Full Announcement hhs-2026-acf-acyf-cs-0020.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due Friday, August 7, 2026

Children’s Bureau

Tribal Court Improvement Program Opportunity number: HHS-2026-ACF-ACYF-CS-0020

Contents

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4

Basic information 5

Eligibility 6

Agency priorities 8

Program description 10

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 15

Find the application package 16

Get registered 17

Learn more 17

Step 3: Build Your Application 18

Application checklist 19

Application contents and format 21

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 34

Application review 35

Award notices 41

Step 5: Submit Your Application 42

Application submission and deadlines 43

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 45

Post-award requirements and administration 46

Contacts and Support 47

Before you begin 3

Modifications 50

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 Friday, August 7, 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. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1:

Review the Opportunity

In this step

Basic information 5

Eligibility 6

Agency priorities 8

Program description 10

Basic information Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Children’s Bureau

Helping tribal courts handle child welfare cases.

Have questions?

See Contacts and Support.

Key facts

Opportunity name:

Tribal Court Improvement Program

Opportunity number:

HHS-2026-ACF-ACYF-

CS-0020

Federal assistance listing:

93.586

NOFO version: Original

Key dates

Application submission deadline: Friday, August 7, Expected project start date: September 30, 2026

See intergovernmental review for other submission processes that may apply to this NOFO.

Summary The Tribal Court Improvement Program, an award provided by the Children’s Bureau, will help tribal courts assess and improve how they handle American Indian and Alaska Native child welfare cases. Recipients will conduct assessments or use the results of prior assessments to improve tribal court hearings and legal representation.

Funding details Type: Grant

Expected total program funding: $943,000

Total expected awards: 7

Minimum award amount for the first budget period (award floor): $50,000

Maximum award amount for the first budget period (award ceiling): $250,000

We plan to fund a five-year project period. Each project period has five one-year budget periods.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 5

Eligibility Eligible applicants Eligible applicants are Indian tribes, as defined by subsections (E) and (I) of section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304), or tribal consortia that meet one of these conditions:

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

• Planning to operate a title IV-E program and have received a Tribal Title IV-E Plan Development Grant, as authorized by section 476 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 676).

• Having a court that handles foster care or adoption cases.

A tribal consortium is a partnership between two or more tribes that work together to achieve a common objective.

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 will not consider an application that:

• Requests funding above the award ceiling.

• Is submitted after the deadline.

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

• Is received in paper format that did not 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.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 6 https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title04/0479B.htm https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title04/0479B.htm https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/grant-funding/title-iv-e-development-grants https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/grant-funding/title-iv-e-development-grants https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title04/0476.htm

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 will not 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 do not provide your promised amount, we may have to decrease your award amount or use other enforcement actions.

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

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 7 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/grant-funding/promoting-safe-and-stable-families-title-iv-b-subpart-2-social-security-act https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title04/0438.htm

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. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 8 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 C.F.R. Part 200 and the terms and conditions of this award.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 9

Program description Purpose The Tribal Court Improvement Program helps tribal courts assess the effectiveness of and support improvements to how these courts and/or legal representation handle American Indian and Alaska Native child welfare cases. This includes cases involving family preservation, family reunification, guardianship, and adoption.

The Tribal Court Improvement Program supports ACF’s mission to foster health and well-being by providing partnership and effective delivery of human services.

Through this program, ACF partners directly with tribes to strengthen tribal court systems that oversee child welfare matters, ensuring that children are safe, families are supported, and court proceedings are timely, fair, and legally sound.

This program supports the ACF Priority Area of Ensuring Value Alignment in Funding.

The Tribal Court Improvement Program advances the core priority that children are served by court systems that are prepared to address the needs of children and families in a timely manner, decreasing the time it takes for a child to achieve a permanent placement with a family.

Goals If awarded, you will undertake activities to improve the handing of child welfare cases through activities such as assessing how tribal courts handle child welfare proceedings, and making changes based on that assessment, and supporting implementation of such changes.

These changes can include:

• Ensuring that children’s safety, permanency, and well-being are met in a timely and complete manner.

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

Program activities Assessments and implementation Projects awarded under this opportunity must use funds to assess their tribal courts’ child welfare practices, develop a plan for how to make changes based on the results of

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 10 such an assessment, and/or implement a plan to make such changes. Your application must clearly demonstrate which of these activities will be included in your project.

The first year of the award must be used for start-up activities that are aligned with the project’s purpose and that will inform future project years. This may include an assessment of effectiveness of tribal courts and/or legal representation in cases concerning child welfare and/or the development of a plan for how you will make changes based on the results of such an assessment.

Years 2 through 4 will then build on this work through creation and approval of an implementation plan based on the needs assessment, and/or the implementation of such a plan that results in changes and improvements in the work of the courts.

Assessments and implemented changes must be based on what the tribe considers important and in need of review and/or correction. The following resources may be helpful:

• Syntheses of Tribal Court Assessment Strategies [PDF] – Strategies that prior Tribal Court Improvement Program recipients have used to assess their tribal court systems.

• Judicial, Court, and Attorney Measures of Performance [PDF] – A set of model court measures, developed in part by the Children’s Bureau, which includes templates for a needs assessment. These tools were developed with many experts in the Indian Child Welfare Act and tribal court practice. The measures were tested with tribes and several states.

Collaboration Tribal courts will have primary responsibility for leading the implementation of the proposed project. Your project must also show meaningful, ongoing collaboration with the tribal child welfare agency. This means you will identify and work on shared goals and activities with tribal courts and the agency that provides child welfare services. The goal of this collaboration is to increase the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and youth in the child welfare system, as specified in section 438 of the Social Security Act and in alignment with ACF Mission and Priorities.

Many recipients under this program collaborate with others outside the court. Common collaborators include:

• Treatment providers.

• School representatives.

• Foster parents.

• Parents whose children have been in foster care.

• Foster care alumni.

• Other relevant tribal entities, agencies, or community members.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 11 https://acf.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cb/tribal-court-assessment-strategies.pdf https://www.jbassoc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/JCAMP-Quick-Start-Guide.pdf https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title04/0438.htm

Dissemination The goal of this program is to help tribes or tribal consortia make improvements that will benefit children and families. Those efforts may also benefit other tribal communities. You may share information and knowledge generated by these projects so lessons learned can be integrated into policy and practice. You will have opportunities to work with the Children’s Bureau to share your project findings and work with other Tribal Court Improvement Program projects to share products and findings. You do not need to discuss this activity in your application.

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.

• 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.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 12 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-III/part-300

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.

• Hiring attorneys or judges for regular client representation or judicial duties, filling routine court personnel positions, or otherwise replacing funding for tribal government positions.

Note: States and tribes, including tribes with a state-tribal agreement, can opt in to support regular attorney representation with federal financial participation under title IV-E, the Foster Care Legal Representation rule.

See 2 CFR 200.420 – 200.475 for information on costs that are always unallowable or have restrictions.

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.

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.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 13 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72 https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/05/10/2024-09663/foster-care-legal-representation https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/05/10/2024-09663/foster-care-legal-representation https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/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)) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.332

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.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 14 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

Step 2:

Get Ready to Apply

In this step

Find the application package 16

Get registered 17

Learn more 17

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 cannot use Grants.gov to download application materials or have other technical difficulties, including issues with application submission, contact Grants.gov for assistance.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 16 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. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 17 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 19

Application contents and format 21

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 , one page 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

Completed tribal court assessment document, relevant sections, or summary (if applicable)

Yes

Organizational capacity supporting information (including organization chart)

Yes

Third-party agreements Yes

Maintenance of effort certification No

Protection of human subjects certification No

Step 3: Build Your Application 19

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 Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B) 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 20

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.

See intergovernmental review to find out if you need to make any other submissions.

Required format Page limit for file one and file two combined: 60 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 21

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 22

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 include any subrecipients in your project that will serve specific geographic areas, include their locations as well.

For example, you might serve all those eligible as members/citizens on tribal land or members/citizens regardless of geographic location.

Need for assistance

Identify the problems you plan to solve. These problems could be physical, economic, social, financial, institutional, etc. To do so:

• Demonstrate the need, including the nature and scope of the problem.

• Provide, as appropriate, supporting documentation, such as letters of support and testimonials, in your attachments.

• Include any relevant data based on planning studies or needs assessments. You may refer to them in the endnotes or footnotes of your application.

• Use demographic data and participant or beneficiary information where you can.

Step 3: Build Your Application 23

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.

Note: Projects awarded under this opportunity must use funds to conduct assessments, develop plans to meet needs identified in previously completed assessments, and/or implement a plan developed to meet needs identified in assessments. In the approach section of your application, you should include information to clearly explain the activities that will be implemented through your project.

Action plan and obstacles

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

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

Describe how you will do the following activities:

• Identify a team.

Describe who will be responsible for carrying out each proposed project activity.

◦ Tip: Beyond court and other legal staff, we recommend creating a broad multidisciplinary team. Consider the groups mentioned in the collaboration section.

• Identify and prioritize tribal needs.

Describe your plan for identifying the tribe’s priorities and needs. These should drive your assessment or strategies.

• Identify assessment of questions and/or strategies.

Depending on the focus of your project, you must provide the questions you will ask in your assessment, the full plan for conducting the assessment, and/or the strategies that will be used to improve court practices based on an assessment.

Include a tentative action plan for the first year of the project.

Step 3: Build Your Application 24

Include the following, as appropriate, based on the focus of your proposed project:

◦ Whether you will complete an assessment or whether you will hire an external provider to do so.

◦ How you will manage an assessment plan so that it meets the program’s purpose and the tribes’ needs.

◦ How you will assess and implement strategies around continuity of services including using technology to allow remote court proceedings (section 438(a)(1)(F), (2)(C), and (3) of the Social Security Act).

◦ The strategies you will use to improve court practices based on an assessment.

• Identify how you will collect data.

Identify how you will collect data and information to inform your project. This may include, if an assessment is conducted, how information will be collected to inform an assessment, and/or what data will be collected to measure project progress.

◦ Tip: The Children’s Bureau defines “data” broadly. It can include administrative data from a child welfare agency or court; information obtained through surveys, focus groups, interviews, or community forums;

and other approaches to gather data or information that are meaningful in your community and context.

• Use your new or existing assessment to inform, implement, and monitor strategies for improvement.

Describe how you will improve and/or monitor the courts’ child welfare practices, court hearings, legal representation, and engagement of parties based on the results of your new or existing assessment. Your plans may be based on the cultural or linguistic needs of the tribe, as prioritized by the tribe’s team.

◦ Tip: You may describe improvements in terms of cultural or linguistic structures, values, and traditions.

• Collaborate with tribal child welfare agencies.

Describe how you will collaborate with your tribal child welfare agency and other key community members, if applicable. Refer to the collaboration section of the program description.

Step 3: Build Your Application 25

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 cannot quantify.

• Cover the full period of performance in your timeline.

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.

• How you will use the resulting information to improve your funded activities.

• 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.

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.

Step 3: Build Your Application 26

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.

• 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.

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

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.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Build Your Application 27 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#subpart-D

Project sustainability plan

You must propose a plan for project sustainability after the period of federal funding ends. We expect you to sustain key elements of your project. These elements can include strategies or services and interventions that have improved practices and outcomes.

Provide an approach to project sustainability that is effective and feasible. Describe:

• The key people and organizations whose support you will require.

• The types of alternative support you will require to maintain the project.

• If the proposed project involves key project partners, describe how you will maintain their cooperation or collaboration after the federal funding ends.

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, products, and project outputs to key target audiences. Include:

• Dissemination goals and objectives.

• 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.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Build Your Application 28 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.303

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 the initial budget period only. 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.

• Funds to support required travel for the project director, evaluator, and two other key staff to attend a kickoff meeting in Year 1 and an annual convening each year of the grant recipients in Washington, DC.

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.

• For applicants planning to use subawards, if your subaward budget is more than 50% of total direct costs, justify why you are subawarding 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.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Build Your Application 29 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

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 one 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 only in the original application. You can remove the information from the copies, keeping summary information.

File two: Attachments To submit file two, you will use the Other Attachments form found in the Grants.gov application package for this NOFO.

This file includes all attachments.

ACF priorities alignment attestation

Not included in the page limit. This should be submitted with the application or before award.

You must self-certify that you will align with the ACF priorities that are relevant to this funding opportunity, as identified in both the Program description and Step 4, under Merit review process, Scoring criteria, Alignment with ACF Vision, Mission, Values, Priorities, and Guiding Principles, elements 2 and 3. You must provide the following on your organization’s letterhead.

I hereby attest and certify that:

_____________________ (Applicant Name) affirms its commitment to supporting and advancing ACF’s published Vision, Mission, Values, Priorities, and Guiding Principles of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), consistent with applicable federal statutes, regulations, Administration priorities.

Insert Date of Signature:

Print Name and Title of the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR):

Signature of AOR :

Step 3: Build Your Application 30

Indirect cost agreement If you include indirect costs in your budget using an approved rate, include a copy of your current agreement approved by your cognizant agency for indirect costs. If you use the de minimis rate, you do not need to submit this attachment.

See the indirect costs section for more information.

Additional eligibility documentation

• Completed tribal court assessment

If you are using an existing assessment of your tribal courts in child welfare cases, include the entire document, relevant sections, or a summary.

Organizational capacity supporting information You must attach the following information to support the information in your organizational capacity section:

• Organizational charts, including all partners.

• Resumes, biographical sketches, or curricula vitae for all key personnel.

• Job descriptions for each vacant key position.

• Copy or description of your organization’s fiscal control and accountability procedures.

• Information on compliance with federal, state, and local government standards.

Third-party agreements You must submit agreements with all third parties involved in the project. Third parties include subrecipients, contractors, and other cooperating entities. Third-party agreements include letters of commitment, memoranda of understanding, and memoranda of agreement. We do not consider general letters of support to be third-party agreements.

Any such agreement must:

• Describe each party’s roles and responsibilities for project activities.

• Describe the support and resources that the third party is committing to the proposed project.

• Be signed by the person in the third-party organization with the authority to make such commitments.

• Identify the primary applicant and all collaborators responsible for project activities if the agreement is for a collaboration or consortia application.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Build Your Application 31 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#p-200.1(Cognizant%20agency%20for%20indirect%20costs)

Maintenance of effort certification Not included in the page limit.

You will self-certify your maintenance of effort. Place this certification on your organization’s letterhead. See the maintenance of effort wording at ACF’s website.

Protection of human subjects' certification Not included in the page limit.

You must attach a Protection of Human Subjects: Assurance Identification / Certification / Declaration of Exemption form. You can find this form at the Office of Human Research Protections Forms website.

For more information on this topic, see the Office of Human Research Protections website. If you have questions, you can email them at OHRP@HHS.gov or call them at 240-453-6900.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Build Your Application 32 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/certification-regarding-maintenance-effort https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/register-irbs-and-obtain-fwas/forms/index.html https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/register-irbs-and-obtain-fwas/forms/index.html https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/index.html mailto:OHRP@HHS.gov

Standard forms You will need to complete some other required standard forms other than those in files one and two. You can find them in the NOFO application package or review them and their instructions at Grants.gov Forms.

Forms Submission requirement

Project Abstract Summary With the application.

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) With the application.

Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A) With the application.

Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B) With the application.

Key Contacts With the application.

Grants.gov Lobbying form With the application or before award.

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) If applicable, based on instructions, with the application or before award.

Project/Performance Site Location(s) (SF-P/PSL) With the application. Cite your primary location and up to 29 additional performance sites.

Important: Public information

When filling out your SF-424 form, pay attention to Box 15: Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project.

We share what you put there with USAspending. This is where the public goes to learn how the federal government spends taxpayer money.

Instead of just a title, insert a short description of your project and what it will do.

See instructions and examples [PDF].

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Build Your Application 33 https://grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://www.usaspending.gov/ https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hhs-writing-award-descriptions.pdf

Step 4:

Learn About Review and Award

In this step

Application review 35

Award notices 41

Application review Initial review We will review your application to make sure that it meets the responsiveness requirements listed in the disqualification factors section. If your application does not meet these criteria, we will disqualify it and we will not move it to the merit review (scoring) phase.

We will let you know if your application is disqualified within 30 days of the application deadline. You will not receive any notice from ACF if your application failed Grants.gov validation checks.

If you submit more than two files in addition to your forms, we will remove the extra files. We will let you know if this happens.

We will also remove blurred or illegible pages and any file formats that are not supported.

We will not review any pages that exceed the page limit.

If your application fails to adhere to ACF’s NOFO formatting, font, and page limitation requirements, we will adjust your application by removing page(s) from the application. We will remove the pages before the merit review and will not send them to reviewers.

If we do so, we will send you a letter after we make awards to notify you that we amended your application.

Merit review process A panel reviews all applications that pass the initial review. The panel members use the criteria shown in each section of the project narrative and in the line-item budget and budget narrative section.

Our reviewers typically are not federal employees. See the section on proprietary and personally identifiable information.

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 35

Criteria summary

Criterion Total number of points = 110

1. Need for assistance and objectives 10 points

2. Approach 40 points

3. Organizational capacity 20 points

4. Project performance evaluation plan 20 points

5. Project budget and budget justification 10 points

6. ACF Priority Alignment 10 points

Scoring criteria Need for assistance and objectives Maximum points: 10

Please refer to the need for assistance and objectives sections to view full requirements. Reviewers will consider the extent to which you do the following:

1.1 Describe the problem you wish to solve in legal, judicial, or court practice with child welfare.

1.2 Provide compelling data (defined broadly) that demonstrates the need for assistance.

1.3 Clearly describe your objectives in your first year of the award related to conducting a needs assessment and/or carrying out strategies to improve child welfare, legal, judicial, or court practice.

1.4 Clearly describe your planned or expected outcomes related to child welfare, legal, judicial, or court practice that you hope to learn more about and/or achieve.

Approach Maximum points: 40

Please refer to the approach section to view full requirements. In reviewing the approach, reviewers will consider the extent to which you do the following:

2.1 Describe anticipated obstacles to…