Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due Friday, August 7, 2026

Administration for Native Americans

Native American Language Preservation and Maintenance—Esther Martinez Immersion (EMI) Opportunity number: HHS-2026-ACF-ANA-NB-0116

Contents

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4

Basic information 5

Eligibility 7

Agency Priorities 11

Program description 13

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 19

Find the application package 20

Get registered 20

Learn more 21

Step 3: Build Your Application 22

Application checklist 23

Application contents and format 25

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 42

Application review 43

Appeals 52

Award notices 53

Step 5: Submit Your Application 54

Application submission and deadlines 55

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 57

Post-award requirements and administration 58

Contacts and Support 61

Before you begin 3

Modifications 66

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 7

Agency Priorities 11

Program description 13

Basic information Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Administration for Native Americans

Funding language nests and survival schools to preserve the vitality of Native American languages.

Have questions?

See Contacts and Support.

Key facts

Opportunity name: Native American Language Preservation and Maintenance—Esther Martinez Immersion (EMI)

Opportunity number:

HHS-2026-ACF-ANA-

NB-0116

Federal assistance listing:

93.587

NOFO version: Original

Key dates

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

Summary The Esther Martinez Immersion (EMI) program provides funding for community-based projects that ensure the continuing vitality of Native languages through immersion-based instruction.

EMI projects must meet the requirements for either a Native American language nest or a Native American language survival school, both of which are immersive, site-based educational programs for children. Your program must provide 500 hours of language immersion instruction to school-age children each year of the project.

To receive funding under this opportunity, you must submit an official document that certifies your organization has at least three years of experience operating and administering a Native American language survival school, a Native American language nest, or an educational program in which instruction is through Native American language immersion.

If funded, you must provide 500 hours of language immersion instruction to school-age children each year of the project.

If you do not meet the certification requirements or the minimum hours of immersion instruction, consider applying under ANA’s Preservation and Maintenance funding opportunity (HHS-2026-ACF-ANA-NL-0117).

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 5

Funding details Type: Grant

Expected total program funding: $4,500,000

Total expected awards: 6

Minimum award amount (award floor): $100,000

Maximum award amount (award ceiling): $900,000

This is full funding. We plan to fund up to a 5-year project period.

Project periods can be 36 months, 48 months, or 60 months.

For projects that are 36 months, the project period and budget period are the same.

ANA will award all federal funds at the start of the award.

For project periods of 48 or 60 months, ANA will award the first 36-month budget period at the start of the award. The remaining periods of performance will be awarded as follows:

• 48-month projects have a $300,000 ceiling for the remaining period of performance.

• 60-month projects have a $600,000 ceiling for the remaining period of performance.

The maximum amount of federal funding you can spend each year is $300,000, but you are not required to spend the same amount each year. For example, you could spend $300,000 in year 1, $250,000 in year 2, and $150,000 in year 3.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 6

Eligibility Eligible applicants These types of organizations may apply based on 42 U.S.C. 2991b(a) and 45 CFR 1336.33:

• Federally recognized Indian tribes, as recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs

(BIA).

• Incorporated non-federally recognized tribes.

• Incorporated state-recognized Indian tribes.

• Consortia of Indian tribes.

• Incorporated, nonprofit multipurpose, community-based Indian organizations (including Urban Indian Organizations as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(29)).

• Urban Indian Centers.

• Native Community Development Financial Institutions (Native CDFIs).

• Alaska Native villages as defined in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) and/or nonprofit village consortia.

• Nonprofit Native organizations in Alaska with village-specific projects.

• Incorporated nonprofit Alaska Native multipurpose, community-based organizations.

• Nonprofit Alaska Native Regional Corporations/Associations in Alaska with village-specific projects.

• Nonprofit Alaska Native community entities or tribal governing bodies (Indian Reorganization Act or Traditional Councils) as recognized by the BIA.

• Public and nonprofit private agencies serving Native Hawaiians.

• National or regional incorporated nonprofit Native American organizations with Native American community-specific objectives.

• Public and nonprofit private agencies serving Native peoples from Guam, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

• Tribal Colleges and Universities, and colleges and universities located in Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands that serve Native American Pacific Islanders.

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

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 7 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title42/chapter34/subchapter8&edition=prelim https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-B/chapter-XIII/subchapter-D/part-1336/subpart-C/section-1336.33 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-B/chapter-XIII/subchapter-D/part-1336/subpart-C/section-1336.33 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=1999&req=granuleid%3AUSC-1999-title25-section1603&num=0&saved=%7CZ3JhbnVsZWlkOlVTQy0xOTk5LXRpdGxlMjUtc2VjdGlvbjE2MDM%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7C1999

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

Assurance of community representation on board of directors If you are not a federally or state-recognized tribe, Alaska Native village government, or public government agency in the U.S. territories, you must provide documentation that a majority of your board members are representative of the Native American communities that ANA serves.

If you do not include this documentation, your application will be disqualified and will not be considered for competition.

See the additional eligibility documentation in the attachments section for information on how to submit this assurance.

Only one active award per assistance listing To be eligible under this NOFO, you can’t have a current active ANA award under the Assistance Listing Number 93.587.

Organizations with an ANA award that will continue beyond the start date of a possible new award and has the same Assistance Listing number as this NOFO are ineligible to apply for a new award and will be disqualified.

This disqualification factor does not impact organizations that have an ANA award under a different Assistance Listing number.

See initial review for other disqualification factors.

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, or a foreign entity.

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

ACF.

• Is from an applicant organization that has an active ANA award with the same assistance listing number as this NOFO that will continue past this date of awards made under this NOFO

• Fails to meet or document the assurance of community representation on the board of directors.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 8

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 requires you to contribute 20% of the project’s total cost per 42 U.S.C.

2991b–3(e)(1).

You can calculate this cost-sharing requirement in two ways:

Method 1: Start with the federal share.

Calculation: Divide the federal share by 4.

For example: $100,000 / 4 = $25,000.

Method 2: Start with the total project cost.

Calculation: Multiply the total project cost by 20%.

For example: $125,000 x 20% = $25,000.

Types of cost sharing You can meet your match requirement through any combination of:

• Cash contributed by your organization, partners, or other third parties.

• In-kind (non-cash) contributions from partners or other third parties.

Please view ANA’s applicant resource page for additional ways to meet your cost-sharing requirements.

Cost-sharing commitments If awarded, you must provide the amount of cost-sharing funds you promised, even if you promised more than the required minimum. We put these commitments in the Notice of Award.

If you don’t provide your promised amount, we may decrease the amount of funding we give you or use other enforcement actions.

You’ll have to include your cost-sharing funds when you fill out your federal financial reports.

Cost-sharing waiver Applicants may request a waiver of the requirement for a 20% cost-sharing match if they meet the criteria. Submit the waiver request with your application as an attachment. See cost-sharing waiver request.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 9 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=2007&req=granuleid%3AUSC-2007-title42-section2991b-3&num=0&saved=%7CZ3JhbnVsZWlkOlVTQy0yMDA3LXRpdGxlNDItc2VjdGlvbjI5OTFiLTE%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7C2007 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=2007&req=granuleid%3AUSC-2007-title42-section2991b-3&num=0&saved=%7CZ3JhbnVsZWlkOlVTQy0yMDA3LXRpdGxlNDItc2VjdGlvbjI5OTFiLTE%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7C2007 https://acf.gov/ana/applicant-resources

We will consider a waiver only if you meet the requirements in 45 CFR §1336.50(b)(3). A waiver is not guaranteed.

If requested, we can waive cost sharing up to $199,999 for awards to the governments of American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands (except for the consolidated awards under 45 CFR part 97). You must meet any amount of cost sharing over $199,999. See 48 USC 1469a(d) Congressional declaration of policy respecting “Insular Areas.”

For inquiries about the waiver process, contact your regional training and technical assistance provider. You can find your center at ANA’s Training and Technical Assistance webpage.

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. 2991b-3(a) and (b)(7) (Sections 803C(a) and (b)(7) of the Native American Programs Act of 1974, as amended).

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 10 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-B/chapter-XIII/subchapter-D/part-1336/subpart-E/section-1336.50 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-97 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:48%20section:1469a%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title48-section1469a)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:48%20section:1469a%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title48-section1469a)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://acf.gov/ana/grants/applicant-training-technical-assistance https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title%3A42%20section%3A2991b-3%20edition%3Aprelim) https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/house-bill/4766

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, & 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.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 11 https://acf.gov/about/acf-vision-mission-values https://acf.gov/about/acf-vision-mission-values

5. Work, self-sufficiency, and economic mobility: Support pathways to employment, job retention, and economic independence for individuals and 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.

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

Program description Purpose The purpose of the EMI program is to help Native Americans ensure the survival and vitality of Native American languages through immersion language instruction.

Project requirements EMI projects must meet the requirements for either a Native American language nest or a Native American language survival school, as defined by the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Act (42 U.S.C. 2991b-3(b)(7)). These requirements are as follows.

• Language nests are site-based educational programs that must do all of the following:

◦ Provide instruction and child care in a Native American language for at least five children under the age of seven, for an average of at least 500 hours per year per child.

◦ Provide classes in the same languages for parents or legal guardians of children enrolled in the language nest.

◦ Ensure that a Native American language is the dominant medium of instruction in the Native American language nest.

• Language survival schools are site-based educational programs for school-age students that must do all of the following:

◦ Provide an average of at least 500 hours of instruction in one or more Native American languages for at least 10 students.

◦ Be the principal place of instruction for its students.

◦ Develop instructional courses and materials.

◦ Provide teacher training.

◦ Work toward a goal of all students achieving fluency in a Native American language.

◦ Promote academic proficiency in mathematics, reading, and sciences.

◦ Be located in an area that has a high number or percentage of Native American students.

You must submit certification of your experience operating a language nest or language survival school in your attachments.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 13

For the purpose of this NOFO, ANA defines school-age students as students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

• We encourage survival schools to also provide Native American language classes or training for parents or legal guardians of enrolled students.

• EMI projects often replicate and modify successful language preservation projects so that other tribes and organizations can carry out those same projects.

• EMI projects that focus on promoting use of a Native American language in community members’ daily lives may also include efforts to preserve that language for the benefit of future generations.

ANA prefers funding projects that are community-driven, reflecting a strong relationship between planned activities and intended results, demonstrate a realistic action plan for sustainability, and promote social and economic self-sufficiency in emerging, unserved, or underserved native communities.

ANA provides project-specific funding for a single current community condition. It does not fund on-going program funding.

The EMI NOFO addresses the following 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.

Some EMI funded projects may also address the following ACF Priorities:

• Promoting Quality Early Learning Environments and Improved Child Outcomes

– Some ANA recipients may prioritize partnerships and investments in high-quality early learning programs to help foster the cognitive and physical development of school-age students as students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

You can find a list of currently funded projects on ANA’s recipient website, but this list is only a limited selection of the kinds of programs we are interested in funding.

Successful applications vary widely. As you consider whether your project may be a good fit for this opportunity, we encourage you to interpret our program’s goals broadly. To learn more about the program areas of interest for this NOFO, see ANA’s Program Areas page.

Program-specific terms and concepts in this NOFO can be found on ANA’s applicant resource page.

EMI projects can be up to five years long. All EMI awards have a start date of September 30, 2026.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 14 https://acf.gov/about/acf-vision-mission-values https://acf.gov/ana/current-recipients https://acf.gov/ana/programs/native-languages https://acf.gov/ana/programs/native-languages https://acf.gov/ana/grants/prospective-applicants https://acf.gov/ana/grants/prospective-applicants

Federal evaluation Under section 811 of NAPA, ANA must evaluate funded projects, including by describing and measuring their success, their effectiveness in achieving stated goals, and their structure and mechanisms for service delivery. You must agree to participate fully in the federal evaluation.

We will complete this evaluation in a manner that is respectful of cultural protocols and community-based evaluation, using participant observations and interviews.

As much as possible, the evaluation will include community interviews with project staff and beneficiaries, and review of documentation including, but not limited to, the Ongoing Progress Reports (OPR), which is approved under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 0970-0452 (current expiration date 2/29/28). We will conduct a site visit at the end of the project period to observe your project outcomes and community benefits.

Federal project evaluations are completed when evaluators use a structured information collection tool approved under OMB control number 0970-0379 (current expiration date 2/29/28) during end-of-project site visits from ANA. The site visit includes first-hand accounts of project outcomes and community benefits as well as reviews information provided through the recipient’s initial application and OPRs to evaluate the progress toward achieving the project’s goal and objectives by project staff throughout the project period.

Attendance at events The project director and a financial management staff person on the project must attend post-award training during the first year of your award.

At least two project staff must attend an annual ANA recipient meeting each year of your ANA award. You must budget for all related expenses. See more information in the budget narrative section of this NOFO.

An example of a budget for training and meetings can be found on ANA’s Applicant Resource page.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 15 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title42/chapter34/subchapter8&edition=prelim

Funding policies and limitations Changes in HHS regulations As of October 1, 2025, HHS has 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” as defined in Executive Order 14190, Section 2(b).

• To the extent permitted by law, including any relevant court rulings, 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.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 16 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-III/part-300 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-III/part-300 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-02-03/pdf/2025-02232.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72

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.

Additionally, based on 45 CFR 1336.33(b), you cannot conduct the following projects or activities with funding from this NOFO:

• Third-party training and technical assistance to other tribes or Native American organizations or to people who are not members of the recipient organization.

• Feasibility studies, business plans, marketing plans, or written materials such as manuals that are not an essential part of your long-range development plan.

• Ongoing administration functions that are not related to the proposed project.

• Ongoing social service delivery programs or the expansion, or continuation, of existing social service delivery programs.

• Projects that do not further the three interrelated ANA goals of economic development, social development, and cultural preservation.

• Projects from consortia of tribes that do not include documentation from each member specifying their role and support.

• Projects from consortia that duplicate activities for which members already receive funding from ANA.

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 current negotiated indirect cost rate, you may elect to charge a de minimis rate (see 2 CFR 200.414(f)). This rate is 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. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 17 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-B/chapter-XIII/subchapter-D/part-1336/subpart-C/section-1336.33 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. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 18 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/ https://www.e-verify.gov/

Step 2:

Get Ready to Apply

In this step

Find the application package 20

Get registered 20

Learn more 21

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.

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.

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

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 20 https://www.grants.gov/support 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

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 21 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 23

Application contents and format 25

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

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

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

Additional eligibility documentation – Assurance of Community Representation on Board of Directors, if applicable

Yes

Organizational capacity supporting information (including organization chart) Yes

Third-party agreements Yes

Maintenance of effort certification No

Governing body documentation Yes

Community-based strategy documentation (optional) Yes

Language nest or language survival school certification Yes

Cost-sharing waiver request (optional) Yes

Step 3: Build Your Application 23

Standard forms Use each required form in Grants.gov.

Component Included in page limit?

Project 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

Objective Work Plan No

Step 3: Build Your Application 24

Application contents and format You will submit all application components, including attachments and 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: 150 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 25

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.

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

Project summary Provide a one-page summary to describe your project. 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, and your proposed services.

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.

Step 3: Build Your Application 26

• 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.

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.

Past ANA project performance If you are proposing a project that is similar, in whole or in part, to activities we previously funded, please provide a detailed description of what was achieved by the earlier project. In addition, provide explicit details and an explanation of how the proposed project is different and not a duplicate of the previously funded project.

Current community condition Identify one current community condition the proposed project will address. While ANA understands that communities face many conditions at the same time, you should present only a single condition, in a concise statement. Follow the statement with supporting data to illustrate the current status of the condition within the community being served.

Include recent qualitative or quantitative data to describe the status of the current community condition and its relevance to your proposed project.

An example of a current community condition is: “While we currently have three Native language instructors teaching kindergarten through third grade at the Tribal School, a survey revealed that parents want instruction to continue up to eighth grade. We do not have certified teachers to fill these roles.”

Fully describe the current status of the Native language, including:

• The current number of fluent speakers.

• The current number of emerging speakers and their fluency levels.

• The current language-learning resources available within the community.

• A description of the existing language programs.

• The number of current and emerging language speakers who participate in language preservation.

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Population to be served Describe the participants or beneficiaries who will take part in the project’s activities.

Explain how they will benefit from participating.

• Identify how you will recruit participants. Include any outreach activities related to recruitment, if applicable.

• Identify outreach activities you will use to maintain community awareness, involvement, or participation in the project. Examples of outreach activities include community meetings, news media, social media, events, and publications.

Project goal A project goal is a general statement of what you want to accomplish through your project. In a single sentence, state a project goal that will be achieved by the end of the project and describe how the project goal will lead to the improvement of the current community condition.

Describe how the project goal is relevant to this opportunity and explain how the project goal is achievable by the end of the project period.

An example of a project goal is: “The Tribal School will build its capacity to provide quality Native language immersion instruction and expand to include grades four through eight.”

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

Identify up to three objectives for the entire project period.

Well-written objectives help set program priorities and targets for progress and accountability. We recommend that you avoid verbs that may have vague meanings to describe the intended outcomes, like “understand” or “know,” because it may be difficult to measure them. Instead, write objectives that document action, such as: “By the end of 36 months, at least 10 immersion language nest students (ages 18 months to 5 years old) will have increased in language fluency by four levels to a beginner-high level.”

Step 3: Build Your Application 28

Each objective must include:

• A timeline of when you will reach the objective —for example, “by the end of 36 months.”

• A description of how the participant/community will change through participation in the project—for example, “Participants will successfully complete language classes.”

• A measure of how much the participant/community will change by the end of the project—for example, “75% of program participants will have achieved beginner-high level proficiency.”

An example of how to write an objective can be found on ANA’s applicant resource page.

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 accomplish your project goals. Explain the strategies you will use to address them.

Project implementation plan Tell us the story of who you are and what you want to accomplish with your project, including:

• What your timeline will be.

• How will you achieve your goals and objectives.

• Who will be involved.

• What resources will you need to be successful.

Describe your plan to implement the project. Describe the scope of the project and explain in detail how you will accomplish it. Account for all functions or activities.

Discuss all the steps you will take to carry out each objective and to achieve the expected outcomes. You will also submit your plan using the objective work plan (OWP) form. See full information on the OWP in the project narrative.

In the approach, you will present this plan as a narrative that provides more information on the objectives, activities, and outputs than in the OWP. Outputs are the direct, tangible results of activities. This is often expressed as a target number of activities completed and/or people served. Include all necessary steps and realistic timeframes to achieve each objective. Do not copy the OWP directly into the narrative to complete this section.

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

Step 3: Build Your Application 29

If you need a license or permit for any of the activities in your proposed project, describe how and when you will get it.

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

Potential challenges could include:

• Delays in hiring project staff.

• Staff turnover during the project.

• Low community involvement.

• Low recruitment or retention of participants.

• Loss of key partners or the nonfederal share of the funding.

• Any other issues that could prevent successful implementation.

Identify how you will sustain the positive changes achieved by the project after the end of the project. These can include resources, staff, or partners that you need to sustain these positive changes.

Community-based strategy Community involvement in designing and carrying out the project is one of the key factors in the project’s success.

• Describe your experience working on projects within the community.

• Describe the community’s participation and engagement in with the applicant organization.

• Describe how you involved the community in identifying the need for the project and how you incorporated their feedback into the project design.

• Explain who or what members of the community, such as the tribal council or board, helped identify the need for the project.

You can also include optional supporting documentation. See the community-based strategy documentation attachment.

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.

Outcomes are measurable changes that will result from achieving the implementation plan. Outcomes can include increases in capacity and changes in knowledge, awareness, attitudes, skills, or behaviors. They can be the same or different for each objective. They should describe the change that happens at the community level once an objective is reached.

• Identify an outcome for each objective. Each EMI objective must have a primary outcome that aligns to one of these categories:

Step 3: Build Your Application 30

• Increased language fluency.

• Increased community member use of language-learning resources.

• Increased ability to deliver immersion instruction by certifying language teachers.

• Increased capacity to implement a language program.

• Show clear connections between the outcomes, the current community condition, project goal, and objectives.

• Describe how the outcomes will benefit the community to be served.

An example outcome is: “Increased language fluency for immersion language nest students aged 18 months to 5 years.”

Objective work plan (OWP) You must submit an objective work plan (OWP). You will submit the OWP as part of your standard forms rather than in the project narrative.

The OWP should be a work plan for each objective and each year. It should have no more than three objectives, as stated in the project narrative.

It arranges major steps based on the implementation plan and includes:

• Key activities: How you will carry out the project.

◦ Include all activities you need to successfully achieve each objective. Each objective can have up to 25 activities per year. The project year for this NOFO begins September 30 and ends September 29 for each year of the project.

• Time frames: When you will accomplish these activities.

◦ Provide details about which activities will occur in each year, for any objectives that span more than one year.

• Responsible staff: Who will carry out each activity.

• Outcomes: The most significant changes the objective will produce. Include the primary outcome for each objective. Make sure this aligns with what you wrote in your project narrative.

• Outputs: The direct, tangible results of activities. This is often expressed as a target number of activities completed or people served. The outputs are logical results of the successful completion of activities within the proposed timeframe.

We strongly encourage you to review the OWP form and instructions available at Grants.gov.

Organizational capacity narrative Provide the following information for your full project team, including the applicant organization and any cooperating partners, contractors, and subrecipients.

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

Step 3: Build Your Application 31 https://grants.gov/forms

Data management plan

Describe how you will collect information to improve the project over time. This plan must include:

• Which staff will be responsible for data collection, tracking, and reporting.

• How you will monitor ongoing activities to measure progress toward the project’s objectives.

• The data collection tools and processes you will use to measure each objective.

Examples of tools include Excel spreadsheets, logic models, surveys, assessments, participant observations or interviews, and outcome trackers.

• How you will develop any necessary data collection tools.

• A timeline for how you will review and use the data you collect to adjust the project.

Staffing plan

Provide your staffing plan in a narrative format in the project narrative or by attaching project-specific job descriptions in the organizational capacity supporting information attachment.

• Identify all staff (filled and unfilled positions) supporting the project and explain each person’s role and responsibilities. If known, please include the names of staff members who will fill key roles.

• Explain how you will recruit and hire staff positions that need to be filled.

• Identify the principal investigator/project director (PI/PD) and authorized organizational representative (AOR) for the project. They cannot be the same person. Explain how you will separate these duties.

• PI/PD responsibilities include monitoring progress and maintaining oversight of program reporting, staff, and partners.

• Identify the AOR who will have official signing responsibility. If you do not know who the permanent PI/PD or AOR will be, identify who will take on the role until the position is filled and provide a timeline for filling the role with permanent personnel.

Partnerships and consultants

• Identify each partner, consultant, or subrecipient and explain how they will support project activities. Include scopes of work, memoranda of understanding (MOUs), or letters of commitment.

• If you will not include these entities, state: “Our project will not include the support of partners, consultants, or subrecipients.”

• Describe how you will identify and recruit partners and consultants.

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• Describe how you will finalize partnership agreements, if they are not already completed. Describe contingency plans for partnerships or consultant agreements if they fall through.

• Identify how you will communicate with partners or consultants. Explain how you will manage and maintain agreements.

Note: You will 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…