employment-based service providers, and resources, such as those provided under WIOA, that can provide additional guidance in attaining employment and ongoing professional development.

The program will also facilitate the development of career pathway resources, such as handbooks, licensing guides, and skills assessment tools, to assist participants as they determine the most effective means of career entry and development in the context of the U.S. and local job environment.

The program will serve recent Afghan entrants with varying levels of education and experience who are interested in entering professional and/or skilled career fields, focusing on outreach and services for eligible women. Programs will provide direct training and support and/or connect participants with external sources of training and support that are suitable to each participant's background and career goals. Programs are encouraged to incorporate the input and/or lived experiences of program participants and graduates into their curricula design.

Direct Financial Assistance

Under the RCP program, there is the option to offer direct financial assistance to participants for costs associated with career advancement. All direct financial assistance must be clearly related to professional development opportunities included in the participant’s career development plan. Such costs are expected to include, but are not limited to:

Tuition for degree and/or certification programs Licensing and exam fees Credential evaluation services Textbooks, software, and other supplies needed for career-related courses and exams Transportation to and from career development activities Child care while participating in career development activities

Whenever possible, payment should be made directly to the service provider. If participant reimbursement is necessary, the participant must have the expense approved in writing prior to purchase and provide documentation that the expense was incurred and paid by the participant.

Recipients must use traceable mechanisms for disbursement to include direct payments to vendor, reimbursed receipts, or invoices to ensure accurate record keeping. Recipients must thoroughly document and maintain records, including line-item amounts, cost category, nontraditional cost category, mechanisms for disbursements, connection to related goals, receipts, bank records, client identifiers, and relevant dates. The RCP program limits direct financial assistance to $3,500 per budget period for each participant, see Section IV.6. Funding Restrictions for further information regarding this limitation.

Partnerships

The RCP program will be implemented with support from a network of local community partners that focus on individual career advancement. Partner networks will include organizations with demonstrated capacity in areas required to support individual career advancement of refugee participants. Programs must have capacity to serve refugees in the following areas, either in-house or through partnerships:

Job skills training Refugee services Vocational English language training Career mentorship Facilitation of career entry through apprenticeships, on the job training, etc.

Each program is required to include a partnership with at least one educational institution (i.e., university, college, community college, or other institution focused on career and technical education). For the purposes of this NOFO, "educational institution" references the type of institution listed above. If an educational institution directly administers the RCP program, ORR requires a partnership with at least one refugee-focused entity (i.e., refugee resettlement office or other organization with programming specifically for refugees and/or other eligible populations). For the purposes of this NOFO, "refugee-focused entity" references the type of institution described above. Though not required, ORR encourages the partnerships with either the educational institution and/or refugee-focused entity to be located in the proposed service area to better increase access to education and training described above.

Examples of other potential partners include the following:

Professional associations American Job Centers Employers Refugee resettlement and support agencies Non-profit organizations providing technical assistance in immigrant and refugee professional career development Experts in employment, career pathways, and/or specific professions Professional mentors who have been successful in entering a career field, potentially including refugees and immigrants

Partners may receive program funding through a subaward basis, as appropriate. Please reference Section I. Post-Award Requirements, Subawards for more information. Subawards may be proposed in cases in which third parties are best suited to provide training or other forms of direct assistance to participants. Subawards must be limited to include only those costs needed to provide the specific services required by the program. A partnership may also include agreements with organizations already fully funded to provide related services, in these cases subaward funding would not be provided.

Services provided under the RCP program are intended to complement other forms of employment-related support funded by ORR and other sources. RCP participants are not prohibited from receiving services under any other ORR-funded program, provided such services are not duplicative.

Coordination with Refugee Resettlement Community

Coordination with the local refugee resettlement community is critical to the success of the RCP program. Programs must 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 that facilitate resource mapping.

Eligible Participants Defined

ASA Act, 2022, authorizes refugee and entrant 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 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, Public Law 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.

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

Case File Requirements

The RCP program requires that individual case files be maintained for each program participant. Files must comprise all information collected on the participant including, at minimum, documentation of participant eligibility, career development plan, and case notes.

Programs must ensure compliance with 45 CFR § 75.303(e) to take reasonable measures to safeguard protected personally identifiable information. Files must also include documentation of all financial assistance payments made to, or on behalf of, the participant, along with any applicable invoices and receipts. Case files must be available to ORR monitors, or other responsible federal staff, upon request. When not in use, both physical and electronic case files must be properly secured as to ensure only appropriate staff have access. If the RCP 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. Paper files must be kept confidential - ideally in a file cabinet that is kept locked and can be accessed only by authorized staff.

POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS

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, recipients and, if applicable, subrecipient(s) are required to adjust activities. ORR will exercise maximum flexibilities, as needed. Recipients’ public-facing project activities must allow for modifications responsive to the CDC COVID-19 recommendations that can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html as well as any applicable local recommendations.

Subawards

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

Subrecipient(s) must meet the eligibility requirements identified in the NOFO, Section III.1.

Eligible Applicants. Additionally, all subrecipient(s) must obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number 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.

Commitment Between RCP Program and Educational Institution

Within 90 days of grant award, the recipient is required to submit to ORR a formal and structured commitment between the recipient and educational institution to coordinate in the development and implementation of relevant, customized, and culturally and linguistically appropriate RCP activities for eligible refugees. If the program is administered by an educational institution, the recipient is required to submit the formal and structured commitment as described between the recipient and a refugee-focused entity.

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 semi-annual basis.

Data points will include the following:

1. Number of participants newly enrolled in the program

2. Number of participants currently enrolled in the program

3. Average income of enrolled participants

4. Number of participants developing personalized career plans

5. Number of participants enrolling in degree and/or certification programs https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html 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

6. Number of participants enrolling in apprenticeship and/or on-the-job training programs

7. Number of participants earning college credits

8. Number of participants who obtained a new credential or recognition of an existing credential

9. Number of participants obtaining employment in a professional/skilled career field

10. Number of training hours the program provided to participants in English language programs related to preparation for a particular vocation or job-related training program

11. Number of training hours the program provided to participants in developing job readiness skills such as resume writing, interviewing, and expectations for the professional workplace

12. Average income of participants who obtained employment

Paperwork Reduction Disclaimer

As required by PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521, the public reporting burden for Refugee Career Pathways data reporting is estimated to average 5 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection information. The Refugee Career Pathways Data Form is approved under OMB control number 0970-0490, expiration date is January 31, 2023. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

ORR will not require programs to conduct record keeping activities subject to PRA if it has not received approval from OMB.

Participation in ORR-Sponsored Training Events

RCP programs will be expected to participate in ORR-sponsored webinars, trainings, and peer sharing events throughout the program period. An annual workshop is planned for each program year. Attendance is required for one key staff member to participate in this annual 2-day workshop in Washington, DC. ORR may hold this workshop in a virtual format.

RCP Program Evaluation

If ACF identifies additional resources to fund a federal study of the funded RCP activities, then the recipient will be required to participate. The study would utilize an outside non-grantee 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 the Project Budget and Budget Justification.

II. Federal Award Information Funding Instrument Type:

G (Grant) Estimated Total Funding:

$15,000,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$750,000 Per Project Period

Award Floor:

$600,000 Per Project Period

Average Projected Award Amount:

$750,000 Per Project Period

Anticipated Project Start Date:

09/30/2022 Length of Project Periods:

Other

Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' Projects under this NOFO will be fully funded for a 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 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 the following: (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 INA (8 U.S.C. 1522(c)(1)(A)) are "public and private nonprofit agencies."

Applicants are required to submit a letter of support from at least one educational institution. This letter must be on letterhead of the educational institution and signed by the Authorized Representative or their designee.

If the applicant is an educational institution, the applicant is required to submit the required documents described above with at least one refugee-focused entity. This letter must be on letterhead of the entity and signed by the Authorized Representative or their designee.

Please see Section I. Refugee Career Pathways Overview, RCP Program Activities, Partnerships for further information on this requirement.

The required documentation is described in Section IV.2. Project Description, Additional Eligibility Documentation. Lack of the required documentation will disqualify the application from review and from award. See Section III.3. Other, ORR Disqualification Factor.

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.

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 Subrecipients are exempt from the requirement to submit letters of support from partner organizations referenced in Section III.1. Eligible Applicants.

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.

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 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ACF_Policy_for_Requesting_an_Exemption_from_Required_Electronic_FINAL_0.pdf

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 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.

ORR Disqualification Factor

ORR will disqualify from review any application that does not include a letter of support from at least one educational institution as referenced in Section I. Refugee Career Pathways Overview, RCP Program Activities, Partnerships, provided the applicant is not itself an educational institution.

ORR will disqualify from review any application from an educational institution that does not include a letter of support from at least one refugee-focused entity. See Section III.1. Eligible Applications, Additional Information on Eligibility, and Section IV.2. Project Description, Additional Eligibility Documentation.

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 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ACF_Policy_for_Requesting_an_Exemption_from_Required_Electronic_FINAL_0.pdf

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 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:

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.

http://www.gsa.gov/fedrelay

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…