Foa_Content_of_HHS-2024-ACF-OHS-HM-R12-0158.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Office of Head Start

Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Expansion, and Migrant and Seasonal Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Expansion Grants

HHS-2024-ACF-OHS-HM-R12-0158

Application Due Date: 05/14/2024

Table of Contents Executive Summary

I. Program Description

II. Federal Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

III.3. Other

IV. Application and Submission Information

IV.1. Address to Request Application Package

IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Required Forms, Assurances, and Certifications

The Project Description

The Project Budget and Budget Justification

Application Submission Options

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

IV.4. Submission Dates and Times

Explanation of Due Dates

Acknowledgement of Received Application

IV.5. Intergovernmental Review

IV.6. Funding Restrictions

IV.7. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Criteria

V.2. Review and Selection Process

V.3. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

VI. Federal Award Administration Information

VI.1. Federal Award Notices

VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

VI.3. Reporting

VII. HHS Award Agency Contact(s)

VIII. Other Information

Reference Websites

Application Checklist

Appendix

Funding Opportunity Title:

Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Expansion, and Migrant and Seasonal Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Expansion Grants Announcement Type:

Initial Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2024-ACF-OHS-HM-R12-0158

Primary CFDA Number:

93.600 Due Date for Applications:

05/14/2024

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 an award, please visit "Applying for an ACF Award" at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announces the availability of approximately $14 million to be competitively awarded for the purpose of expanding access to high-quality, comprehensive early learning services for low-income pregnant women, infants, toddlers, preschool-age children, and their families. ACF, within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), will consider applications for Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Expansion, and Migrant and Seasonal Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Expansion Grants, or applications that include some combination of these options.

The Office of Head Start (OHS) is offering applicants the opportunity to apply for funding to serve pregnant women, infants, toddlers, preschool-age children, and their families in one application. The goal of this NOFO is to ensure a distribution of resources to meet the demonstrated community needs of children from birth to compulsory school age and the needs of families pursuing employment, training, education, and other opportunities to support their well-being. Given the need for continuity of care for young children, OHS expects that applicants will propose a full-day, full-year model with sufficient hours to meet the child care needs of families and not less than 1,020 hours per year for Head Start.

This NOFO solicits applications from public or private non-profit organizations, including faith-based organizations or for-profit organizations, that seek to provide a high-quality, comprehensive program incorporating a combination of Head Start, EHS, EHS-CCP funding, or to provide services for Head Start only, EHS only, or EHS-CCP only in a manner that ensures continuous services and seamless transitions for children and families.

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

Defining what we mean by Expansion

In this NOFO, ACF defines expansion as the addition of new services in a community or the expansion of existing services. For Head Start, EHS, or EHS-CCP programs, a program can include any of the following: adding slots within a new or existing center-based classrooms or family child care programs; adding new classrooms to a new or existing center; adding or establishing new centers or family child care providers; adding new slots to a new or existing home-based program option; new or existing recipients who are seeking expanded services to meet the needs of families pursuing employment, training, education, and other opportunities to support their well-being; and/or existing recipients who reduced enrollment to increase staff compensation and are now applying to expand their enrollment to regain the slots they reduced.

Head Start Expansion

Current Head Start recipients, as well as organizations that are not current recipients, are both eligible to apply to establish or add new traditional Head Start slots through Head Start Expansion. For any new Head Start center-based slots, OHS expects that applicants will propose a service duration that meets the identified needs of the community and is not less than the requirements described in 1302.21(c)(2) of the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS). Again, applicants are reminded that a Head Start program must provide at least 1,020 annual hours of service for at least 45 percent of its Head Start center-based funded enrollment.

Applicants should plan carefully to ensure the service duration for newly proposed Head Start slots still meets this percentage threshold and consider the child care needs of low-income working families in the community.

Early Head Start Expansion

Eligible applicants including existing EHS recipients can apply to establish or add new traditional EHS slots through non-partnership EHS Expansion. Non-partnership EHS Expansion recipients will also provide early, continuous, intensive, and comprehensive child development and family support services that will enhance the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of participating children; support parents' efforts to fulfill their parental roles; and help parents move toward self-sufficiency. Given the need for continuity of care for very young age children, the OHS expects that applicants will propose a full-day, full-year model with sufficient hours to meet the child care needs of families and not less than 1,380 hours per year.

Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships

Eligible applicants including existing Head Start, EHS, and EHS-CCP recipients can apply to use funding to partner with local child care, including family child care providers, to provide comprehensive, high-quality services to eligible infants and toddlers through EHS-CCP. These EHS-CCP will enhance and support early learning settings to provide full-day, full-year, comprehensive services that meet the needs of low-income working families; enhance access to high-quality, full-time child care; support the development of infants and toddlers through strong relationship-based experiences; and prepare them for the transition into preschool. EHS-CCP play an important role in the child care system by both expanding high-quality early learning services to infants and toddlers and applying resources and lessons learned to build the system's capacity.

Through EHS-CCP, new or existing recipients will partner with local child care centers and/or family child care programs and will leverage current investments through the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) or other sources to extend the hours of service and increase comprehensive services available for EHS eligible children. All infants and toddlers in an EHS- CCP site will benefit from facilities or family child care homes that meet licensing and EHS facility safety requirements. Other children in classrooms with EHS-CCP enrolled children may benefit from lower teacher-child ratios and class sizes, higher qualifications of their teachers, ongoing supervision and coaching, an established curriculum, and parent engagement activities.

While only children enrolled in the EHS-CCP program will be eligible for direct family-specific benefits, such as home visits, health tracking and promotion, and family partnership agreements through this funding, programs must operationalize services to ensure there is no segregation or stigmatization of EHS-CCP children or families due to the additional requirements or services.

For more information on the EHS-CCP model, please visit:

https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/programs/article/early-head-start-child-care-partnerships-programs.

Combination Approach

Eligible applicants including existing recipients can apply to both expand the number of Head Start or EHS slots and implement the EHS-CCP model designed to bring EHS services to infants and toddlers in child care and family child care settings.

General Information for All Applicants

Regardless of the model the applicant selects, only high-quality applications will be funded. All applicants should prioritize providing services to the most vulnerable families with the greatest need. ACF recognizes that in order to reach families most in need of services, funding should be prioritized to facilitate the enrollment of families living in poverty, while also considering measures of need, which may include other community or family circumstances and adversities (e.g., those experiencing extreme poverty or homelessness, community health problems, rates of joblessness, teen parents, incarcerated parents, and/or substance misuse). Grants will be awarded based on how effectively the model design fits the needs of the community to be served and the overall quality of the proposed program, dependent upon available funding. Additionally, grants will be awarded based on the applicant’s ability to provide sustainable approaches toward staffing, which includes providing staff with competitive wages that are comparable to similar roles in local public schools and provide a minimum wage that covers basic necessities, comprehensive benefits, and wellness supports. A well-compensated and supported workforce is essential to providing high-quality services to promote children’s optimal development and family well-being. Funds awarded through this NOFO must not supplant existing subsidies or other funding.

Through this NOFO, applicants have the choice of applying to use the funds in one of four ways:

1) Head Start expansion 2) EHS Expansion 3) EHS-CCP, or 4) a mix of Head Start expansion, EHS Expansion, and EHS-CCP. However, applicant entities may submit only one application per service area regardless of how they choose to apply. ACF will review only one application for a service area from any applicant. For more information, please see Section IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission.

I. Program Description https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/programs/article/early-head-start-child-care-partnerships-programs

Statutory Authority This funding is authorized by division H, title II of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328). The Head Start program is authorized by the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C.

9840(a)(5)(A) and 42 U.S.C. 9840A(a)).

Description Description

Program Background and Purpose

The Head Start program is administered by ACF, an operating division of HHS. ACF intends to fund applications that demonstrate an organization's commitment and capacity to operate a Head Start program that raises the quality of early care and education in the community and helps children start school ready to succeed.

OHS provides grants to public, private non-profit, and for-profit agencies to provide comprehensive child development services to predominately economically disadvantaged children and families. Head Start's primary purpose is to prepare children to be ready for school and ensure their healthy development. Since its beginning in 1965, Head Start has served more than 36 million children and their families. In fiscal year (FY) 2022, Head Start was funded to serve 801,000 children and families. Currently there are approximately 1,600 Head Start grant recipients.

Head Start programs must provide directly or through referral, early, continuous, intensive, and comprehensive child development and family support services that will enhance the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of participating children in the key domains of physical development and health; social and emotional development; approaches to learning, language, and literacy; and cognition and general knowledge. Programs support parent engagement in their roles as their children’s teachers and advocates and help parents move toward self-sufficiency.

Head Start programs emphasize family engagement because of the critical role that parents play in supporting their children's healthy development and school success. Effective programs engage parents in their children's development and learning. Programs also emphasize the significant involvement of parents in the administration of local Head Start and programs. These leadership opportunities are designed to strengthen skills that parents can apply to improve their family's economic well-being and to become more effective advocates for their children.

Overview of Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Program

In 1969, the Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) program was established to provide services to the children of migrant farmworkers. The program provides funds to recipients that offer Head Start services to low-income, farm-worker families that migrate during the harvest season to engage in agricultural labor.In 1998, language was added to the Head Start Act that allowed migrant programs to serve the children of low-income, seasonal farmworkers.

Based on the Head Start Act and its corresponding regulations (42 U.S.C. 9832(17) and 45 CFR § 1305.2), migrant farmworkers are families engaged in agricultural labor who have changed their residence from one geographic location to another in the preceding 2-year period. Seasonal farmworkers are families engaged primarily in seasonal agricultural labor who have not changed their residence from one geographic location to another in the preceding 2 years. As required in 45 CFR § 1302.14(a)(2), migrant programs must give priority to children from families whose pursuit of agricultural work required them to relocate frequently within the previous 2-year period.

Currently, programs can use the definition of agricultural work that is more suited to the state or area where they wish to provide services. For example, providers can use the definition of agricultural work provided by Migrant Education (34 CFR § 200.81) or Department of Agriculture (7 CFR § 1518). Under this premise, agricultural work could include livestock, fisheries, dairy farms, and many other labors associated with farming, in addition to tree and field crops.

For a child to be eligible for MSHS per 45 CFR § 1302 subpart A:

1. The family must generally be low-income according to federal poverty guidelines,

2. The family must meet the Head Start definition of migrant or seasonal (45 CFR §

1305.2), and

3. The recipient must be able to verify that the family income is derived primarily (more than 50 percent) from agricultural work. OHS considers migrant children to be needier than seasonal children because migrant children move the most. Recipients are expected to provide services for the length of time that families are living and working in a particular agricultural community.

A typical MSHS program serves children from birth to age 5 in licensed child care centers or family child care homes. Since parents are working long hours, migrant programs typically operate between 8 and 12 hours a day (length of the day depends upon the peak harvests in the service area), including some holidays or weekends at the peak of the agricultural season.

Services to migrant children are provided during the time families are working in the fields, often from mid-spring until the fall, although this varies considerably depending on a program's location. Services for seasonal children are generally provided concurrently with the school year, generally September to May, although this also may vary depending on the particular needs of a program's seasonal families. Since seasonal families have not moved searching for agricultural work in the last 2 years by definition, these are families that mostly have decided to settle in the community and need continuity of services. In most cases, seasonal families need support throughout the year, including services during the summer, to help transition the family to the mainstream community.

MSHS was created to serve working families. Therefore, programs are expected to accommodate the needs of parents' long workdays. Usually, meetings with families are held in the evenings or on weekends to encourage parent participation. Typically, transportation is provided to the children, as young as 2 months old, to and from home to ensure their attendance. Many migrant families share the use of vehicles to get to and from work and cannot transport their children to the Head Start centers. Once at the centers or family child care homes, well-balanced and healthy meals are provided. In addition to medical and dental services, the children receive comprehensive services, including the implementation of an evidence-based curriculum to ensure children are ready for school.

Head Start Program Performance Standards

In addition to the Head Start Act, 42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq., Head Start is governed by the HSPPS that define the scope of services necessary to support children's development and school readiness. These program performance standards are found in 45 CFR Parts 1301- 1305 https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/policy/45-cfr-chap-xiii. The HSPPS are the foundation on which programs design and deliver comprehensive, high-quality, individualized services to support the school readiness of children from low-income families. The standards set forth the requirements local recipients must meet to support the cognitive, social, emotional, and healthy development of children from birth to age 5. They encompass requirements to provide education, health, mental health, nutrition, and family and community engagement services as well as rules for local program governance and aspects of federal administration of the program.

Facilities

Recipients proposing facility purchase, construction, or renovation will be required to meet the requirements in 45 CFR Part 1303 Subpart E – Facilities. This subpart prescribes what a recipient must establish to show it is eligible to purchase, construct, and renovate facilities, as outlined in section 644(c), (f), and (g) of the Act. It explains how a recipient may apply for funds; details what measures a recipient must take to protect federal interest in facilities purchased, constructed, or renovated with grant funds; and concludes with other administrative provisions. This subpart only applies to minor renovations and repairs when they are included with a purchase application and are part of purchase costs.

Program Approach

Head Start and EHS are designed to increase the number of low-income children receiving high-quality, comprehensive early education services that help facilitate healthy development, including physical and social/emotional development, and prepare them for school success. To meet this goal, it is critical that funds awarded through this NOFO do not supplant existing services. Given the need for continuity of care to support the rapid development in the earliest years, OHS expects that recipients proposing EHS or EHS-CCP Expansion will serve pregnant women, infants, and toddlers for at least 1,380 annual hours, as required in 45 CFR § 1302.21(c)(1), unless approved for a locally designed option. OHS expects that recipients will implement a full-year model, as described in 45 CFR Part 1302 Subpart B, that will require per-child costs that, in most circumstances, will be higher than the costs needed to provide part-year services. For applicants proposing Head Start expansion, OHS expects that recipients will serve at least 45 percent of preschool slots for 1,020 annual hours, as required in 45 CFR § 1302.21(c)(2). All remaining slots must meet or exceed the minimum hours, as described in 45 CFR § 1302.21(c)(2). Applicants are encouraged to use this opportunity to design a model of services and program options that best meet the needs of children and families over time. Applicants must serve a sufficient number of infants, toddlers and/or preschool aged children and their families, so that the funding level is adequate to support the full array of staffing and infrastructure for successful implementation.

All applicants should consider the birth-to-five continuum of care and education, and utilize duration to support families pursuing employment, training, education, and other opportunities to support their well-being in developing their proposals. Recipients are expected to leverage resources from existing community agencies that provide early learning https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/policy/45-cfr-chap-xiii services – including early intervention, home visiting, and preschool programs – that will support children and their families from birth through kindergarten entry.

Applicants must consider how they will ensure smooth and seamless transitions for children and families, particularly as infants transition into center-based or family child care services, as toddlers transition to preschool services, and as preschoolers transition into kindergarten.

Recipients are required to plan for transitions for children out of EHS, including assisting families with preschool options for children after their program ends through agreements with publicly funded Head Start, pre-kindergarten, and child care programs. Recipients are also required to plan for transitions for children out of Head Start and into kindergarten, as appropriate.

Applicants are encouraged to bring new and innovative ideas that are evidence-based or evidence-informed to maximize the extent to which EHS and Head Start, in collaboration with other partners and early childhood education providers, can prepare children and their families for school.

Program Options

Center-Based Option

Center-based services are delivered in a child care or early education center. Programs select the center-based design that provides sufficient hours to meet the needs of eligible children and families in their communities.

Head Start programs must provide at least 1,020 annual hours of service over at least 8 months per year for at least 45 percent of their preschool center-based funded enrollment.

The remainder of a program’s preschool enrollment must meet or exceed the minimum service duration requirements specified in the HSPPS. EHS center-based programs must provide a minimum of 1,380 hours of service per year. While length of day is not prescribed, for most EHS programs, this is a minimum of 6 hours per day, 46 weeks per year. OHS expects EHS-CCP recipients to provide a minimum of 10 hours per day all year to meet the needs of working families. Programs generally use resources in addition to Head Start and EHS funding to meet the full-day needs of families.

The requirements for the center-based option are listed in the HSPPS, section 45 CFR § 1302.21.

Home-Based Option

The home-based option delivers the full range of required services to enrolled children and their families. EHS home-based programs must provide a minimum of 46 weekly visits with a child’s parent(s) and at least 22 group socialization experiences over the course of the year.

Head Start home-based programs must provide a minimum of 32 visits and at least 16 group socialization activities over the course of the year. For example, for young infants or medically fragile children in very rural areas, and when families prefer not to send their children to center-based care, this option may be implemented when a parent is available at home. The home-based option is not compatible with the EHS-CCP model.

The requirements for this option are fully described in the HSPPS section 45 CFR § 1302.22.

Family Child Care Option

The full range of Head Start services are delivered to children enrolled in family child care homes operated directly by the recipient or through a contract with the family child care provider(s). This model must operate sufficient hours to meet the needs of families and not less than 1,380 hours per year. This option may be implemented, for example, when families need flexible hours, prefer a home-like setting, or want siblings to attend together. It may also be the best option when there is no available facility in a community to operate a center-based program.

The requirements for this option are fully described in the HSPPS section 45 CFR § 1302.23.

Locally Designed Program Options

Based on the strategic plan and community assessment, applicants may propose a variation that responds to the needs of families in the community. Some communities or eligible populations may have unique needs for services that do not fall within the standard options or models described earlier. Applicants to provide Head Start or EHS to such populations or communities are encouraged to propose innovative designs or a combination of existing program options using the waiver process for locally designed options described in section 45 CFR § 1302.24 of the HSPPS. Selection of this option must be supported by evidence that demonstrates the locally designed variation effectively supports appropriate development and progress in children’s early learning outcomes.

Start-Up and Implementation Period for All Recipients (regardless of model)

Newly awarded recipients, regardless of model or option(s), should anticipate a reasonable start-up period and will be expected to begin providing services as soon as high-quality services can reasonably be provided (i.e., when high-quality facilities are ready and staff have been trained). Recipients are expected to be fully enrolled to serve families as soon as possible and no later than 12 months after receiving an award.

ACF recognizes that the development and implementation of a start-up plan is critical to the success of new or expanded programs for all recipients, regardless of model. The development of the timeline for pre-operational activities, including orientation, training, and health and safety checks is also critical to ensure children have the necessary equipment and materials. Planning for program implementation should begin with this application and continue at the time of funding. Start-up planning and implementation will consist of:

• Negotiating and implementing contract agreements with a manageable number of partners;

• Creating an organizational structure to support provision of comprehensive services to children and families;

• Developing plans to provide high-quality, comprehensive services (health, mental health, family support services, and nutrition);

• Hiring qualified staff, including required background checks, and developing professional development plans for each staff member;

• Providing training and professional development activities, which move staff on a career pathway towards knowledge, skills, and credentials associated with enhanced quality;

• Developing plans to provide both EHS and Head Start, if applicable, child care staff with training as required by HSPPS; state, territory, or tribal and local child care licensing; and other regulations;

• Developing plans to ensure high-quality group care environments, including assessing and improving settings to ensure the safety, well-being, and developmental appropriateness for children, staff, and families;

• Developing plans to lessen barriers such as lack of transportation;

• Developing management, fiscal, and facilities plans;

• Developing service plans that include a schedule for screening and ongoing assessment and the selection and implementation of an evidence-based curriculum;

• Developing plans to implement and facilitate a coordinated system of care that will assist in meeting the needs of the children and families, including partnership with the local Part C (of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) intervention agency that coordinates services for infants and toddlers with disabilities;

• Developing systems of ongoing oversight and monitoring to ensure quality;

• Recruiting and enrolling children; and

• Planning for and providing access to safe, developmentally appropriate outdoor environments that allow children to grow and thrive in the natural environment.

Activities completed by all applicants during the planning process require a thorough review and understanding of relevant HSPPS and all relevant requirements in the Head Start Act.

All Head Start Expansion, EHS Expansion, or EHS-CCP applicants are strongly encouraged to use a start-up planner and/or a fiscal consultant to help ensure plans, policies, and procedures are in place to address all regulations. All newly funded Head Start and EHS recipients will have a variety of resources available to support their planning and implementation efforts, including the resources listed in Section VIII. Other Information, Reference Websites of this NOFO.

Applicants are encouraged to request start-up funds; however, the approval of start-up funding as requested is not guaranteed.

Administrative Costs

No more than 15 percent of total costs may be used for program administration. An HHS official may grant a waiver of the 15 percent limitation on allowable development and administration costs for a Head Start or EHS program approving a higher percentage for a specific period not to exceed 12 months (45 CFR § 1303.5).

Oversight and Monitoring Reviews

OHS is responsible for monitoring the quality of Head Start and/or EHS program services and the recipient's compliance with federal and other applicable requirements and to provide access to training and technical assistance, as needed. The federal government uses several mechanisms to conduct its oversight, including ongoing communication with ACF regional offices and periodic site visits. Federal monitoring reviews are required by the Head Start Act. Over the course of the project period, reviews are conducted to ensure compliance with the HSPPS and other applicable regulations. Monitoring reviews may occur onsite or offsite, and include compliance with health and safety requirements, rules related to children's eligibility for the program, and financial management requirements.

Federal Evaluation

As a condition of acceptance of an award under this NOFO, all recipients are required to participate fully in ACF-sponsored evaluations and adhere to all evaluation protocols established by ACF to be carried out by its designee contractors.

ACF-led evaluations are subject to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). ACF will obtain OMB approval prior to requiring recipients to respond to a collection of information.

Eligible Participants (all recipients)

Head Start serves children when they are at least 3 years old by the date used to determine eligibility for public school in the community where the Head Start program is located. EHS programs enroll pregnant women and infants and toddlers from birth to age 3. Families must either have incomes below the poverty line or be eligible for public assistance to be income-eligible for Head Start or EHS programs. In addition, homeless children and children in foster care are categorically eligible for services. Children are selected for enrollment based on age, income eligibility, and relative level of need regarding other criteria that are identified within each community (45 CFR § 1302.12(b) and (c)).

Head Start regulations permit up to 10 percent of enrolled participants to be from families that do not meet these low-income criteria. A provision in the Head Start Act, as discussed in 42 U.S.C. 9840(a)(1)(B), which is applicable to both Head Start and EHS, allows recipients that can ensure that all eligible children, including homeless children, are served, to enroll up to an additional 35 percent of its participants from families with incomes greater than or equal to 100 percent, but less than 130 percent, of the poverty line. In most cases, given the relatively low EHS participation rates, that the provisions of 42 U.S.C. 9840(a)(1)(B) regarding serving up to 35 percent of a program’s enrollment from families with incomes up to 130 percent of the poverty line would apply for this announcement.

Additionally, programs must ensure that at least 10 percent of the total number of children enrolled by the Head Start or EHS agency and delegates are children with disabilities, unless a waiver is granted.

Applicants may elect to propose program models that promote socioeconomic diversity within classrooms. Federal Head Start funds must be used to serve eligible children, as described in this section. Additional children who are not income-eligible for Head Start or EHS can be served, so long as their participation is supported through other funding sources, including child care subsidies, public school pre-kindergarten allocations, parent-paid tuition, or other sources. Such program designs may be beneficial in promoting socioeconomic diversity within classrooms. All costs must be allocated to appropriate funding sources in compliance with federal requirements.

Mortgages and Long-Term Lease Agreements

If so directed by OHS, the newly funded recipient must accept assignment of any existing mortgages, long-term lease agreements, or security agreements (in the case of a modular unit) on properties subject to a federal interest occupied by the current recipient. By accepting this condition, the recipient must comply with real property and reporting requirements, including submission of the SF-429 Attachment A on an annual basis until disposition is approved by ACF. For more information, see Real Property Guidance.

If a recipient intends to finance, refinance, or amendment a financing arrangement on a real property or real property project, the SF-429 Attachment C must be submitted, along with supporting documentation, in Grant Solutions/Online Data Collection (GS/OLDC). This is considered an encumbrance that requires Chief Grants Management Officer decision, which may delay recipients. Recipients that proceed on these arrangements before receiving official ACF approval do so at their own risk. For more information, see Real Property Guidance.

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. An award recipient or any subrecipient may not use grant funds, whether directly or indirectly, to support or oppose union organizing.

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

Eligible Applicants. Additionally, all subrecipient(s) must obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, or after government-wide implementation, a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) assigned by the System for Award Management (SAM), if they do not already have one. Prime recipients are required to check SAM to verify that the subrecipient(s) is/are not debarred, suspended, or ineligible.

Please reference the Award Term and Condition on Subawards on the ACF Administrative and National Policy Requirements website for further requirements involving subawards.

II. Federal Award Information

Funding Instrument Type:

G (Grant) Estimated Total Funding:

$14,658,024 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$14,658,024 Per Budget Period https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/manage-grant/property/real-property https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/manage-grant/property/real-property https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements

Award Floor:

$500,000 Per Budget Period

Average Projected Award Amount:

$1,500,000 Per Budget Period

Anticipated Project Start Date:

09/30/2024 Length of Project Periods:

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

Other

Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' The successful applicant(s) under this NOFO may receive awards with a project period of up to 5 years (60 months) that may include 4-6 budget periods. For example, recipients may receive a 54-month project period with an initial 18-month budget period and three subsequent 12-month budget periods.

Additional Information on Awards:

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

Applicants must submit an annual (12-month) budget. The funding amount listed on Line 18a (Federal) of the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, must reflect a full 12 months of funding. The federal funding amounts reflected on the SF-424 and in the applicant's budget submission must match.

Applications requesting an annual award amount that exceeds the Award Ceiling as listed in this section will be disqualified from the merit review and from funding under this funding opportunity. This disqualification applies to the Award Ceiling for a 12-month period, as reflected on the applicant’s SF-424. Please see Section III.3. Other, Application Disqualification Factors.

The applicant's 12-month budget request should include both base and training and technical assistance (T/TA) funding. Base funding is for use in program operations, staff, materials, equipment, facilities, etc. In addition to base funding, applicants should request an additional 2.5 percent of the base funding for training and technical assistance (T/TA) funding.

T/TA funding is used for the purposes of improving program quality and helping prepare children to succeed in school and is described in Section 648 of the Head Start Act. Therefore, the total federal funds requested in the applicant’s budget and on the applicant’s SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, Line 18a (Federal) should include the sum of the applicant’s proposed base and T/TA funding.

Expected Number of Awards

Please note that the expected number of awards represents a total estimated range of awards that OHS might make as the result of this NOFO.

Start-up/Pre-award Costs

Pre-award costs, including start-up costs, may be requested by an applicant in addition to the base operating and T/TA grant funds. If requested, applicants must provide a separate budget for start-up/pre-award costs, in addition to a 12-month budget for the base funding awarded, within the page limitations stated for The Project Budget and Budget Justification in Section IV.2.

Content and Form of Application Submission. If awarded, start-up/pre-award costs would apply to costs incurred up to 90 days prior to the award start date. Examples of start-up activities are facility renovations, purchase of classroom supplies, building purchase, licensing, background checks, etc.

Approval of start-up/pre-award costs is not guaranteed; they are negotiated at the time of award and are based on reasonableness, necessity, and the availability of funds. The incurrence of start-up/pre-award costs in anticipation of an award is done at the applicant’s own risk and imposes no obligation on ACF either to make an award or to increase the amount of the approved budget if an award is made for less than the amount anticipated and is inadequate to cover the start-up/pre-award costs incurred. It is possible that ACF may honor start-up/pre-award costs by reducing the base amount of the award to include these costs.

Estimates for start-up/pre-award costs must be identified separately on the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, and in the Budget and Budget Justification section of the application. The start-up/pre-award funding amount must not be included in the funding amount listed on Line 18a (Federal) of the SF-424. The funding amount listed in Line 18a of the SF-424 must represent only the total annual federal funding the applicant is requesting for base and T/TA funding. Start-up/pre-award costs, if requested, should be included only on the Other Estimated Funding line (Line 18e) and clearly labeled as "Start-up/Pre-Award Costs" in a separate line item on the SF-424A, Budget Information - Non-Construction Programs.

Additionally, if applicants are requesting start-up/pre-award costs, these costs must be easily identified as a separate budget in the Budget and Budget Justification section of the application.

Inclusion of start-up/pre-award costs in the application submission is not subject to the “Award Ceiling Disqualification” that is explained in this section of the announcement and in Section III.3. Other, Application Disqualification Factors. However, if an applicant does not segregate start-up/pre-award costs from the base funding award request (SF-424, line 18a, Federal), the “Award Ceiling Disqualification” will apply.

Start-up budgets will be evaluated against the criteria listed in Section V.1. Criteria.

Note: Costs incurred for grant application preparation are not considered an approved use of pre-award costs and may not be included in the project budget or budget justification.

Awards

Due to the availability of current year appropriated funds, the successful applicant(s) under this NOFO may receive awards with a 5-year project period (60 months) that include six budget periods. In cases where a full 12 months of funding is not available at the time of the grant award, the first and sixth budget periods within the 5-year project period will be pro-rated, so that when combined, they equal 12 months of funding. The second, third, fourth, and fifth budget periods would be a full 12 months.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants are any public or private non-profit agencies, including community-based and faith-based organizations, or for-profit agencies pursuant to section 645A(d) of the Head Start Act, 42 U.S.C. 9840A(d).

Eligible entities include the following: (1) entities operating Head Start, (2) entities operating Indian Head Start or MSHS programs, and (3) other public entities and non-profit or for-profit private entities, including community-based and faith-based organizations, capable of providing child and family services that meet the standard for participation in programs under the Head Start Act.

Please note, “(1) entities operating Head Start programs” includes entities operating Head Start, EHS, and/or EHS-CCP programs.

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

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

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 Section 640(b) of the Head Start Act, 42 U.S.C. § 9835 (b).

Recipients must provide at least 20 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. For example, if the total approved project cost is $ 18,322,530 , in order to meet the match requirements, a project requesting $14,658,024 in ACF (federal) funds must provide a non-federal share of the approved total project cost of at least $ 3,664,506 , which is 20 percent of total approved project cost.

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.

See Section IV.2. The Project Budget and Budget Justification, Commitment of Non-Federal Resources for more information.

Matching Waiver Pursuant to 48 U.S.C. 1469a(d) Matching requirements (including in-kind contributions) of less than $200,000 are waived under awards made to the governments of American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (other than those consolidated under other provisions of 48 U.S.C. 1469) pursuant to 48 U.S.C. 1469a(d). This waiver applies whether the matching required under the award equals or exceeds $200,000.

III.3. Other

Application Disqualification Factors Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from the merit 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, as stated in Section II. Federal Award Information, will be disqualified from the merit 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 that have not been approved for an exemption from required electronic submission will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity.

If you do not have an internet connection or sufficient capacity to upload large documents to the internet you may contact ACF for an exemption that will allow you to submit your application 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 the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity.

Applications submitted to Grants.gov which fail their validation check, will not be received at, or acknowledged by ACF. If you submit an application for the same NOFO more than once, only the last on-time submission will be acknowledged.

Paper applications with an approved exemption from the electronic submission requirement must be received by 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 the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity.

Additional Application Disqualification Factors

• In accordance with 45 CFR § 1304.13, recipients terminated for cause by ACF within 5 years prior to the posting date of this NOFO will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement.

• A Head Start or…