Foa_Content_of_HHS-2023-ACF-OCS-EAH-0088.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Office of Community Services

Affordable Housing and Supportive Services Demonstration

HHS-2023-ACF-OCS-EAH-0088

Application Due Date: 08/18/2023

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:

Affordable Housing and Supportive Services Demonstration Announcement Type:

Initial Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2023-ACF-OCS-EAH-0088

Primary CFDA Number:

93.647 Due Date for Applications:

08/18/2023 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.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS) announces the availability of approximately $2 million to Community Action Agencies (CAAs) and tribes that were funded directly by the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) in fiscal year (FY) 2023 that own affordable housing units and provide wraparound supportive services to residents of the affordable units. These types of wraparound supportive services include educational opportunities for youths and adults; afterschool and/or summer programs for children and teens; early child care, Head Start, Early Head Start, or other early childhood education programs/opportunities for young children ages birth to 5; older adult care services;

mental health, alcohol, and addiction services; services for individuals with disabilities; self-sufficiency resources; resources on future homeownership; financial literacy training;

transportation services for residents; referrals and connections to resources to help meet concrete needs; and health care services.

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to test the outcomes of strengthening wraparound supportive services for residents of affordable housing on individual and family safety, stability, and economic mobility. Through this demonstration program, eligible applicants will partner with the OCS to evaluate the implementation and outcomes of strengthened and expanded wraparound supportive services for individual and family safety, stability, and economic mobility.

I. Program Description

Statutory Authority This program is funded under the authority of section 1110 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C.

1310.

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

Description A. Purpose/Statement of Need

Quality, safe, stable, and affordable housing is critical for the physical, emotional, and economic well-being of families and individuals, and it lays the foundation for thriving communities.

Housing instability in any form—difficulty paying rent, spending the bulk of household income on housing, overcrowded living conditions, moving frequently, eviction, or homelessness—can have a significant negative effect on individuals’ and families’ health and well-being in both the short- and long-term.[1] Research shows that various forms of housing insecurity are associated with health risks for adults including reduced access to health care, postponing needed health care and medications, mental distress, difficulty sleeping, and higher incidence of depression.

Housing instability is also associated with health risks for children, including general poor health, asthma, low weight, developmental delays, and increased lifetime risk of depression. [2] Additionally, housing instability has negative impacts on socioeconomic and educational outcomes for individuals and families. Without a consistent place to live, it is challenging for individuals and families to attend work or go to school. Prolonged housing instability can risk a child’s performance and success in school, which can lead to lifetime achievement gaps.

Ultimately, housing is a social determinant of health, and without safe, stable, and affordable housing, a person’s overall health and quality of life will suffer.

Additionally, high housing costs that outpace market wages often leave families with low incomes with little left over for important expenses, leading to difficult trade-offs. Many individuals and families that experience housing instability are cost-burdened, which means they spend more than 50 percent of their monthly income on housing. Cost-burdened households have little left over to spend on other needs such as food, clothing, utilities, and health care. [3] Additionally, due to limited rental markets with few vacancies, individuals and families with low incomes are often forced to rent substandard housing with poor environmental conditions and safety risks, or they must move into an overcrowded space with others.[4] Moreover, housing costs outside of what a household can afford can lead to evictions or forced moves. Research has shown that renters who are forced to move are more likely to relocate to poorer and higher-crime neighborhoods. Additionally, moving more than once per year or “multiple moves,” has been associated with negative health outcomes in children, including poorer physical and oral health as a result of infrequent health care visits and unstable insurance coverage as compared to stably housed children. [5]

Housing instability can also lead to homelessness. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) point-in-time assessment conducted in January 2022, nearly 600,000 individuals and families were experiencing homelessness across the country.[6] This means that on any given night, over half a million people sleep in shelters or unsheltered spaces not meant for human habitation, such as cars or encampments.[7]Research conducted by the National Health Care for the Homeless Council indicates that tens of thousands of people die every year due to the dangerous conditions of homeless living. These numbers are only expected to increase with the threats of climate change and extreme weather. [8]

Housing instability and homelessness disproportionately impacts certain populations. For example, individuals are often released from prison with minimal income and experience employment barriers and reduced earnings. They may face discrimination from potential landlords, lose eligibility for public housing, and struggle to maintain and pay for stable housing.[9] Black and Hispanic households are also more likely than White households to be cost burdened and therefore at risk of housing instability. [10] Homelessness also disproportionately impacts communities of color. In 2022, Black households accounted for just 12 percent of the U.S. population but nearly 37 percent of people experiencing homelessness.

Similarly, Hispanic households comprise less than a fifth of the total population but nearly a fourth of the homeless population.[11]

Individuals and families with low incomes need access to safe, stable, and affordable housing bolstered by wraparound services to address the dynamic and multifaceted natures of poverty, homelessness, and housing instability. Meeting these needs can accelerate access to concrete supports, dismantle systemic inequities, and mitigate barriers to healthy living.

B. Program History/Background

Research and practitioners have established that access to affordable housing is critical to a person’s health and well-being; however, for many low income and vulnerable populations, it is only part of the solution to homelessness and housing instability. Many individuals and families living in affordable housing need supportive services to help them maintain their housing. For example, supportive services can help individuals facing income instability and employment barriers access transportation and job training services needed to attain and maintain employment. An extensive body of research shows that most people, particularly vulnerable individuals, who reside in affordable housing with supportive services are more likely to remain stably housed in their community and avoid re-incarceration and costly emergency health systems.[12] Studies show the most successful supportive services programs offer multi-disciplinary services that can address an array of client needs. Typically, these services are voluntary, allowing individuals and families to choose what to participate in so that they can maintain choice around the type of services they receive, while working to set goals with their service provider. [13]

Affordable housing owners that are also recipients of CSBG funding are uniquely positioned to implement this supportive services demonstration program. The mission of CSBG is to alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty for under-resourced communities with low incomes and help individuals and families achieve economic mobility. Recipients of CSBG funding have extensive experience assessing community-based needs, supporting local needs through partnerships, and leveraging existing wraparound supportive service infrastructure. Moreover, the flexible nature of CSBG funding allows recipients to innovate and provide services tailored to the unique needs of the communities they serve.

C. Program Goals: Outcomes and Performance Measures

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to test the outcomes of strengthening wraparound supportive services for residents of affordable housing on individual and family self-sufficiency.

Award recipients will use funds to strengthen, expand, and enhance wraparound supportive services available to affordable housing residents to increase stability, economic mobility, and well-being. Services might include the following: educational opportunities for youths and adults; afterschool and/or summer programs for children and teens; early child care, Head Start, Early Head Start, or other early childhood education programs/opportunities for young children ages 0 to 5; older adult care services; mental health, alcohol, and addiction services; services for individuals with disabilities; self-sufficiency resources; resources on future homeownership;

financial literacy training; transportation services for residents; referrals and connections to resources to help meet concrete needs; and health care services.

The Affordable Housing and Supportive Services Demonstration program (AHSSD) provides an opportunity for ACF to learn more about:

1. How award recipients use increased funding to leverage currently established supportive service infrastructure within affordable housing units;

2. How strengthening and expanding supportive services available in affordable housing units may support improved self-sufficiency of individuals and families; and

3. Perceived efficiencies when a single organization administers both affordable housing and residential support services.

Award recipients will identify the intended outcomes of their project based on the unique needs of the populations they serve. These short-term individual and family outcomes can include, but are not limited to, those listed below.

Individual and Family Outcomes

Stability Outcomes

Increased availability of/access to educational opportunities for youth and adult residents Increased availability of/access to afterschool programs for children and teen residents Increased availability of/access to early child care, Head Start, or Early Head Start programs for young residents ages 0 to 5 Increased nurturing and attachment between caregiver and child Increased knowledge parenting for youth and child development Increased caregiver/parental resilience Increased social and emotional competence for children Increased concrete support for parents Increased social connections for families

Safety and Well-being Outcomes

Increased availability of/access to mental health and alcohol and addiction treatment programs for residents

Increased availability of/access to older adult care services for older residents Increased availability of/access to services for residents with disabilities Increased availability of/access to transportation services Increased availability of/access to health care services

Economic Mobility Outcomes

Increased availability of/access to self-sufficiency resources for residents Increased availability of/access to resources for future homeownership Increased availability of/access to financial literacy training

Additionally, award recipients will consider how their short-term outcomes and subsequent program activities will support the long-term community outcomes listed below.

Community Outcomes

Community improvements in mental health Community reductions in alcohol and substance use Improved school readiness for children and youth Increased educational attainment for children and youth Increased financial stability and literacy for families Improved access to support for individuals with disabilities Reduced economic stress for individuals and families Improved overall economic security for households Increased individual and family incomes Improved housing stability for individuals and families

NOTE: Consistent with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), under this NOFO, OCS 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 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

D. Major Activities

Areas of activity: There are three areas of activity for the AHSSD program. Recipients will be required to implement projects that have a thorough plan for value-added activities in each of the following three areas:

1. Strengthening and expanding wraparound supportive services for residents of affordable housing to promote safety, stability, and economic mobility.

2. Identifying gaps in service provision and improving equitable access to services.

3. Actively supporting the federal evaluation.

Strengthening and expanding wraparound supportive services for residents of affordable housing

Award recipients must use this funding to strengthen, expand, and enhance wraparound supportive services available to affordable housing residents to promote safety, stability, and economic mobility for residents. Award recipients must ensure that their services aim to achieve the program outcomes outlined previously in this funding opportunity (See C. Program Goals:

Outcomes and Performance Measures). Specifically, award recipients must demonstrate how they will strengthen and/or expand two or more of the following service areas:

Educational opportunities for youth and adult residents Afterschool and/or summer programs for children and teen residents Early child care, Head Start, Early Head Start, or other early childhood education programs/opportunities for young residents ages 0 to 5 Older adult care services Mental health and alcohol and addiction services Services for residents with disabilities

Self-sufficiency resources for residents Resources on future homeownership for residents Financial literacy training for residents Transportation services for residents Referrals and connections to resources to help meet concrete needs Health care services

Identifying gaps in service provision and improving equitable access to services: Award recipients must make equity a focal point and should articulate how their project will address any existing inequities in service provision. To capture opportunities that lead to increased equity and to identify the actual needs of the residents/community, the award recipient must intentionally include/identify a plan for including and amplifying the voices of residents/community members while developing, implementing, and evaluating the Affordable Housing and Supportive Services Demonstration.

Actively supporting the federal evaluation: Award recipients must work closely with ACF to facilitate an evaluation of this federal demonstration program. The federal evaluation will include gathering implementation data from recipients. It may also include, but is not limited to, data gathering from recipients, partners, and/or program beneficiaries through surveys, small focus groups, and/or qualitative interviews. Recipients will fully and actively support the federal evaluation and work with, and encourage, their partner organizations to do the same. Award recipients must have established organizational data systems and processes that effectively track both program and performance outcomes. Award recipients must have experience collecting, organizing, and managing data, which includes evidence of data and information management software/practices and best practices around data integrity.

NOTE: Consistent with the PRA of 1995, (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), under this NOFO, OCS 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.

Publications

All publications developed or purchased with funds awarded under this notice must be consistent with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) policies as outlined in Part II-70 of the HHS Grants Policy Statement. Pursuant to 45 CFR § 75.322(b), the award recipient owns the copyright for materials that it develops under an award issued pursuant to this notice, and HHS reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable right to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use those materials for federal purposes, and to authorize others to do so. In addition, pursuant to 45 CFR § 75.322(d), the federal government has the right to obtain, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use data produced under this award and has the right to authorize others to receive, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use such data for federal purposes, e.g., to make it available in government sponsored databases for use by others. If applicable, the specific scope of ACF rights with respect to a particular award-supported effort will be addressed in the notice of award. The award recipient must ensure data and copyright-protected works developed by a subrecipient or contractor also are subject to the federal government’s copyright license and data rights.

Identification of Federal Support https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/grants/grants/policies-regulations/hhsgps107.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR78b08d9c95aad03/section-75.322#p-75.322(b) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR78b08d9c95aad03/section-75.322#p-75.322(d)

Whenever training and technical assistance (T/TA) projects are either entirely or partially supported by CSBG funds, the award recipient must clearly identify the T/TA materials, tools, and resources developed through the cooperative agreement. Furthermore, the award recipient must include the certification statement, as follows:

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

Government. For more information, please visit the ACF website, Administrative and National Policy Requirements.

Subawards

Recipients under this 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. 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 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.

OCS Response to Nationally Declared Emergency If, during the project period, OCS and/or recipients are required to adjust program and/or cooperative agreement requirements due to a nationally declared emergency, OCS will exercise maximum flexibility as needed. Requirements may be conducted virtually, or timelines may be modified in consultation with OCS.

Pre-Application Webinar

A pre-application webinar will be available for viewing no later than 10 days after publication at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/grants until the closing of this NOFO. The goal of the pre-recorded webinar is to outline AHSSD’s program’s purpose and strategies; provide key dates for submitting an application for AHSSD; and review key application criteria and requirements, as outlined in the NOFO. Viewing the pre-recorded webinar is voluntary. Only the information provided in this NOFO will be presented. No question-and-answer portion will be conducted during the session. Participants will remain anonymous. Opting not to view the webinar will not affect eligibility, application scoring, or the selection process. Applicants will be able to access the recording and transcript on the program office website at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/grants.

OCS Equity Action Statement https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements https://sam.gov/ 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 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/grants https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/grants

OCS is committed to advancing equity across all programs as called for in the Executive Order On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government and the Executive Order on Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through The Federal Government. OCS focused on the following areas to guide the creation of a comprehensive strategy: addressing the root causes of inequity in underserved communities; elevating the voices of individuals, families, award recipients, and stakeholders in strategic planning; revising policies that perpetuate systemic barriers to opportunities; and promoting integrated service delivery using an equity lens. OCS has made steps to advance equity by implementing demographic data collection in programs across OCS to ensure programs are equitably serving individuals and households across the country. In FY 2023, recipients of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program will begin reporting demographic data on race, ethnicity, and gender. Learn more about OCS's equity activities here.

F. Definitions

The following definitions apply to this funding opportunity. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review these carefully prior to applying.

Affordable housing owner – Individual or entity that owns affordable housing units.

Affordable Housing Unit – An affordable housing unit is defined as housing on which the occupant is paying no more than 30 percent of gross monthly income for housing costs, including utilities. This is the definition used by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Community Action Agency (CAA) – Public and private non-profits that work to implement community-based anti-poverty programs and provide support services to vulnerable households, including education and employment services and assistance with basic needs. CAAs were established to carry out the Community Action Program, which was founded by the 1964 Economic Opportunity Act to fight poverty by empowering the poor as part of the War on Poverty.

Equity – The consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.

Family Resource Center – Organizations that host family support and strengthening programs. They may be community- or school-based. They serve as welcoming hubs of community services and opportunities designed to strengthen families. Their activities and programs, typically provided at no- or low-cost to participants, are developed to reflect and be responsive to the specific needs, cultures, and interests of the communities and populations served.

Low Income – ACF defines “low income,” for purposes of this award, as an individual whose household income level does not exceed 200 percent of the official poverty guidelines, as found in the most recent revision of the HHS Poverty Guidelines published by HHS, available at https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/02/16/executive-order-on-further-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/02/16/executive-order-on-further-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/ocs-equity-action-statement-fy2022 https://archives.hud.gov/local/nv/goodstories/2006-04-06glos.cfm#:~:text=Affordable%20Housing%3A%20Affordable%20housing%20is,Reference%3A%20www.hud.gov https://archives.hud.gov/local/nv/goodstories/2006-04-06glos.cfm#:~:text=Affordable%20Housing%3A%20Affordable%20housing%20is,Reference%3A%20www.hud.gov https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines.

Wraparound supportive services – Wraparound supportive services encompass any service that individuals and families with low incomes may need to become more financially stable and self-sufficient. Wraparound supportive services may include, but are not limited to, financial literacy services, child care services, transportation, substance-use disorder treatment, English language education, job training, social service referrals, basic needs support, housing services, etc.

Underserved communities – The populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life.

[1] Frederick, T.J., Chwalek, M., Hughes, J., Karabanow, J., & Kidd, S. (2014). How stable is stable? Defining and measuring housing stability. Journal of Community Psychology, 42(8), 964–979. Digital Object Identifier (DOI): 10.1002/jcop.21665

[2] Impact-of-Affordable-Housing-on-Families-and-Communities.pdf (homeforallsmc.org)

[3] Bailey, K. T., Cook, J. T., Ettinger de Cuba, S., Casey, P. H., Chilton, M., Coleman, S. M., & Frank, D. A. (2016). Development of an index of subsidized housing availability and its relationship to housing insecurity. Housing Policy Debate, 26(1), 172–187. DOI :

10.1080/10511482.2015.1015042

[4] Desmond, M., & Shollenberger, T. (2015). Forced displacement from rental housing:

Prevalence and neighborhood consequences. Demography, 52(5), 1751–1772. DOI:

10.1007/s13524-015-0419-9

[5] Busacker, A., & Kasehagen, L. (2012). Association of residential mobility with child health:

An analysis of the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 16(1), 78–87. DOI : 10.1007/s10995-012-0997-8

[6] HUD Releases 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report. (2022, December 19).

HUD.gov/HUD Releases 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report. (2022, December 19).

HUD.gov/HUD https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/HUD_No_22_253

[7] The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness notes and research confirms, point-in-time shelter counts drastically underestimate the actual number of persons experiencing homelessness because these estimates do not include the countless individuals and families that are “doubled-up,” or living with relatives or friends to avoid staying in a shelter.

[8] Homeless-Mortality-Toolkit-FULL-FINAL.pdf (nhchc.org)

[9] Housing Instability-Healthy People 2030 | health.gov. (n.d.). Housing Instability-Healthy People 2030 | health.gov. https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health/literature-summaries/housing-instability

[10] Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. (2023). State of the Nation’s Housing 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023, from https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_The_State_of_the_ Nations_Housing_2023.pdf https://homeforallsmc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Impact-of-Affordable-Housing-on-Families-and-Communities.pdf https://doi.org/10.1080/10511482.2015.1015042 https://doi.org/10.1007/s13524-015-0419-9 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-012-0997-8 https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/HUD_No_22_253 https://nhchc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Homeless-Mortality-Toolkit-FULL-FINAL.pdf https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health/literature-summaries/housing-instability https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health/literature-summaries/housing-instability https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_The_State_of_the_Nations_Housing_2023.pdf https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_The_State_of_the_Nations_Housing_2023.pdf

[11] Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. (2023). State of the Nation’s Housing 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023, from https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_The_State_of_the_ Nations_Housing_2023.pdf

[12] Bird, E. (2010, December 14). The impact of government cuts across housing, care and support on vulnerable people. Housing, Care and Support, 13(4), 33–36. https://DOI .org/10.5042/hcs.2010.0759

[13] Durkacz, S. (2003, February 1). The families and friends of homeless and vulnerable people: Homelessness is more than just nowhere to live. Housing, Care and Support, 6(1), 4–7.

https://DOI .org/10.1108/14608790200300002

[14] Self-sufficiency is defined as a household’s ability to maintain financial, housing, and personal/family stability.

II. Federal Award Information

Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Estimated Total Funding:

$2,000,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$250,000 Per Project Period

Award Floor:

$100,000 Per Project Period

Average Projected Award Amount:

$200,000 Per Project Period

Anticipated Project Start Date:

09/29/2023 Length of Project Periods:

18-month project period and budget period

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

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

Applications requesting an award amount that exceeds the Award Ceiling per budget period, or per project period, as stated in this section, will be disqualified from competitive review and funding under this funding opportunity. This disqualification applies only to the Award Ceiling https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_The_State_of_the_Nations_Housing_2023.pdf https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_The_State_of_the_Nations_Housing_2023.pdf 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.

Description of ACF's Anticipated Substantial Involvement Under the Cooperative Agreement Award

The responsibility for the management, control, direction, or performance of the project will be shared by OCS and the recipient. OCS will have the right to intervene (including interruption or modification) in the conduct or performance of project activities if the recipient does not adhere to the goals and objectives as outlined in the NOFO and a signed cooperative agreement.

OCS program involvement will include the following:

Providing program guidance and input, as appropriate;

Approving all work plans and schedules;

Reviewing and providing feedback on the activities, documentation, procedures, measures, and tools established and implemented for accomplishing the goals of the cooperative agreement throughout the duration of the initiative;

Reviewing, providing feedback, and concurring with activities, procedures, tools, measures, products, and written materials prior to external communication and dissemination on an ongoing basis;

Providing support for the federal evaluation contractor and recipients in meeting the requirements of the federal evaluation; and

Participating in the presentation of results in publications.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants include CAAs and tribes that were funded directly by the CSBG in FY 2023 that own affordable housing units and provide wraparound supportive services to residents of the affordable units. By nature of their funding support through CSBG, CAAs and tribes funded directly by CSBG work to provide wraparound supportive services to their communities.

Applicants must submit the following documentation to determine eligibility for this opportunity:

Affordable housing units: Evidence that their units are affordable. Documentation should demonstrate that residents are responsible for 30 percent or less of the total monthly cost of the unit. Please note any documentation with resident personal identifiable information should be de-identified.

Property ownership: Evidence of ownership over the affordable housing units in the form of a property deed and/or title. In lieu of a deed and/or title, property owners must submit two recent water bills (May and June 2023).

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:

Yes Recipients are required to meet a non-federal share of the project cost, in accordance with Social Security Act Section 1110(a)(1)(A), which states that the funding is to be used for making grants to States and public and other organizations and agencies for paying part of the cost of research or demonstration projects.

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.

Recipients must provide at least 10 percent of the total approved cost of the project. The total approved cost of the project is the sum of the ACF (federal) share and the non-federal share. The non-federal share may be met by cash or in-kind contributions, although recipients are encouraged to meet their match requirements through cash contributions. For example, if the total approved project cost is $277,778, in order to meet the match requirements, a project requesting $250,000 in ACF (federal) funds must provide a non-federal share of the approved total project cost of at least $ 27,778, which is 10 percent of the total approved project cost.

Non-federal resources will be evaluated under criteria found in Section V.1. of this funding opportunity.

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 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 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.

OCS Disqualification Factors:

Applicants that do not submit the required additional eligibility documentation referenced in Section IV.2. The Project Description, Additional Eligibility Documentation will be disqualified from competitive review and funding under this NOFO.

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

Thom Campbell Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families Office of Community Services 1401 Mercantile Lane, Suite 401

HHS-2023-ACF-OCS-EAH-0088

Largo

MD

20774 1-855-792-6551 ocstech@reviewops.org https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs 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.

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.

http://www.gsa.gov/fedrelay

English Language Applications must be submitted in the English language and must be in the terms of United States (U.S.) dollars. If applications are submitted using another currency, ACF will convert the foreign currency to U.S. currency using the date of receipt of the application to determine the rate of exchange.

Page Limitations Applicants must observe the page limitation(s) listed under "PAGE LIMITATIONS AND CONTENT FOR ALL SUBMISSION FORMATS:." Page limitation(s) do not include SFs and OMB-approved forms.

All applications must be double-spaced. An application that exceeds the cited page limitation for double-spaced pages in the Project Description file or the Appendices file will have extra pages removed, and those pages will not be reviewed.

Application Elements Exempted from Double-Spacing Requirements The following elements of the application submission are exempt from the double-spacing requirements and may be single-spaced: the table of contents, the one-page Project Summary, required Assurances and Certifications, required SFs, required OMB-approved forms, resumes, logic models, proof of legal status/non-profit status, third-party agreements, letters of support, footnotes, tables, the line-item budget and/or the budget justification.

Adherence to NOFO Formatting, Font, and Page Limitation Requirements Applications that fail to adhere to ACF’s NOFO formatting, font, and page limitation requirements will be adjusted by the removal of page(s) from the application. Pages will be removed before the objective review 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.