Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due Thursday, August 27, 2026

Administration for Native Americans (ANA)

National Center for Native Training and Technical Assistance Opportunity number: HHS-2026-ACF-ANA-NTA-0038

Contents

The Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4

Basic information 5

Eligibility 7

Agency Priorities 9

Program description 11

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 20

Find the application package 21

Get registered 22

Learn more 22

Step 3: Build Your Application 23

Application checklist 24

Application contents and format 26

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 39

Application review 40

Appeals 46

Award notices 47

Step 5: Submit Your Application 48

Application submission and deadlines 49

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 51

Post-award requirements and administration 52

Contacts and Support 55

Before you begin 3

Modifications 59

Contents 2

Before you begin If you believe you are a good candidate for this funding opportunity, secure your SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations now. If you are already registered, make sure your registrations are active and up to date.

SAM.gov registration (this can take several weeks)

You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Grants.gov registration (this can take several days)

You must have an active Grants.gov registration. Doing so requires a Login.gov registration as well.

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Apply by the application due date

Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, August 27, 2026.

To help you find what you need, this NOFO uses internal links. In Adobe Reader, you can go back to where you were by pressing Alt + Left Arrow (Windows) or Command + Left Arrow (Mac) on your keyboard.

Before you begin 3 https://sam.gov/ https://grants.gov/

1. Get Ready 2. Build 3. Learn 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

The Step 1: Review the Opportunity

In this step

Basic information 5

Eligibility 7

Agency Priorities 9

Program description 11

Basic information Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Administration for Native Americans (ANA)

Creating a national center that provides training and technical assistance to Administration for Native Americans grant recipients, applicants, and eligible entities.

Have questions?

See Contacts and Support.

Key facts

Opportunity name:

National Center for Native Training and Technical Assistance

Opportunity number:

HHS-2026-ACF-ANA-

NTA-0038

Federal assistance listing:

93.340

NOFO version: Original

Key dates

Application submission deadline:

August 27, 2026

Expected project start date:

September 30, 2026

Summary This funding opportunity from the Administration of Native Americans (ANA) will create a National Center for Native Training and Technical Assistance (the Center) to support ANA recipients, applicants, and eligible entities. The Center will focus on:

• Delivering expert, high-quality training and technical assistance (TTA) that strengthens project implementation and performance.

• Building knowledge, skills, and organizational capacity to support sustainable outcomes for ANA-funded projects.

• Building awareness, accessibility, and utilization of TTA resources across ANA communities and stakeholders.

• Fostering collaboration, peer learning, and strategic partnerships to enhance project success and shared impact.

• Assessing and continuously improving TTA activities through data-driven evaluation and feedback.

The Center will also provide services in alignment with ANA’s mission, which includes strengthening the economic resiliency, sustainability, and self-determination of Native American communities.

1. Get Ready 2. Build 3. Learn 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

The Step 1: Review the Opportunity 5 https://acf.gov/ana/comms-fact-sheet/administration-native-americans

Funding details Type: Cooperative agreement

Expected total program funding: $3.1 million

Total expected awards: 1

Minimum award amount for the first budget period (award floor): $3.1 million

Maximum award amount for the first budget period (award ceiling): $3.1 million

This is incremental funding. We plan to fund a three-year project period. Each project period has three one-year budget periods.

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

The Step 1: Review the Opportunity 6

Eligibility Eligible applicants Eligibility for this opportunity is unrestricted beyond limitations listed below.

Other eligibility criteria Individuals (including sole proprietorships), federal entities, and foreign entities are not eligible to apply.

Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible for awards under this funding opportunity.

Disqualifying factors We will review your application to make sure it meets these responsiveness requirements.

We won’t consider an application that:

• Requests funding above the award ceiling.

• Is submitted after the deadline.

• Is from an individual (including a sole proprietorship), federal entity, or a foreign entity.

• Is received in paper format that didn’t have a previously approved exemption from ACF.

Application limits If you submit the same application more than once under this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), we will only acknowledge the last on-time submission.

Cost sharing This program has no cost-sharing requirement, meaning you do not need to contribute to the costs of this project.

If you choose to include cost-sharing funds, we won’t consider it during review. If you receive an award, we will include your voluntary commitment in the award, and you must report on the funds. If you don’t provide your promised amount, we may have to decrease your award amount or use other enforcement actions.

The Step 1: Review the Opportunity 7

Post-award requirements

Before you apply, make sure you understand the requirements that come with an award.

See Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award for information on regulations that apply, reporting, and more.

Statutory authority This program is authorized under 42 U.S.C. 2991c of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (NAPA).

1. Get Ready 2. Build 3. Learn 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

The Step 1: Review the Opportunity 8 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim%40title42/chapter34/subchapter8&edition=prelim

Agency Priorities Required alignment with ACF vision, mission, values, priorities, and guiding principles The recipient of this award must implement any funds awarded under this NOFO to effectuate program goals or agency priorities in accordance with ACF’s vision, mission, values, priorities, and guiding principles when authorized. Funded activities must advance ACF’s vision of resilient, safe, healthy, and economically secure children, youth, families, and communities, and support ACF’s mission to foster health and well-being through effective, accountable, and compassionate human services when awarded in any programs that authorize these priorities.

Consistent with ACF’s values, in carrying out any project that is funded under this NOFO, the recipient is required to adhere to the following principle:

1. Program Integrity and Fiscal Stewardship: Administer funds in accordance with all applicable federal statutes, regulations, and award conditions; maintain strong internal controls; and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse.

The recipient is also required to adhere to the following principles when consistent with the authority and scope of the award and its activities:

2. Evidence-Based and Outcome-Focused Practices: Design and deliver services using evidence-based or evidence-informed approaches, establish measurable performance goals, and use data to monitor outcomes and drive continuous improvement.

3. Partnership and Local Leadership: Coordinate with state, tribal, territorial, local, and community partners, as appropriate, and tailor services to meet community-identified needs while respecting local decision-making authority.

In addition, in keeping with ACF’s priorities, the recipient must administer any project that is awarded under this NOFO in accordance with the following objectives when consistent with the scope of the award and its activities in programs that are authorized to advance them:

4. Family Stability and Child Well-Being: Strengthen families, promote safe and stable home environments, and improve outcomes for children and youth through prevention-focused and developmentally appropriate services.

5. Work, Self-Sufficiency, and Economic Mobility: Support pathways to employment, job retention, and economic independence for individuals and

1. Get Ready 2. Build 3. Learn 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

The Step 1: Review the Opportunity 9 https://acf.gov/about/acf-vision-mission-values https://acf.gov/about/acf-vision-mission-values families, including through workforce development, education, and supportive services.

6. High-Quality Early Care and Learning: Where applicable, invest in high-quality early childhood programs that support school readiness, healthy development, and long-term success.

The recipient must demonstrate ongoing compliance with these values and priorities, in all programs that are authorized to advance them, through program design, implementation, reporting, and evaluation. Failure to meaningfully align funded activities with the applicable requirements may result in corrective action, additional reporting requirements, or other enforcement actions consistent with federal grant regulations found at 2 CFR Part 200 and the terms and conditions of this award.

The Step 1: Review the Opportunity 10

Program description The goal of the National Center for Native Training and Technical Assistance (the Center) is to build the capacity of ANA recipients, applicants, and potential applicants to carry out successful projects that strengthen Native American communities, organizations, and entities. The entities that the Center will serve include tribes and Native American communities, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Native Pacific Islander organizations.

The key focus of the Center will be to deliver high-quality subject matter expertise, culturally competent, and accessible TTA that helps recipients have successful outcomes. Through efficient, data-informed, and responsive processes, the Center will empower existing and potential recipients to conceptualize, develop, implement, tap into resources for, and sustain community-driven projects aligned with ANA’s goals. By using innovative and user-friendly solutions, the Center seeks to make ANA’s training and outreach more efficient and effective, while ensuring compliance with federal grant policies, standards, and requirements. The Center will also collect actionable data to better understand how beneficiaries interact with ANA TTA and improve the success of funded projects. The TTA can be virtual or in-person.

The data collected will include but is not limited to:

• Retention of key knowledge and concepts on follow-up assessments.

• Adoption of TTA-informed practices into formal systems (manuals, workflows, job aids).

• Integration of TTA-informed practices into organizational processes.

• Independent peer learning groups or communities of practice.

• Incorporation of foundational TTA content into onboarding and professional development.

• Ongoing collaboration among cohort participants (resource sharing, problem-solving, partnerships).

• Full integration of TTA-supported changes into policies, strategic plans, or service models.

• Participants demonstrate independent capacity to assess needs, adapt strategies, and support continuous quality improvement.

• Sustained use of TTA-informed practices after services conclude.

The Step 1: Review the Opportunity 11

The Center will design and deliver all TTA activities in line with ACF Priorities:

• Ensuring Value Alignment in Funding – ANA recipients will ensure they are good stewards of all grants related funds (federal and nonfederal) to ensure efficient use of taxpayer dollars.

Program areas ANA serves recipients including tribes and Native American communities, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Native Pacific Islander organizations throughout the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. As ANA supports communities across this full geographic area and nearly all U.S. time zones, it is important that the Center staff are culturally competent; understand the unique needs, contexts, and priorities of Native communities across the U.S. and Pacific Islands; and are available during core business hours in each time zone to ensure timely and consistent access to assistance.

Consistent with the statutory requirements under 42 U.S.C. 2991c of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (NAPA), this program will provide:

• Technical assistance to the public and private agencies in planning, developing, conducting, and administering projects under this subchapter.

• Short-term in-service training for specialized or other personnel that is needed in connection with projects receiving financial assistance under this subchapter.

• Upon denial of a grant application, technical assistance to a potential grantee in revising a grant proposal.

The Center will provide TTA through three focus areas:

• Comprehensive capacity-building services:

◦ Gathering and organizing resources.

◦ Making information broadly available and easily accessible throughout ANA’s communities and more accessible for broader use.

◦ Developing products and tools on effective ways to build capacity to develop proposals for and implement ANA-funded projects. This could include strengthening organizational operations, program development, financial and grants management, workforce skills, data and evaluation practices, and culturally responsive approaches that support tribal self-determination and sustainability.

1. Get Ready 2. Build 3. Learn 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

The Step 1: Review the Opportunity 12

• Focused capacity-building services:

◦ Increasing knowledge sharing between ANA recipients, including the exchange of best practices, lessons learned, and effective strategies for project implementation and sustainability.

◦ Helping build relationships and networks that support learning, including connections among ANA recipients, partners, and stakeholders to facilitate ongoing collaboration and information exchange.

• Customized capacity-building services:

◦ Providing TTA services tailored to each ANA recipient’s needs.

◦ Offering a combination of training, consultation, and coaching.

◦ Developing a TTA plan with ANA recipients that includes clear expectations and measurable milestones.

Program strategies and activities To meet its goals, the Center will focus on the following program strategies and activities:

Delivering expert, high-quality TTA This strategy will aim to strengthen project implementation and performance.

It includes:

• Having staff who:

◦ Are from varied backgrounds and communities served by ANA.

◦ Have familiarity with tribes and Native American communities, including American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Native Pacific Islander organizations.

◦ Have experience identifying needs and providing TTA at a national level to applicants, eligible entities, and ANA recipients, applicants, and potential applicants.

◦ Are located across all regions, including the Pacific, Alaska, and the eastern and western U.S.

• Helping ANA recipients meet the mission of ANA, which is focused on economic and social self-sufficiency, as outlined in the Native Americans Program Act.

• Providing technical assistance to potential applicants in revising a grant proposal upon denial of a grant application.

• Conducting a strong evaluation to ensure that TTA services are high-quality, prompt, data-driven, and impactful.

• Leveraging innovative tools, including artificial intelligence (AI), for TTA delivery.

The Step 1: Review the Opportunity 13

• Analyzing ANA recipients’ projects.

• Establishing roles with the national team, such as program director, project managers, administrative coordinator, TTA manager, TTA specialists, and evaluator.

• Providing TTA to ANA recipients and their partners at required ANA meetings.

• Supporting the ANA Annual Conference, including through planning and coordinating, leading workshop sessions, assisting and engaging participants, creating communications and materials, and sharing resources.

• Maintaining subject matter expertise across existing and emerging ANA program areas including:

◦ Language programs.

◦ Environmental Regulation.

◦ Energy-centric projects, including microgrids.

◦ Food Sovereignty initiatives, including greenhouses.

◦ Skilled-based programming, such as welding.

◦ Native Elder Youth Mentoring.

◦ Improving foster care systems and supports.

◦ Business Creation.

Building knowledge, skills, and organizational capacity The Center will strengthen the knowledge, skills, and organizational capacity of ANA recipients, prospective applicants, and other eligible entities to support the development, implementation, and sustainability of high-quality projects by:

• Identifying strengths and gaps in recipients’ organizational capacity to meet the needs of current and future ANA-funded projects.

• Providing post-award training to new ANA recipients to support effective project startup and implementation.

• Delivering TTA services and supports tailored to Native communities.

• Implementing strategies to increase the participation of current and prospective ANA recipients in TTA services, including support for planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs.

• Supporting efforts to attract and prepare new applicants—particularly those that have not previously received ANA funding—and strengthening their ability to pursue ANA grant opportunities and submit competitive applications.

• Developing and maintaining partnership with state and local Native American providers to create networks of services and resources to support ANA recipients, applicants, and potential applicants.

The Step 1: Review the Opportunity 14

• Supporting recipients in identifying program goals and evaluating progress toward achieving them.

Building awareness, accessibility, and utilization of TTA resources The Center will develop widespread awareness, accessibility, and utilization of TTA resources across ANA communities and stakeholders. This will include:

• Available learning tools.

• Accessible information on effective TTA resources.

• Opportunities to foster peer-to-peer learning and transfer knowledge.

• Dissemination of new or existing culturally responsive products and relevant resources developed with or by the Center.

• Available supports, such as technology and AI tools, to help ANA recipients complete their reports and applications on time.

• Opportunities to collaborate and help projects succeed.

Fostering collaboration, peer learning, and strategic partnerships The Center will create opportunities for collaboration and develop network resources to support ANA recipients, applicants, and potential applicants to enhance project success and shared impact. This will include:

• Partnering with individuals and organizations with knowledge of and experience with tribal and Native communities.

• Bring together public and private partners to strengthen projects and outcomes.

• Supporting ANA initiatives to build awareness of ways to support ANA recipients, including:

◦ Helping develop, review, and print training resources and manuals.

◦ Providing TTA to states, tribes, and Native Americans through joint efforts with other ACF technical assistance providers.

Assessing and continuously improving TTA activities The Center will use data-driven evaluation and feedback to assess how it carries out its TTA activities and whether it’s achieving its goals. The evaluation will:

• Be supported by a logic model.

• Include measurable inputs, activities, and outcomes.

• Monitor ongoing activities and assess the Center’s progress toward its goals and objectives.

The Step 1: Review the Opportunity 15

• Use the resulting information to improve funded activities.

• Outline strategies to collect, manage, share, and analyze data to enable accurate and timely reporting of performance outcomes. This might include assigning skilled staff, data management software, and/or methods to ensure data integrity.

• Use data to improve funded activities and successful outcomes of ANA recipients’ projects.

• Enable you to review information from the performance evaluation and apply it to your ongoing project.

• Respond to ANA data requests.

• Incorporate AI tools for efficient program delivery.

Cooperative agreement—Description of ACF’s involvement A cooperative agreement is a method of awarding federal assistance in which substantial federal involvement is anticipated. The agreement clearly defines ANA’s and your responsibilities. ANA anticipates that its involvement will help you carry out the project. ANA’s involvement and collaboration will include:

• Participate in high-level planning activities.

• Review major milestones, TTA frameworks, implementation strategies, and dissemination products.

• Participate in ANA TTA meetings, peer learning communities, and coordination activities.

• Consult on and review the work plan, including revisions made during the project period.

• Consult on project design, including resources, staffing, timelines, and planned activities for the ANA TTA program.

• Provide guidance and oversight related to project implementation and the delivery of TTA activities.

• Facilitate communication with representatives of other federal agencies to promote intra- and interagency collaboration.

• Review and approve drafts of all updated or newly developed materials, publications, tools, and other products produced under this award.

• Support the development, enhancement, and effective use of information technology systems and digital tools used to carry out project activities and deliver TTA services.

The Step 1: Review the Opportunity 16

• Oversee the incorporation of AI-enabled tools and other innovative approaches, as appropriate and consistent with federal requirements, to improve efficiency, communication, resource development, data analysis, and service delivery.

• Review project evaluation plans, performance measures, and outcome-monitoring activities to support continuous quality improvement.

• Monitor project activities and deliverables to ensure alignment with award requirements, approved objectives, timelines, and federal guidelines.

• Review data collection methods and reporting processes to support accurate and timely submission of required information.

• Review project and performance data submitted at regular intervals to ensure compliance with reporting requirements and program expectations.

• Request and review ad hoc or as-needed data, documentation, reports, and other project-related information.

• Review resumes and approve personnel for the prime awardee and sub awardees to ensure appropriate staffing and subject matter expertise.

Funding policies and limitations Changes in HHS regulations As of October 1, 2025, HHS adopted 2 CFR 200, with some exceptions included in 2 CFR 300. These regulations replace those in 45 CFR 75.

General policies

• We will only make awards if this program receives funding. If Congress appropriates funds for this purpose, we will move forward with the review and award process.

• Support beyond the first budget period will depend on:

◦ Appropriation of funds.

◦ Satisfactory progress in meeting your project’s objectives.

◦ A decision that continued funding is in the government’s best interest.

• If we receive more funding for this program, we will consider:

◦ Funding more applicants.

◦ Extending the period of performance.

◦ Awarding supplemental funding.

1. Get Ready 2. Build 3. Learn 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

The Step 1: Review the Opportunity 17 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-III/part-300

• To the extent permitted by law, including any relevant court orders, you may not use funds from this NOFO for any diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEI and DEIA) activities. This includes:

◦ DEI- or DEIA-related research.

◦ Activities that discriminate or show preference based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or other protected traits.

◦ Any efforts that promote a “discriminatory equity ideology.”

◦ To the extent permitted by law, including any relevant court orders, ACF will also not allow funds awarded under this NOFO to support any services or activities that inculcate or promote gender ideology.

For guidance on other types of costs that we restrict or do not allow, see General Provisions for Selected Items of Costs of the Uniform Guidance, 2 CFR part 200.

Program-specific limitations and policies We do not allow the following costs under this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO):

• Construction.

• Purchase of real property.

• Major renovation.

Indirect costs Indirect costs are those shared across multiple projects and not easily separated.

To charge indirect costs you can select one of two methods:

Method 1 — Approved rate. If you currently have an indirect cost rate approved by your cognizant federal agency, you may use that rate.

Method 2 — De minimis rate. If you do not have a negotiated indirect cost rate, you may elect to charge a de minimis rate (see 2 CFR 200.414(f)). This rate may be up to 15% of modified total direct costs (MTDC). See the definition of MTDC (2 CFR 200.1). You can use this rate indefinitely.

You may not charge costs included in your indirect cost pool as direct costs.

1. Get Ready 2. Build 3. Learn 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

The Step 1: Review the Opportunity 18 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.414#p-200.414(f) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Modified%20Total%20Direct%20Cost%20(MTDC))

Subawards As the prime recipient, you must maintain a substantive role in the project. This means that you conduct funded activities and provide services necessary and integral to completing the project.

Monitoring your subrecipient’s activities alone as described in 2 CFR 200.332 is not a substantive role.

We do not fund awards where your role is primarily a conduit for passing funds to other organizations unless that arrangement is authorized by statute.

All subrecipients must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) through the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).

Subrecipients must meet the eligibility requirements of this NOFO.

Salary rate limitation The salary rate limitation in the current appropriations act applies to this program. You may not use awarded funds to pay a salary at a higher rate than the rate for Executive Level II.

For the Executive Level II salary, please see the Office of Personnel Management information on executive and senior level employee pay.

The salary limitation reflects a person’s base salary (including any portion of the salary that is paid with indirect costs). It does not include fringe benefits or any income the person is allowed to earn outside of the duties of the applicant organization.

This salary limitation also applies to subawards, contracts, and subcontracts under an ACF grant or cooperative agreement.

Program income If you earn any money from your award-supported project activities (known as program income), you must use it for the purposes and under the conditions of the award. Find more about program income at 2 CFR 200.307.

Use of E-Verify All funded grantees and subgrantees are encouraged to use the national E-Verify system operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in partnership with the Social Security Administration, to ensure their employees are American citizens or are eligible to work in the United States.

1. Get Ready 2. Build 3. Learn 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

The Step 1: Review the Opportunity 19 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.332 https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/ https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/ https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.307 https://www.e-verify.gov/

Step 2:

Get Ready to Apply

In this step

Find the application package 21

Get registered 22

Learn more 22

Find the application package The application package has all the forms you need to apply. You can find it at this NOFO’s Grants.gov opportunity page. Then select the Package tab.

We recommend that you select the Subscribe button from the View Grant Opportunity page for this NOFO to get updates.

If you can’t use Grants.gov to download application materials or have other technical difficulties, including issues with application submission, contact Grants.gov for assistance.

1. Get Ready 2. Build 3. Learn 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 21 https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361960 https://www.grants.gov/support

Get registered SAM.gov You must have an active account with SAM.gov to apply. SAM.gov registration can take several weeks. Begin that process today.

To register:

• Go to SAM.gov Entity Registration and select Get Started. From the same page, you can also select the Entity Registration Checklist for the information you will need to register.

• You must agree to the financial assistance general certifications and representations [PDF] specifically. Those for contracts are different.

When you register, you will also receive your required Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

Once you register:

• You will have to maintain your registration throughout the life of any award.

• If your organization has multiple UEIs, use the one associated with your physical location.

Grants.gov You must also have an active account with Grants.gov. You can see step-by-step instructions at the Grants.gov Quick Start Guide for Applicants.

Need help? See Contacts and Support.

Learn more Visit Applying for an ACF Grant Award on the ACF Grants page.

1. Get Ready 2. Build 3. Learn 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 22 https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/financial-assistance-general-certification-representations.pdf https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/financial-assistance-general-certification-representations.pdf https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration http://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant

Step 3:

Build Your Application

In this step

Application checklist 24

Application contents and format 26

Application checklist Make sure that you have everything you need to apply. You will find the forms in Grants.gov.

File one: Narratives Use the Project Narrative Attachment form.

Component Included in page limit?

Table of contents Yes

Project summary Yes

Project narrative Yes

Line-item budget and budget narrative Yes

File two: Attachments Insert each in a single Other Attachments form.

Component Included in page limit?

ACF priorities alignment attestation No

Indirect cost agreement Yes

Legal proof of nonprofit status Yes

Legal proof of for-profit status Yes

Legal proof of small businesses Yes

Organizational capacity supporting information (including organization chart) Yes

Third-party agreements Yes

Maintenance of effort certification No

Step 3: Build Your Application 24

Standard forms Use each required form in Grants.gov.

Component Included in page limit?

Project Abstract Summary No

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) No

Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A) No

Assurances for Construction Programs (SF-424D) No

Key Contacts No

Grants.gov Lobbying form No

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) No

Project/Performance Site Location(s) (SF-P/PSL) No

Step 3: Build Your Application 25

Application contents and format You will submit two files plus the standard forms in the application package.

Your organization’s authorized official must certify your application.

Required format Page limit for file one and file two combined: 100 pages

File format: Portable Document Format (PDF) is recommended, but not required. ACF supports the following file formats when you attach files to the Project Narrative Attachment form and the Other Attachments form:

Accepted file formats

• Adobe PDF (.pdf)

• Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)

• Microsoft Excel (.xls or .xlsx)

• Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt)

• Image formats (.JPG, .GIF, .TIFF, or .BMP only)

Document formats Paper size: 8 ½ inches x 11 inches Margins: 1 inch all around Language: English

If possible, include page numbers.

Do not include external links to information you want reviewers to assess because reviewers will score the application solely on information provided in the application.

Fonts Font: Times New Roman Color: Black Size: 12-point font

Footnotes and text in tables and graphics may be 10-point.

Step 3: Build Your Application 26

Spacing Table of contents: Must be single-spaced Project summary: Must be single-spaced Project narrative: Must be double-spaced Line-item budget and budget narrative: Can be single-spaced Attachments: Can be single-spaced Tables and footnotes throughout: Can be single-spaced

See disqualifying factors to understand what may disqualify your application from consideration.

File one To submit file one, you will use the Project Narrative Attachment form found in the Grants.gov application package for this NOFO.

This file includes:

• Table of contents.

• Project summary, one page.

• Project narrative.

• Line-item budget and budget narrative.

Table of contents At the beginning of file one, insert a table of contents that guides a reader through the contents of both files in your application. If possible, include links to the relevant content in file one.

Project summary Provide a one-page summary of the project description. Do not cross-reference to other parts of your application. The summary must include:

• At the top, the project title, applicant name, address, phone numbers, email addresses, and any website URL.

• A brief description of the project, including the needs and population you will address, your proposed services or research questions.

Step 3: Build Your Application 27

Project narrative The project narrative is where you address all your proposed activities. It is a critical section of your application, which we evaluate using merit review criteria and rank based on application scores.

Remember that substance and measurable outcomes are more important than length.

We are particularly interested in project narratives that convey strategies for achieving intended performance.

In it, you must:

• Explain how the project will meet the purpose of the NOFO, as described in the program description section.

• Make sure your narrative is clear, concise, and complete.

• Use cross-referencing rather than repetition.

• Be sure to include any required supporting documents noted. You generally provide these in your attachments.

• Use the headings and order of the sections that follow.

Purpose and need

Geographic location

Provide the precise physical location of your project and boundaries of the area you will serve. If you will include any subrecipients in your project that will serve specific geographic areas include their locations as well.

Objectives

State your main objectives and any sub-objectives. Address how the objectives stated relate to the overall purpose of this program and describe how you will achieve the objectives.

Response

Approach

Outline your action plan. Describe the scope of your proposed project and describe in detail how you will accomplish it. Account for all functions or activities you identify in your application.

Explain potential obstacles and challenges to accomplishing your project goals. Explain the strategies you will use to address them.

Clearly describe your approach to delivering training and technical assistance (TTA) to strengthen the capacity of ANA recipients, applicants, and prospective applicants.

Step 3: Build Your Application 28

Explain how your TTA strategy will enhance their ability to design, implement, and sustain effective and successful ANA-funded projects.

In alignment with the statutory requirements under 42 U.S.C. 2991c NAPA, describe how you will:

• Provide technical assistance to public and private agencies in the planning, development, implementation, and administration of projects funded under this subchapter.

• Deliver short-term, in-service training for specialized and other personnel as needed to support projects receiving financial assistance under this subchapter.

• Offer targeted technical assistance to applicants whose grant proposals were not funded, including guidance to strengthen and revise future submissions.

Additionally, explain how your approach will effectively serve the full range of entities supported by the Center, including federally and non-federally recognized tribes, Native American communities, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Native Pacific Islander organizations.

Clearly outline how you will provide TTA to build the capacity of ANA recipients, applicants, and potential applicants. Explain how you will improve their capacity to implement effective and successful ANA projects.

Describe how your approach to TTA is culturally responsive. Include how you will provide specific types of TTA activities under each of the three focus areas described in the program description:

• Comprehensive capacity-building services.

• Focused capacity-building services.

• Customized capacity-building services.

Describe your vision of creating the Center and how it will help ANA recipients, applicants, and potential applicants meet the goals and objectives of their ANA projects. Respond to the strategies and activities discussed in the program description and describe how you will carry them out. Include each of the following sections, referring to the full descriptions in the program description:

• Delivering expert, high-quality TTA that strengthens project implementation and performance.

• Building knowledge, skills, and organizational capacity to support sustainable outcomes for ANA-funded projects.

• Building awareness, accessibility, and utilization of TTA resources across ANA communities and stakeholders.

• Fostering collaboration, peer learning, and strategic partnerships to enhance project success and shared impact.

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• Assessing and continuously improving TTA activities through data-driven evaluation and feedback.

Describe your:

• Understanding of programs that ANA funds, including:

◦ Environmental Regulatory Enhancement (ERE).

◦ Native American Language Preservation and Maintenance—Esther Martinez Immersion (EMI).

◦ Native American Language Preservation and Maintenance (P&M).

◦ AI3 Action Institute – Artificial Intelligence for American Indians.

◦ Economic Advancement Grants for Local Empowerment (EAGLE).

• Understanding of ANA’s mission.

Describe how you will address the following challenges that could delay progress:

• Delays in hiring project staff.

• Staff turnover during the project.

• Low recruitment, retention, and participation of ANA recipients, applicants, and potential applicants and applicants or ANA community members in TTA activities.

• Other issues that could prevent successful implementation (if applicable).

Project timeline and milestones

Provide a timeline for your project that includes milestones. To do so:

• Organize the information by task and subtask, showing related milestones.

• Provide monthly or quarterly quantitative projections for tasks you plan to complete and by when. For example, provide the number of people you plan to serve or the number of a certain activity you plan to complete by a specific date.

• Provide target dates for activities you can’t quantify.

• Cover the full period of performance in your timeline.

Logic model

You must submit a logic model for designing, managing, and evaluating the project. A logic model is a diagram that:

• Presents how inputs drive activities to produce outputs, outcomes, and the ultimate goals of the proposed project.

• Explains the links among project elements.

• Targets the identified objectives and goals of the project.

1. Get Ready 2. Build 3. Learn 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

Step 3: Build Your Application 30 https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361744 https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361742 https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361742 https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361743 https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/362270 https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361908

While there are many versions of logic models, for the purposes of this funding opportunity, the logic model may include the connections between:

• Inputs such as additional resources, organizational profile, collaborative partners, key staff, and budget.

• Target population, such as the individuals to be served or identified needs.

• Activities, mechanisms, and processes, such as evidence-based practices, best practices, approach, key intervention and evaluation components, and continuous quality improvement efforts.

• Outputs, which include the immediate and direct results of program activities.

• Outcomes, which include the short- and long-term results you expect the project to achieve. These are typically described as changes in people or systems.

• Project goals, such as overarching objectives and reasons for proposing the project.

Impact

Project performance evaluation plan

Describe how you will evaluate your project’s performance and how it will contribute to continuous quality improvement. This plan must describe:

• How you will monitor ongoing activities and progress toward the project’s goals and objectives.

• The inputs, key activities, and expected outcomes of the funded activities. Inputs might include your collaborative partners, key staff, budget, service processes, or other resources.

• How you will measure the inputs, activities, and outcomes.

• Any processes that support overall data quality.

• The organizational systems and processes you will use to track performance outcomes.

• How your organization will collect and manage data in a way that allows for accurate and timely reporting of performance outcomes. This might include assigned skilled staff, data management software, and data integrity.

• Any potential obstacles to implementing the project performance evaluation and how you will address them.

• A timeline for how you will review information from the performance evaluation and apply it to your ongoing project.

Address all the items mentioned in the evaluation section of the program description.

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Expected outcomes

Identify the outcomes you plan to achieve from the project. Outcomes should relate to the overall program as described in the program description section. If research is part of the proposed work, outcomes must include hypothesized results and implications of the proposed research.

Resources and capabilities

Organizational capacity

Provide the following information for your full project team, including the applicant organization and any cooperating partners, contractors, and subrecipients:

• Provide evidence that your team has the relevant experience and expertise needed to carry out your project.

• Describe your team’s experience (including any partnering organizations) with administering, developing, implementing, managing, and evaluating similar projects.

• Describe that proposed staff are geographically distributed across the regions served and available across time zones to provide real-time technical assistance and support.

• Provide evidence that your team, including partnering organizations, has the organizational capability to fulfill their roles and functions effectively.

• You must disclose your plan to enter into subaward agreements. If planning subawards, describe the work each subrecipient will complete.

• Describe your plan for assigning or hiring the following roles:

◦ A program director to oversee and ensure the effective completion of all the Center project activities.

◦ Project managers to plan, coordinate, and oversee project activities to ensure work is completed on time, within scope, and within budget. The project managers should understand how to track progress, manage timelines and resources, communicate with stakeholders, and ensure that deliverables meet project goals and requirements.

◦ An evaluator to lead the development and implementation of a plan to evaluate whether the project is achieving identified outcomes.

• Define the roles, responsibilities, and time commitments of each proposed key project staff position, including any consultants, subcontractors, and partners.

• Provide supporting information in the organizational capacity supporting information section of your attachments.

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Plan for oversight of federal award funds and activities

You must ensure proper award oversight. The regulation that governs this oversight is 2 CFR part 200. It includes standards for:

• Financial and program management.

• Property management.

• Procurement.

• Performance and financial monitoring and reporting.

• Subrecipient monitoring and management.

• Record retention and access.

• Remedies for noncompliance.

• Prior written approval.

Describe your framework to make sure that your federal funds and activities have proper oversight. Include:

• A description of the governance, policies and procedures, and systems you use for record-keeping and financial management.

• A description of the procedures you use to identify and mitigate risks and issues.

These might include audit findings, continuous performance assessment findings, and monitoring.

• The key staff who will be responsible for maintaining oversight of program staff and any partners or subrecipients.

Protection of sensitive or confidential information

Describe how you will collect and safeguard protected personally identifiable information and other information that is considered sensitive. Make sure your approach is consistent with applicable federal, state, local, and tribal laws regarding privacy and obligations of confidentiality. Provide:

• The methods and systems you will use to make sure that you properly handle confidential and sensitive information, including information from any subrecipients or contractors.

• A plan for the disposition of such information at the end of the period of performance.

For more information, see 2 CFR 200.303(e).

Dissemination plan

Propose a plan to disseminate reports, training materials, products, and project outputs to key target audiences. Include:

• Dissemination goals and objectives.

1. Get Ready 2. Build 3. Learn 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

Step 3: Build Your Application 33 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#subpart-D https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.303

• Strategies to identify and engage with target audiences.

• How you will allocate enough staff time and budget for dissemination.

• A preliminary plan to evaluate whether target audiences receive project information and use it as intended.

• The dissemination timeline.

Line-item budget and budget narrative The line-item budget and budget justification support the information you provide in the Budget Information Standard Form SF-424A.

HHS now uses the definitions for equipment and supplies in 2 CFR 200.1. The new definitions change the threshold for equipment to the lesser of the recipient’s capitalization level or $10,000 and the threshold for supplies to below that amount.

Justify the costs you ask for and provide detail, including calculations for the “object class categories” in the Budget Information Standard Form. You will provide this information for each year of the period of performance. See information on funding periods.

As you develop your budget, consider:

• If the costs are necessary, reasonable, allocable, and consistent with your project’s purpose and activities.

• How you calculate your costs in ways that are clear and repeatable.

• The restrictions on spending funds. See the funding policies and limitations.

• Include the costs for travel to the required meetings.

• Include the costs for producing resources and manuals.

Please also review the Standard Form instructions.

To create your line-item budget and justification, see detailed budget instructions on our website.

In general, you must:

• Indicate the method you will use for your indirect cost rate. See the indirect costs section for further information.

• Include estimation methods, quantities, unit costs, and other similar quantitative detail necessary for the calculation to be duplicated.

• For any cost sharing, include a detailed listing of any funding sources identified in Block 18 of the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance.

1. Get Ready 2. Build 3. Learn 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

Step 3: Build Your Application 34 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Equipment) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Supply) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.1 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/prepare-budget https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/prepare-budget

• For applicants planning to use subawards, if your subaward budget is more than 50% of total direct costs, justify why you are sub awarding that portion of the project. Explain:

◦ How you plan to maintain a substantive role in the project.

◦ Why you cannot achieve your goals without the subrecipients’ participation.

Proprietary or personally identifiable information Clearly identify any salary or other proprietary information or personally identifiable information within your application. Identification will ensure this information is not shared with reviewers. Note on page 1 of the attachments file (file two) where the information to be redacted is located.

If you have an exemption for a paper submission, you can protect salary information and any proprietary information by placing that information…