Foa_Content_of_HHS-2023-ACF-ACYF-CS-0053modification.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

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

Tribal Court Improvement Program

HHS-2023-ACF-ACYF-CS-0053

Application Due Date: 06/15/2023

Table of Contents Executive Summary

I. Program Description

II. Federal Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

III.3. Other

IV. Application and Submission Information

IV.1. Address to Request Application Package

IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Required Forms, Assurances, and Certifications

The Project Description

The Project Budget and Budget Justification

Application Submission Options

IV.3. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM)

IV.4. Submission Dates and Times

Explanation of Due Dates

Acknowledgement of Received Application

IV.5. Intergovernmental Review

IV.6. Funding Restrictions

IV.7. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Criteria

V.2. Review and Selection Process

V.3. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

VI. Federal Award Administration Information

VI.1. Federal Award Notices

VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

VI.3. Reporting

VII. HHS Award Agency Contact(s)

VIII. Other Information

Reference Websites

Application Checklist

Appendix

Funding Opportunity Title:

Tribal Court Improvement Program Announcement Type:

Modification Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2023-ACF-ACYF-CS-0053

Primary CFDA Number:

93.586 Due Date for Applications:

06/15/2023 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.

This NOFO is modified. Changes are made to Sections IV.1 and IV.7 correcting the address for

LCG.

The purpose of this NOFO is to solicit proposals for grants to tribal governments or tribal consortia to improve the handling of American Indian and Native Alaskan child welfare cases by tribal courts. The grants will provide support to tribal governments to: (1) Conduct assessments of how tribal courts (including courts for tribal consortia) handle child welfare proceedings; (2) Implement changes to address the results of child welfare court assessments; (3) Ensure that the safety, permanency, and well-being needs of children are met in a timely and complete manner;

and (4) Continuously improve the quality of court hearings and legal representation, including engagement of parties, through training and efforts to increase substantive and procedural justice.

Grant funds may not be used to hire attorneys or judges for regular client representation/on-the-bench judicial duties, fill vacant court personnel positions, or otherwise replace funding for tribal government positions.

I. Program Description

Statutory Authority Title IV, Part B, Subpart 2–MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families, section 438 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 629h).

Description Children's Bureau The Children's Bureau (CB) in the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant

Services (HHS) plans, manages, coordinates, and supports child abuse and neglect prevention and child welfare services programs. CB is the agency within the Federal Government that is responsible for assisting child welfare systems by promoting continuous improvement in the delivery of child welfare services. CB's programs are designed to promote the safety, permanency, and well-being of all children, including those in foster care available for adoption, recently adopted, abused, neglected, dependent, disabled, or homeless; and to prevent the neglect, abuse, and exploitation of children.

The purpose of CB's programs is to promote strengthening of the family unit in order to help prevent the unnecessary separation of children from their families and encourage reunifying families, when possible, if separation has occurred. State and tribal child welfare systems are designed to deliver direct services that protect children who have suffered maltreatment, who are at risk for maltreatment, or who are under the care and placement responsibility of the state and/or tribe because their families are unable to care for them. These systems also focus on securing permanent legal placement with families, such as reunification, guardianship, and adoption for children and youth who are unable to return home. (For more information about CB's programs, visit https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb)

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goals and objectives of the Tribal Court Improvement Program (TCIP) are to:

1. Conduct assessments of how tribal courts (including courts for tribal consortia) handle child welfare proceedings;

2. Implement changes to address the results of court assessments;

3. Ensure that the safety, permanency, and well-being needs of children are met in a timely and complete manner; and

4. Improve the quality of court hearings and legal representation, including engagement of parties, continuously through training and efforts to increase substantive and procedural justice.

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

Program Activities TCIP projects will use grant funds to design and implement a 5-year project. Year 1 must include an assessment of tribal court handling of child welfare proceedings that result in actionable areas and the initial development of strategies in Year 1. Ongoing assessment may extend into Years 2

– 5. In Year 1 the TCIP will identify a team to conduct the assessment. The assessment will include the following:

Identifying and prioritizing tribal needs.

Identifying assessment questions.

Collecting data and information to answer questions identified by the assessment.

Using the results to inform strategies for improvement.

If a tribal court assessment specifically examining tribal child welfare court practice has been recently conducted, the results of that assessment may be used to satisfy the assessment requirement of this project, subject to the approval of CB.

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb

For lessons learned from prior TCIP grant recipients on conducting assessments see https://www.jbassoc.com/resource/synthesis-of-tribal-court-assessment-strategies/.

CB, through its Capacity Building Center for Courts, also supported development of a comprehensive set of model court measures which includes templates for a needs assessment.

This suite of tools was designed to be very flexible for variations of topics the courts are interested in, in law and practice, and other factors. They were developed with numerous experts in Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and tribal court practice. The measures also incorporate prior research designed to support quality ICWA practice. The measures were field tested with a tribe as well states of different sizes and characteristics. The measures and tools may be useful in developing applications.

See https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/child_law/project-areas/national-court-projects/jcamp-resources/

Program activities may include but are not limited to the following:

Preparing or supporting tribal courts in collaboration with the tribal child welfare agency, to participate in direct operation of programs authorized by title IV-E of the Social Security Act, including the Foster Care, Adoption Assistance and optional Guardianship Assistance programs.

Preparing or supporting tribal courts to make necessary judicial determinations required by the title IV-E program;

Working with the Tribal Title IV-E agency to develop procedures for accessing title IV-E funding to support legal representation for children or parents;

Enhancing or increasing the tribal court’s ability to receive transfers from state courts;

Drafting or enhancing court rules, tribal code, legislation, or policy pertaining to court handling of child welfare cases;

Improving and enhancing court orders;

Developing, implementing, or piloting best practices, evidence-informed and/or evidence-based practices for tribal courts;

Developing ways to continuously monitor and improve the timeliness and quality of court hearings and legal representation;

Enhancing court coordination with other tribal or state government entities on child welfare cases;

Developing resources for judges and attorneys;

Creating training curriculum and materials for judges and attorneys;

Conducting training for judges, attorneys, and other court personnel;

Conducting cross-training between judges, attorneys, and other tribal and state child welfare stakeholders;

Designing and testing court models and practices that meet the requirements of federal law; incorporate and reflect tribal values, customs, and practices; and account for historical trauma;

Building or enhancing court data collection infrastructure;

Increasing data sharing between the court and the tribal social services agency or state child welfare agency;

https://www.jbassoc.com/resource/synthesis-of-tribal-court-assessment-strategies/ https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/child_law/project-areas/national-court-projects/jcamp-resources/ https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/child_law/project-areas/national-court-projects/jcamp-resources/

Testing ways to increase and enhance the engagement of the entire family (as defined by the tribe) in court proceedings;

Implementing strategies to improve equity, for example for persons with disabilities or to reduce inequity based on gender identity or sexual orientation; or

Implementing strategies to address risk factors known to lead to individuals going missing or being murdered.

TCIP projects are required to engage in and demonstrate meaningful, ongoing collaboration with the tribal social service agencies. "Meaningful, ongoing collaboration" means that tribal courts and tribal social services agencies that provide child welfare services will identify and work toward shared goals and activities to increase the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and youth in the child welfare system as specified in section 438 of the Social Security Act.

TCIP teams must be composed of important stakeholders to guide court improvement efforts.

Stakeholders may include tribal judges, peacemakers, court personnel, social service agency representatives, parent's attorneys, children's attorney's or guardians ad litem, attorneys for the child welfare services agency, Court Appointed Special Advocates, treatment providers, school representatives, foster parents, parents that have had children in foster care, foster care alumni, and other relevant tribal entities or agencies or community members.

Please refer to Section IV.6 Funding Restrictions for unallowable items.

Evaluation TCIP projects and activities must be measurable and outcome-focused. All funded projects are required to implement a plan that clearly identifies and describes:

Identified objectives;

Measurable outcomes to determine progress toward achieving objectives;

Data and information that will be necessary to monitor progress and measure success;

Methods for collecting data and information;

Personnel that will be responsible for managing, collecting, and presenting the results;

Description of data and information collection resources; and Personnel and process for how the data will be analyzed and interpreted to identify, inform, and implement midcourse adjustments and modifications to improve TCIP projects and activities.

Dissemination

This NOFO is intended to help tribes or tribal consortia make improvements that will benefit children and families in their communities and generate knowledge that will be useful throughout the nation. To maximize the benefit of these grants, CB expects that information and knowledge generated by the projects and activities will be shared with the field and efforts will be made to integrate project knowledge and lessons learned into policy and practice. Grant recipients will be asked to share information about the overall structures of their courts to help other potential courts gauge potential lessons learned. Structures includes information like the models of representation and judicial practice. TCIP projects will work with CB to disseminate their individual project products and findings and work with the other TCIP projects to disseminate cross-grant products and findings, where applicable.

II. Federal Award Information

Funding Instrument Type:

G (Grant) Estimated Total Funding:

$943,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$150,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$50,000 Per Budget Period

Average Projected Award Amount:

$100,000 Per Budget Period

Anticipated Project Start Date:

09/30/2023 Length of Project Periods:

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

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

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

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

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

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

The initial award will be for a 12-month budget period. Continuation beyond each 12-month budget period will be subject to the availability of funds, satisfactory progress on the part of the grant recipient, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the

Federal Government.

In the first budget period, the maximum federal share of each project is not to exceed $150,000.

The projects awarded will be for a project period of 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

Eligibility is limited to Indian tribes or tribal consortia that:

1. Are operating an approved title IV-E program in accordance with section 479B of the Social Security Act (the Act) (42 U.S.C. 679c);

2. Plan to operate a title IV-E program and/or have received a Tribal Title IV-E Plan Development Grant (https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/grant-funding/title-iv-e-development-grants), as authorized by section 476 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 676); or

3. Have a court responsible for proceedings related to foster care or adoption.

Tribal governments that were awarded TCIP grants in prior years are eligible to compete for funding under this announcement.

Please note that definitions of Indian tribe and tribal organization are in section 428(c) of the Social Security Act and refer to subsections (e) and (l) of section 4 of the Indian Self- Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 USC 450b), respectively.

These are:

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

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

Applications from 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.

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

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 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.

CB Application Disqualification Factor

Applications received from organizations that are not described in Section III.1 Eligibility Information, Eligibility Applicants will be disqualified from competitive review and funding under this funding opportunity.

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

IV. Application and Submission Information 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

IV.1. Address to Request Application Package

Children's Bureau Operations Center c/o LCG, Inc.

Attn: Tribal Court Improvement Program-CS-0053 6000 Executive Boulevard Suite 410 Rockville

MD

20852 888-203-6161 CB@grantreview.org Application Packages

Electronic Application Submission:

The electronic application submission package is available in the NOFO's listing at 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:

The application submission is limited to 125 pages in its entirety. The two files applicants must submit are:

A. The Project Description file which must include these items in this order:

1. Table of Contents

2. Project Summary

3. Need for Assistance

4. Expected Outcomes

5. Approach

6. Organizational Capacity

7. Evaluation

8. Line-Item Budget and Budget Justification

B. The Appendices file which must include these items in this order:

1. Certifications and Assurances

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

3. Indirect Cost Rate Letter (if applicable)

ELECTRONIC APPLICATION SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Applicants are required to submit their applications electronically unless they have received an exemption that will allow submission in paper format. See Section IV.2. Application Submission Options for information about requesting an exemption.

Electronic applications will only be accepted via Grants.gov. ACF will not accept applications submitted via email or via facsimile.

Each applicant is required to upload ONLY two electronic files, excluding SFs and OMB-approved forms.

File One: Must contain the entire Project Description, and the Budget and Budget Justification (including a line-item budget and a budget narrative).

File Two: Must contain all documents required in the Appendices.

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

Application Upload Requirements ACF strongly recommends that electronic applications be uploaded as Portable Document Files

(PDFs). One file must contain the entire Project Description and Budget Justification; the other file must contain all documents required in the Appendices. Details on the content of each of the two files, as well as page limitations, are listed earlier in this section.

To adhere to the two-file requirement, applicants may need to convert and/or merge documents together using a PDF converter software. Many recent versions of Microsoft Office include the ability to save documents to the PDF format without need of additional software. Applicants using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software will be able to merge these documents together. ACF recommends merging documents electronically rather than scanning multiple documents into one document manually, as scanned documents may have reduced clarity and readability.

Applicants must ensure that the version of Adobe Acrobat Reader they are using is compatible with Grants.gov. To verify Adobe software compatibility please go to Grants.gov and click on “Applicants” at the top bar menu and select “Adobe Software Compatibility", which is listed under "Applicant Resources." The Adobe verification process allows applicants to test their version of the software by opening a test Workspace PDF form. Grants.gov also includes guidance on how to download a supported version of Adobe, as well as troubleshooting instructions for use, if an applicant is unable to open the test form.

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

Required SFs and OMB-approved Forms SFs and OMB-approved forms are uploaded separately at Grants.gov. These forms are submitted separately from the Project Description and Appendices files. See Section IV.2. Required Forms, Assurances, and Certifications for the listing of required SFs, OMB-approved forms, and required assurances and certifications.

Naming Application Submission Files Carefully observe the file naming conventions required by Grants.gov. Limit file names to 50 characters (characters and spaces). Please also see https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/submitting-utf-8-special-characters.html.

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

ACF supports the following file formats:

Adobe PDF – Portable Document Format (.pdf) https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/submitting-utf-8-special-characters.html

Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) Microsoft Excel (.xls or .xlsx) Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt) Image Formats (.JPG, .GIF, .TIFF, or .BMP only)

Do Not Encrypt or Password-Protect the Electronic Application Files If ACF cannot access submitted electronic files because they are encrypted or password protected, the affected file will be removed from the application and will not be reviewed. This removal may make the application incomplete, and ACF will not make awards based on an incomplete application.

FORMATTING FOR PAPER APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS:

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

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

Format Requirements for Paper Applications All copies of mailed or hand-delivered paper applications must be submitted in a single package.

If an applicant is submitting multiple applications under a single NOFO, or multiple applications under separate NOFOs, each application submission must be packaged separately. The package(s) must be clearly labeled with the NOFO title and Funding Opportunity Number.

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

Applicants are advised that the copies of the application submitted, not the original, will be reproduced by the federal government for review. All application materials must be one-sided for duplication purposes. All pages in the application submission must be sequentially numbered.

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

Required Forms, Assurances, and Certifications

Applicants seeking an award under this funding opportunity must submit the listed SFs, assurances, and certifications with the application. All required SFs, assurances, and certifications are available in the Application Package posted for this NOFO at Grants.gov.

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

Forms/Assurances/Certifications Submission Requirement Notes/Description

SF-424 - Application for Federal Assistance

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

Required for all applications.

Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) registration.

Required of all applicants.

Applicants must have a UEI and maintain an active SAM registration throughout the application and project award period.

Obtain a UEI and SAM registration at: http://www.sam.

gov.

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

SF-424 Key Contact Form

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

Required for all applications.

Certification Regarding Lobbying (Grants.gov Lobbying Form)

Submission required of all applicants with the application package. If it is not submitted with the application package, it must be submitted prior to the award of a grant.

Submission of the certification is required for all applicants.

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

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

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

https://www.sam.gov/

Forms/Assurances/Certifications Submission Requirement Notes/Description

SFs must be used.

Forms must be submitted by the application due date.

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

SF-Project/Performance Site Location(s) (SF-P/PSL)

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

Required for all applications. In the SF-P/PSL, applicants must cite their primary location and up to 29 additional performance sites.

SF-LLL - Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

If submission of this form is applicable, it is due at the time of application. If it is not available at the time of application, it may also be submitted prior to the award of a grant.

If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of Congress in connection with this commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan, the applicant shall complete and submit the SF-LLL, "Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying," in accordance with its instructions.

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

Disclosures must be sent in writing to:

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

And to:

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

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

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

Email: grantdisclosures@oig.hhs.gov

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

The Project Description

The Project Description Overview

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

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

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

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

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

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

Project Title Applicant Name Address Contact Phone Numbers (Voice, Fax, Cell) Email Address Website Address, if applicable

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

Non-Profit Organizations

Proof of Non-Profit Status Options:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Need for Assistance Clearly identify the physical, economic, social, financial, institutional, and/or other problem(s) requiring a solution. The need for assistance, including the nature and scope of the problem, must be demonstrated. Supporting documentation, such as letters of support and testimonials from concerned parties, may be included in the Appendix. Any relevant data based on planning studies or needs assessments should be included or referred to in the endnotes or footnotes.

Incorporate demographic data and participant/beneficiary information, as available.

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

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

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

The applicant must clearly articulate, as it relates to the goals and objectives of the TCIP how it will:

Identify an assessment team. This may be internal to project staff/consultants or a team to guide the efforts of an outside assessment provider. It is generally helpful to consider a broad multi-disciplinary team consisting of members who will have a role throughout the TCIP project.

Identify and prioritize tribal needs. It is important that the assessment be driven by what the tribe considers important and in need of review. Although there are national guides, standards, and tools available that grant recipients may find helpful, CB is cognizant that tribes have unique laws, structures, values, language, and cultural approaches that will often be central to defining needs.

Identify assessment questions. Once needs have been prioritized, identify assessment questions to be addressed.

Collect data or information. Assessments may collect administrative data from a child welfare agency or court, but may also include information obtained through assessments, surveys, focus groups, interviews, court observation, community forums, and other means of obtaining useful knowledge about needs or progress identified by tribes.

Use the results to inform strategies for improvement. The results gathered may be based on the cultural or linguistic needs of the tribe, prioritized by the tribe’s assessment team.

Implement improvements. As with determining needs, improvements may be grounded in cultural or linguistic structures, values, and traditions. Prior recipients have, for example, worked to decolonize court practices to establish court processes that better matched appropriate cultural healing and wellness approaches.

The applicant must describe how it will meaningfully involve the tribal child welfare agency in how it selects and implements projects.

The applicant must describe project timeline and milestones. Provide monthly or quarterly projections (for the entire project period) of the accomplishments to be achieved for each function or activity.

Organizational Capacity Provide the following information on the applicant organization and, if applicable, on any cooperating partners:

Organizational charts.

Resumes.

Copy or description of the applicant organization's fiscal control and accountability procedures.

Evidence that the applicant organization, and any partnering organizations, have relevant experience and expertise with administration, development, implementation, management, and evaluation of programs similar to that offered under this funding opportunity.

Copy or description of the applicant organization's personnel policies.

Information on compliance with federal/state/local government standards.

Job descriptions for each vacant key position.

Plan for Oversight of Federal Award Funds and Activities Recipients are required to ensure proper oversight in accordance with 45 CFR Part 75 Subpart D.

These regulations set forth the following standards for effective oversight:

Financial and Program Management Property (if applicable by program legislation) Procurement Performance and Financial Monitoring and Reporting Subrecipient Monitoring and Management Record Retention and Access Remedies for Noncompliance

Describe the framework (e.g., governance, policies and procedures, risk management, systems) in place to ensure proper oversight of federal funds and activities in accordance with 45 CFR Part 75 Subpart D. The description must include: system(s) for record-keeping and financial management; procedures to identify and mitigate risks and issues (e.g., audit findings, continuous program performance assessment findings, program monitoring); and those key staff that will be responsible for maintaining oversight of program activities staff, and, if applicable, partner(s) and/or subrecipient(s).

Program Performance Evaluation Plan Applicants must describe a plan for the program performance evaluation that will contribute to continuous quality improvement. The program performance evaluation must monitor ongoing activities and the progress towards the goals and objectives of the project. Include descriptions of the inputs (e.g., organizational profile, collaborative partners, key staff, budget, and other resources), key activities, and expected outcomes of the funded activities.