HHS-2021-ACF-ACYF-EV-1942.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Administration on Children, Youth and Families - Family and Youth Services Bureau

Family Violence Prevention and Services Discretionary Grant - National Capacity Building Center to Expand Services for Children, Youth, and Abused Parents Impacted by Domestic

Violence (ESCYAP)

HHS-2021-ACF-ACYF-EV-1942

Application Due Date: 07/05/2021

Family Violence Prevention and Services Discretionary Grant - National Capacity Building Center to Expand Services for Children, Youth, and Abused Parents Impacted by Domestic

Violence (ESCYAP)

HHS-2021-ACF-ACYF-EV-1942

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview Executive Summary

I. Program Description II. Federal Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

3. Other

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management

(SAM)

4. Submission Dates and Times

5. Intergovernmental Review

6. Funding Restrictions

7. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

3. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

VI. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notices

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

3. Reporting

VII. HHS Awarding Agency Contact(s) VIII. Other Information

Department of Health & Human Services Administration for Children and Families

Funding Opportunity Title: Family Violence Prevention and

Services Discretionary Grant - National Capacity Building Center to Expand Services for Children, Youth, and Abused Parents Impacted by Domestic Violence (ESCYAP)

Announcement Type: Initial Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2021-ACF-ACYF-EV-1942 Primary CFDA Number: 93.592 Due Date for Letter of Intent: 06/05/2021 Due Date for Applications: 07/05/2021

Executive Summary

Notice:

Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the entire funding opportunity announcement (FOA) carefully and observe the application formatting requirements listed in Section IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission.

For more information on applying for grants, please visit "How to Apply for a Grant" on the ACF Grants & Funding Page at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/howto.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB), Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) Program will award one grant under FVPSA to support a National Capacity Building Center to Expand Services for Children, Youth, and Abused Parents Impacted by Domestic Violence (ESCYAP). The ESCYAP grantee will expand the capacity of domestic violence service providers, community-based organizations, tribes and tribal organizations, and other professionals to provide age-appropriate counseling and supportive services for children and youth exposed to domestic violence and services for non-abusing parents that support their role as caregiver, including services that work with the non-abusing parent and child together.

Specifically, the ESCYAP grantee will provide programmatic and evaluation technical assistance to FVPSA grantees funded under the Specialized Services to Abused Parents and their Children (SSAPC) Demonstration Sites grant, including facilitation of a peer-to-peer mentorship program with past SSAPC grant recipients.

The ESCYAP grantee will maintain and continue to develop content for an online resource center, specifically promoting work for children, youth, and abused parents impacted by domestic violence within the following areas: an interventions database, culturally relevant interventions/programming, staff capacity building, and parent support/engagement strategies.

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/howto

The ESCYAP grantee is part of a network of national, special issue, culturally specific, and capacity building centers providing leadership, training, technical assistance, resources, and support to programs and systems serving victims of domestic violence and their children.

I. Program Description

Statutory Authority The statutory authority for this funding opportunity announcement is the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, 42 U.S.C. § 10410(a)(2)(B)(ii).

Description History and Purpose of FVPSA FVPSA provides the primary federal funding stream dedicated to the support of emergency shelter and supportive services for victims of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence (also known as intimate partner violence or IPV), as well as their dependents.

First authorized as part of the Child Abuse Amendments of 1984 (Public Law 98–457), FVPSA became the first federal commitment to creating a pathway to safety for survivors of domestic violence and their children. FVPSA has been amended eight times and was most recently reauthorized in December 2010 for 5 years by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 10401 - 10414).

Since 1984, Congress has continued to make its intent clear that FVPSA funds be used to raise awareness of domestic violence, prevent its occurrence, provide services to victims and their children, and support domestic violence providers to enhance their responses through training and technical assistance.

Specifically, FVPSA's statutory purposes are, as follows:

1. Assist states and Indian tribes in efforts to increase public awareness about primary and secondary prevention of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence;

2. Assist states and Indian tribes in efforts to provide immediate shelter and supportive services for victims of family violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and their dependents;

3. Provide for a national domestic violence hotline; and

4. Provide for technical assistance and training relating to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence, programs to states and Indian tribes, local public agencies (including law enforcement agencies, courts, and legal, social service, and health care professionals), nonprofit private organizations (including faith-based and charitable organizations, community-based organizations, and voluntary associations), tribal organizations, and other persons seeking such assistance and training.

Through the FVPSA Program, FYSB administers mandatory FVPSA formula grants to the following: 1) states and territories; 2) tribes; and 3) state domestic violence coalitions. FVPSA grants are awarded to every state and territory and over 200 tribes. Funds awarded to states, territories, and tribes reach more than 1,600 local public, private, non-profit and faith-based organizations, and programs demonstrating effectiveness in the field of domestic violence services and prevention. These domestic violence programs provide victims of family, domestic, and dating violence, and their children with shelter, safety planning, crisis counseling, information and referral, legal advocacy, and additional support services.

Expanding Services for Children, Youth, and Abused Parents Impacted by Domestic Violence (ESCYAP) Under this FOA, FYSB will support one grantee to carry out a training and technical assistance and resource development project for ESCYAP that will include the following:

1. Gather existing resources, including promising practices; guidelines; information on evidence-informed, trauma-informed, and culturally relevant programming; information on expert trainers and how to contact them; and other information in the manner of a clearinghouse, to support domestic violence service providers’ capacity to address the needs of abused parents as well as children and youth (adolescents) impacted by domestic violence;

2. Create new technical assistance resources where gaps have been identified and that promote protective factors and resilience when working with children and youth impacted by domestic violence, which includes fostering stronger relationships with their non-abusive parents or caregivers;

3. Provide training and technical assistance to FVPSA’s Specialized Services to Abused Parents and their Children (SSAPC) Demonstration Site grantees, including such efforts that ensure awareness and compliance with FVPSA regulations and program requirements, and other domestic violence programs, coalitions, and entities in need of support addressing and preventing children’s exposure to domestic violence;

4. Improve consistent implementation of promising, innovative, evidence-informed, trauma-informed, and culturally relevant programming;

5. Enhance coordination of services and develop guidance to better serve children and youth who are exposed to domestic violence;

6. Collaboratively consult on common outcome measures of the SSAPC grant, which includes assisting grantees with their internal evaluations, including ensuring that the evaluation design does not violate FVPSA privacy or confidentiality requirements; and disseminating lessons learned;

7. Sustain and continue to develop content for an online resource center, specifically promoting work for children, youth, and abused parents impacted by domestic violence within the following areas: an interventions database, culturally relevant interventions/programing, staff capacity building, and parent support/engagement strategies;

8. Expand partnerships between domestic violence programs and child welfare, home visitation, early childhood, Head Start and education programs, and other systems and programs that impact abused parents and their children; and

9. Develop national training and dissemination strategies based on assessment and needs of the field.

For the purpose of this FOA, evidence-informed practices bring together the best available research, professional expertise and input from service, advocacy, and prevention communities to identify and deliver services that have promise to achieve positive outcomes for children and youth impacted by domestic violence and their abused parents.

Specialized Services for Abused Parents and Their Children (SSAPC) Demonstration Projects ESCYAP will be the primary technical assistance provider for the SSAPC Demonstration Projects. The SSAPC Grant Program was established in 2016 by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to expand the capacity of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence service programs and community-based programs to prevent future domestic violence by addressing, in an appropriate manner, the needs of children exposed to family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, and their parents. Applicants should refer to the most recent FOA, HHS-2020-ACF-ACYF-EV-1812 (available at: https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/files /HHS-2020-ACF-ACYF-EV-1812_1.pdf) to learn more. FYSB will fund up to 26 cooperative agreements through the SSAPC discretionary grant program.

SSAPC grant funds must be used, as follows:

A. to provide direct counseling, appropriate services consistent with 42 U.S.C. 10412(c)(2), or advocacy on behalf of victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence and their children, including coordinating services with services provided by the child welfare system;

B. to provide services for non-abusing parents to support those parents' roles as caregivers and their roles in responding to the social, emotional, and developmental needs of their children; and

C. where appropriate, to provide the services described in this subsection while working with such a non-abusing parent and child together; and

SSAPC funds may be used, as follows:

A. to provide early childhood development and mental health services;

B. to coordinate activities with, and provide technical assistance to, community-based organizations serving victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence or children exposed to family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence; and

C. to provide additional services and referrals to services for children, including childcare, transportation, educational support, respite care, supervised visitation, mobile/off-site services; or other necessary services.

Program Goals One organization will be funded to provide training and technical assistance and resource development regarding services for children and youth exposed to domestic violence. All training, technical assistance, and resource development must consider the needs of children, youth, and abused parents impacted by domestic violence. These resources will be available to specifically support SSAPC current and future grantees, including through development and/or enhancement of a peer networking and mentoring program comprised of past grantees, as well as other domestic violence service provider programs supporting services for children and youth exposed to domestic violence within the providers’ service area. The technical support and resource development must support eligible activities of the SSAPC grant program. All training and technical assistance must be culturally competent and inclusive.

https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/files/HHS-2020-ACF-ACYF-EV-1812_1.pdf https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/files/HHS-2020-ACF-ACYF-EV-1812_1.pdf

The emphasis of the grantee must be on gathering existing national, state, and local technical assistance, resources, promising practices, guidelines, national standards, and other useful information. Along with supporting funded SSAPC grantees, the ESCYAP grantee must also provide peer support to other state domestic violence coalitions, tribes, domestic violence, community-based, and tribal programs working as sub-grantees of SSAPC-funded grantees or wishing to seek direct technical assistance for improving available services for, and responses to, children and youth exposed to domestic violence.

Through this program, the grantee shall, as follows:

Facilitate access to resources for SSAPC grantees and interested domestic violence programs and serve as a national clearinghouse/information hub. The grantee shall facilitate peer-to-peer technical support among the SSAPC grantees and with other state domestic violence coalitions and domestic violence service providers who have developed similar projects or have relevant expertise.

Focus on distilling existing knowledge into accessible, digestible resources that can be easily used by service providers and incorporated into their practices. The grantee should not duplicate the work of other national resource centers or other organizations doing related work. The grantee may create additional technical assistance and resources, but only after determining that such resources are not already in existence.

Partner with issue-area experts to provide technical assistance; develop products; or assist in gathering, collating and disseminating information about available resources regarding services for and responses to children and youth exposed to domestic violence.

Facilitate access for SSAPC grantees and domestic violence service providers to nationwide systems such as child support enforcement, child welfare, federal housing programs, and other systems that impact children exposed to domestic violence and work toward improving the response of those systems to children exposed to domestic violence.

Work toward developing standards or guidelines for domestic violence programs to promote developmentally appropriate and responsive services for children and youth exposed to domestic violence. By working closely with SSAPC grantees to understand lessons learned during implementation and evaluating outcomes of these projects, the grantee will begin the process of creating this guidance. To inform this guidance, the grantee must gather a diverse working group from across the domestic violence field and related fields including child and youth-serving organizations.

Plan conferences, topical meetings, or major project meetings in conjunction with FYSB, to allow participation of FYSB staff. The grantee shall provide a detailed plan for project implementation, a work plan, trainings/events schedule, evaluation schedule, and a plan for reporting on the outcomes of the project. The grantee must plan travel expenses for at least one representative from the grantee organization to participate in two Domestic Violence Resource Network (DVRN, which is a FYSB network of resource and capacity building centers and grantees) meetings each project period and at least one FYSB-sponsored meeting each project period. The grantee must plan to facilitate at least two FYSB-sponsored webinars during each budget period.

ESCYAP Program Expectations

1. Leadership, Organizational Capacity, and Expertise

A. ESCYAP grantee must demonstrate specialized expertise, organizational capacity, and sustained outcomes working directly on the following:

Gathering nationwide resources on promising practices and available technical assistance for programs serving children exposed to domestic violence and their parents;

Assist FVPSA Program efforts to develop guidance and enhance responses for children exposed to domestic violence and their parents;

Focus on the provision of services for children exposed to domestic violence, not other children's issues such as custody, internet safety, or general research. The grantee should not duplicate the work of other youth-focused resource centers;

Be a hub of information on existing resources and emerging practices for local service providers, state domestic violence coalitions, states, and tribes. The grantee is not expected to establish a stand-alone resource center;

Compile and make resources available to SSAPC current and future grantees, as well as other domestic violence service providers;

Provide technical support, including facilitating peer-to-peer technical support, to SSAPC grantees;

Consult on the development of common national outcome measures for SSAPC grantees;

Assist such grantees in developing evaluation plans and reporting on their own internal outcomes that are consistent among grantees and operationalized in compliance with FVPSA statutory and regulatory requirements for victim privacy and confidentiality;

Plan a national dissemination strategy to share promising practices, outcomes, and resources nationwide; and

Work toward developing and recommending national standards or guidelines for services for children exposed to domestic violence.

B. ESCYAP grantee shall lead or contribute to domestic violence prevention or intervention efforts for victims of domestic violence and their dependents. Grantee shall identify, develop, and enhance domestic violence intervention and prevention strategies by fostering promising, evidence-informed, and evidence-based practice development, adaptation, and implementation throughout the domestic violence field. Furthermore, ESCYAP grantee is expected to develop resources and disseminate information related to promising, evidence-based, and evidence-informed intervention/prevention strategies, practice guides, model policies and practices, prevalence statistics, emerging issues, culturally specific populations, lessons learned, and/or special topics.

Prevention Definitions:

i. Primary Prevention: Strategies, policies, and programs to stop first-time perpetration and first-time victimization. Primary prevention is stopping domestic and dating violence before they occur. Primary prevention includes, but is not limited to the following: school-based violence prevention curricula, programs aimed at mitigating the effects on children of witnessing domestic or dating violence, community campaigns designed to alter norms and values conducive to domestic or dating violence, work site prevention programs, and training and education in parenting skills and self-esteem enhancement.

ii. Secondary Prevention: Identifying risk factors or problems that may lead to future family, domestic, or dating violence, and taking the necessary actions to eliminate the risk factors and the potential problem, and may include, but are not limited to, healing services for children and youth who have been exposed to domestic or dating violence, home visiting programs for high-risk families, and screening programs in health care settings.

C. ESCYAP grantee will join and actively participate in the DVRN. The DVRN will work collaboratively to share national expertise and deliver domestic violence related training and technical assistance. ESCYAP must designate at least one person to participate in DVRN technical assistance meetings. Grantee must plan travel expenses for at least one representative to participate in two DVRN technical assistance meetings each project period.

D. ESCYAP grantee shall maintain the organizational capacity to implement the project, including relevant subject matter expertise (children exposed to domestic violence and their parents; and as needed for proposed projects); research, evaluation, administrative, and project management capacity; national resource center leadership; and sufficient staffing to meet project goals and deliverables. Grantee shall maintain clear plans for maintaining organizational capacity and continuity of services during emergency, disaster, and/or pandemic situations and transition of key project staff.

E. ESCYAP grantee shall create and implement a plan to maintain up-to-date expertise on children exposed to domestic violence and their parents, including conducting periodic needs assessments of the domestic violence field and related systems in order to identify unmet training and technical assistance needs, which includes the identification of unaddressed or under-addressed topic areas and audiences. This shall include, but not be limited to, completion of a national needs assessment in the first 6 months of project year 1 and year 4.

F. ESCYAP grantee shall ensure that grant approach, workplans, and deliverables are consistent with a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality. Grantee will provide a comprehensive community equity plan (or other similar documentation within the application) that demonstrates the processes and policies the grantee has in place to ensure the proactive identification of systemic barriers to opportunities and benefits for people of color and other underserved populations and strategic incorporation of activities to redress such barriers in ongoing workplans. This plan (or other similar documentation within the application) will also address policies and practices that are in place to ensure that the grant staffing plan supports the capacity to address those disparities in an ongoing, strategic, and culturally responsive manner, especially for particular underserved populations with documented history of long-standing significant disparities related to the topic of the grant.

i. “Underserved” definition: For purposes of this FOA, “underserved population”, “underserved communities” or “people who have been historically underserved” should be read to be consistent with FVPSA statutory and regulatory definitions (at 42 U.S. Code § 10402 (14) and 45 CFR part 1370.2). For reference, the definition at 45 CFR part 1370.2 is given here: “Underserved populations means populations who face barriers in accessing and using victim services, and includes populations underserved because of geographic location, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, underserved racial and ethnic populations, and populations underserved because of special needs including language barriers, disabilities, immigration status, and age.

Individuals with criminal histories due to victimization and individuals with substance use disorders and mental health issues are also included in this definition. The reference to racial and ethnic populations is primarily directed toward racial and ethnic minority groups (as defined in section 1707(g) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300(u–6)(g)), which means American Indians (including Alaska Natives, Eskimos, and Aleuts); Asian American; Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders;

Blacks and Hispanics. The term ‘‘Hispanic’’ or ‘‘Latino’’ means individuals whose origin is Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or any other Spanish speaking country. This underserved populations’ definition also includes other population categories determined by the Secretary [of Health and Human Services] or the Secretary’s designee to be underserved.

G. ESCYAP grantee shall ensure that grant approach, workplans, and deliverables are consistent with prohibitions on discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation and proactively support access and redress barriers for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning (LGBTQ) and Two-Spirit survivors and their children and that technical assistance and training in conducted in alignment with FVPSA regulations at 45 CFR part 1370 (a) and (c) requiring ensuring that no person shall on the basis of actual or perceived gender identity or sexual orientation be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under, any program or activity funded in whole or in part through FVPSA.

H. As this is a cooperative agreement that will include substantial involvement from the FVPSA Program in FYSB, the ESCYAP grantee must actively partner with the FVPSA program officers in implementing the project deliverables. Grantee shall plan conferences, meetings, or major project meetings in conjunction with FYSB to allow participation of FYSB staff. Grantee shall plan to develop, review, and discuss a detailed plan for project implementation, a work plan, a trainings/events schedule, an evaluation schedule, and a plan for reporting on the outcomes of the project. ESCYAP grantee will need to plan to partner with FVPSA program officers in the planning, coordination, and implementation of meetings for FVPSA grantees. More information on how FYSB will be involved is included in Section II. Federal Award Information: Description of ACF's Anticipated Substantial Involvement Under the Cooperative Agreement. Grantee must plan travel to participate in at least one FVPSA Program/FYSB meeting per project period. Grantee must plan to assist FYSB with technical and logistical support of grantee meetings and conferences, including providing insight from first-hand knowledge and experience that can inform planning, analysis, and implementation as related to identified training and technical assistance topics; identifying meeting/conference venues; subcontracting with quality presenters; facilitators and consultants; working with stakeholders to develop an agenda; arranging travel; providing onsite support; and following up on conference evaluations.

2. Training and Technical Assistance

A. ESCYAP grantee is required to offer and deliver comprehensive and national scope training and technical assistance to enhance the capacity of domestic violence programs, state domestic violence coalitions, tribes, tribal organizations, government agencies, community-based organizations, and public and private systems/institutions to prevent and respond to domestic violence as related to children exposed to domestic violence and their parents.

B. ESCYAP grantee must identify and address current and emerging issues related to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence through the provision of training and technical assistance that is comprehensive and national in scope. Topics of relevance may include the co-occurrence of HIV and domestic violence; human trafficking;

family/youth homelessness; family self-sufficiency; social capital/community-based supports for families; safe access to child support; service needs of girls/women of color;

engaging faith communities; needs of LGBTQ victims, services for male victims; maternal health and maternal mortality; trauma-informed support for formerly incarcerated survivors; meeting the needs of survivors with substance use histories; the intersection of intimate partner violence, gun violence, and community violence prevention; and other topics identified as priorities by FYSB and the FVPSA Program.

C. ESCYAP grantee shall maintain the capacity to provide virtual training to a range of audiences and audience sizes, including, but not limited to, securing the necessary technical tools/platforms and ensuring staff or consultant subject matter expertise on adult learning, instructional design, and learning management systems best practices.

D. Training and technical assistance provided by FYSB grantees shall be victim-centered, trauma-informed, culturally relevant, linguistically appropriate, and age-appropriate, and shall be accessible to victims of domestic violence from diverse and underserved communities, including culturally specific (or racial/ethnic) communities; incarcerated and formerly incarcerated domestic violence victims; victims living with HIV/AIDS; trafficked victims; victims with disabilities; and other marginalized populations. Grantee shall identify population groups that are documented to have particular barriers in accessing services as survivors of domestic violence within the systems designed to meet the needs of children and youth exposed to violence and ensure that training and technical assistance is designed to address and ameliorate those barriers.

E. ESCYAP grantee shall conduct periodic needs assessments of the domestic violence field and related systems in order to identify unmet training and technical assistance needs, including the identification of unaddressed or under addressed topic areas and audiences.

Training and Technical Assistance Definitions

i. Trainings and presentations are pre-scheduled and provide in-depth information on a particular topic or topics; they can be in person, in a targeted geographic area, over the phone, or online.

ii. Technical assistance is specific, detailed guidance and can include phone calls or e-mails on a specific topic; provision of written materials; referrals; review and feedback/comments/advice on materials prepared by individuals or organizations; or on-site visits involving intensive assistance and an exchange of information and resources.

3. Research and Evaluation

A. ESCYAP grantee is expected to conduct or contribute to research on domestic violence prevention or intervention as related to children and youth exposed to domestic violence and the parenting efficacy of their non-abusing parent. ESCYAP grantee is expected to integrate the results of research into their training and technical assistance and other activities on an ongoing basis.

B. ESCYAP grantee shall review the scope of available research and national standards to identify gaps and key questions for future research opportunities or projects. Grantee shall discuss how they will assess the rigor of research identified, highlight its limitations, and call attention to future directions for research. Grantees shall discuss the state of the research, and the specific research and knowledge areas to which the cooperative agreement's research and knowledge development activities will contribute.

C. ESCYAP grantee shall build, assess, and promote evidence-informed and evidence-based approaches that improve responses and outcomes for domestic violence and dating violence victims and their children.

D. ESCYAP grantee must develop a plan for national distribution of research or findings that integrates their area of expertise and shares those findings with the domestic violence field as well as the general public.

E. ESCYAP grantee must have a plan to identify and assess training and technical assistance outputs and outcomes. The grantee must demonstrate its outcomes in achieving the project objectives, completing the activities proposed in their project plan, and documenting overall accomplishments. Outcome measures should include success in delivering national scope training and technical assistance that addresses the needs specific to issues and systems related to serving abused parents and their children as well as documenting changes in knowledge and skills as a result of training and technical assistance efforts. The grantee must have a plan to incorporate the results of evaluation activity to improve future training and technical assistance on an ongoing basis.

F. The grantee should evaluate the extent to which it supports the SSAPC grantees to meet their improved outcomes for abused parents and children and youth exposed to domestic violence. SSAPC program goals are, as follows:

1. Improve systems and responses to abused parents and their children and youth exposed to domestic violence;

2. Expand capacity to provide residential and non-residential services to children and youth exposed to domestic violence; and

3. Enhance evidence-informed services, strategies, advocacy and interventions for children and youth exposed to domestic violence.

4. Public Awareness and Communications A. ESCYAP grantee shall enhance public awareness of domestic violence through the development, coordination, and dissemination of campaigns, resources, and information related to intervention/prevention strategies, prevalence statistics, emerging issues, culturally specific populations, or special topics. Wherever appropriate, grantees shall include information on FYSB-funded domestic violence hotlines (The Hotline, Strong Hearts Native Hotline, Love is Respect) on materials.

https://www.thehotline.org/ https://strongheartshelpline.org/ https://strongheartshelpline.org/ https://www.loveisrespect.org/

B. ESCYAP grantee must have a plan for communicating and disseminating information, products, and materials with community-based domestic violence programs, state domestic violence coalitions, FVPSA state administrators, government agencies, tribes, tribal organizations, policymakers, culturally specific organizations, LGBTQ organizations, other entities involved in assisting community-based programs, victims of domestic violence, and the public.

C. ESCYAP grantee must gather and create resources to raise awareness and address a range of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence intervention and prevention issues, including promising practices, guidelines, and clearinghouse informational materials; and make this information available to the domestic violence field.

D. ESCYAP grantee shall distribute and develop comprehensive statistics, fact sheets, and specialized resources addressing a range of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence intervention and prevention issues, including emerging topics.

E. ESCYAP grantee must coordinate meetings, conferences, webinars, podcasts, radio shows, campaigns, etc. to share information, resources, and expertise based on the best format for relaying the message or information and reaching the target audience.

Domestic Violence Resource Network (DVRN) The ESCYAP grantee will be a part of FYSB’s Domestic Violence Resource Network (DVRN), a nationwide network composed of national resource centers, special issue resource centers, culturally specific special issue resource centers, and emerging issue capacity building centers focused on the intervention and prevention of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence. The DVRN will provide information, resources, training, and technical assistance to improve the capacity of individuals, organizations, governmental agencies, local communities, tribes, and tribal organizations, to prevent family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence, and to provide evidence-based and evidence-informed intervention services. DVRN members will work collaboratively to share their national expertise and deliver domestic violence and dating violence-related training and technical assistance; and while the FYSB resource center grantees are members of the DVRN, they will maintain independent governance of their own organizations, but will be required to share their expertise with other DVRN members, actively participate in the coordination of technical assistance, attend semi-annual DVRN meetings, and work collaboratively to develop resources, as needed. All DVRN resource centers are expected to conduct their activities in an accessible, linguistically appropriate, culturally responsive, and trauma informed manner and to proactively focus their activities to address racial inequities that exist for survivors of domestic violence, both within victim services and other systems related to the issue areas of the specific resource center. DVRN resource centers actively work to ensure access to services for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning (LGBTQ) and Two-Spirit survivors and their children, and to ensure that no person shall on the basis of actual or perceived gender identity or sexual orientation be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under, any program or activity funded in whole or in part through FVPSA, in accordance with FVPSA regulations at 45 CFR part 1370 (a) and (c).

The ESCYAP grantee must attend semi-annual DVRN meetings to learn about emerging and related issues and to strengthen the network of technical assistance providers which will be beneficial in implementing the project.

II. Federal Award Information Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement Estimated Total Funding: $1,700,000 Expected Number of Awards: 1 Award Ceiling: $1,700,000 Per Budget Period Award Floor: $500,000 Per Budget Period Average Projected Award Amount: $1,700,000 Per Budget Period Anticipated Project Start Date: 09/30/2021

Length of Project Periods:

Length of Project Period: 60-month project period with five 12-month budget periods

Additional Information on Awards:

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

Applications requesting an award amount that exceeds the Award Ceiling per budget period, or per project period, as stated in this section, will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement. This disqualification applies only to the Award Ceiling listed for the first 12-month budget period for projects with multiple budget periods. If the project and budget period are the same, the disqualification applies to the Award Ceiling listed for the project period. Please see Section III.3. Other, Application Disqualification Factors.

Note: For those programs that require matching or cost sharing, recipients will be held accountable for projected commitments of non-federal resources in their application budgets and budget justifications by budget period or by project period for fully funded awards, even if the projected commitment exceeds the required amount of match or cost share. A recipient's failure to provide the required matching amount may result in the disallowance of federal funds. See Section III.2. of this announcement for information on cost-sharing or matching requirements.

Awards, on a competitive basis, will be for a 1-year budget period, although projects may be for 5 years.

Applications for continuation grants funded under these awards beyond the 1-year period will be considered in subsequent years on a non-competitive basis, subject to the availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the grantee, review and approval of the project plan submitted in year 1, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the Federal Government.

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

Through the cooperative agreement, FYSB shall provide the following support:

Provide significant guidance and consultation to the primary grantee on program design, implementation, and evaluation throughout the project period to ensure the successful implementation of the project and to improve the outcomes of the program.

Review, provide feedback on, and approve the project scope, activities, and work plan for the project, as well as the structure and integrity of the resource center.

At its discretion, propose significant changes to project scope, activities, and work plans.

Review and approve final drafts of all updated or new materials, articles, major publications, and research reports that are developed or distributed with resources made available under this cooperative agreement.

Be involved in the development of long-term strategies for the implementation of the project and will participate in major project activities, such as advisory or other leadership committee meetings, conferences, topical meetings, or major project meetings.

As appropriate, make changes to the project plan in consultation with the grantee.

Keep grantees informed about ACF/FYSB priorities.

Organize periodic consultations, meetings, briefings, teleconferences, webinars, and other forums necessary to review current and planned activities, to share information, and to promote national coordination.

FYSB does not anticipate substantial involvement in the grantee’s creation of data collection activities, such as those related to needs assessments, evaluations, and requests for feedback, and grantees are not expected to submit such data collection instruments for program office review and approval. In cases where FYSB is directly involved in the creation of data collection activities under this FOA, data collection will be conducted consistent with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, (44 U.S.C.

3501-3521) and display a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

The respective responsibilities of FYSB and the successful applicants will be identified and incorporated into the terms and conditions of the award during the pre-award negotiations. It is anticipated that the cooperative agreement will not change the project requirements for the grantees under this announcement.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

To be eligible to receive this discretionary grant, an entity shall be a private, non-profit organization (including a faith-based, charitable, community-based, culturally specific, or voluntary association); a tribal organization; a state, tribal, or local government; a public, private, state-controlled institution of higher education; a for-profit organization other than small businesses; or a small business.

Entities shall focus primarily on domestic violence and have a documented history of successful work addressing domestic violence or children exposed to domestic violence. Entities must have the capacity to serve as a national resource provider. All applicants must have documented experience providing or demonstrated capacity to provide national-scope training and technical assistance to state and tribal domestic violence coalitions and local domestic violence service providers.

Faith-based organizations may apply for this award on the same basis as any other organization, as set forth at and, subject to the protections and requirements of this part and 42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq., the Department will not, in the selection of recipients, discriminate against an organization on the basis of the organization’s religious character, affiliation, or exercise.

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

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

See Section IV.2. Legal Status of Applicant Entity for documentation required to support eligibility.

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement: No

For all federal awards, any shared costs or matching funds and all contributions, including cash and third-party in-kind contributions, must be accepted as part of the recipient’s cost sharing or matching when such contributions meet all of the criteria listed in 45 CFR § 75.306.

For awards that require matching by statute, recipients will be held accountable for projected commitments of non-federal resources in their application budgets and budget justifications by budget period, or by project period for fully funded awards, even if the projected commitment exceeds the amount required by the statutory match. A recipient’s failure to provide the statutorily required matching amount may result in the disallowance of federal funds. Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

For awards that do not require matching or cost sharing by statute, where “cost sharing” refers to any situation in which the recipient voluntarily shares in the costs of a project other than as statutorily required matching, recipients will be held accountable for projected commitments of non-federal resources in their application budgets and budget justifications by budget period, or by project period for fully funded awards. These include situations in which contributions are voluntarily proposed by a recipient or subrecipient and are accepted by ACF.

Non-federal cost sharing will be included in the approved project budget so that the recipient will be held accountable for proposed non-federal cost-sharing funds as shown in the Notice of Award (NOA). A recipient’s failure to provide voluntary cost sharing of non-federal resources that have been accepted by ACF as part of the approved project costs and that have been shown as part of the approved project budget in the NOA, may result in the disallowance of federal funds. Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

III.3. Other

Application Disqualification Factors Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement.

Award Ceiling Disqualification Applications that request an award amount that exceeds the Award Ceiling per budget period or per project period ("per project period" refers only to fully funded awards), as stated in Section II. Federal Award Information, will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement. This disqualification applies only to the Award Ceiling listed for first 12-month budget period for projects with multiple budget periods. If the project and budget period are the same, the disqualification applies to the Award Ceiling listed for the project period.

Required Electronic Application Submission ACF requires electronic submission of applications at www.Grants.gov. Paper applications received from applicants that have not been approved for an exemption from required electronic submission will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement.

Applicants that do not have an Internet connection or sufficient computing capacity to upload large documents to the Internet may contact ACF for an exemption that will allow the applicant to submit applications in paper format. Information and the requirements for requesting an exemption from required electronic application submission are found in "ACF Policy for Requesting an Exemption from Electronic Application Submission" at www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/howto#chapter-6.

Missing the Application Deadline (Late Applications) The deadline for electronic application submission is 11:59 p.m., ET, on the due date listed in the Overview and in Section IV.4. Submission Dates and Times. Electronic applications submitted to www.Grants.gov after 11:59 p.m., ET, on the due date, as indicated by a dated and time-stamped email from www.Grants.gov, will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement. That is, applications submitted to www.Grants.gov, on or after 12:00 a.m., ET, on the day after the due date will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement.

Applications submitted to www.Grants.gov at any time during the open application period, and prior to the due date and time, which fail the www.Grants.gov validation check, will not be received at, or acknowledged by, ACF.

https://www.grants.gov https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/howto#chapter-6 https://www.Grants.gov https://www.Grants.gov https://www.Grants.gov https://www.Grants.gov

Each time an application is submitted via www.Grants.gov, the submission will generate a new date and time-stamp email notification. Only those applications with on-time date and time stamps that result in a validated application, which is transmitted to ACF, will be acknowledged.

The deadline for receipt of paper applications is 4:30 p.m., ET, on the due date listed in the Overview and in Section IV.4. Submission Dates and Times. Paper applications received after 4:30 p.m., ET, on the due date will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement. Paper applications received from applicants that have not received approval of an exemption from required electronic submission will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement.

Notification of Application Disqualification Applicants will be notified of a disqualification determination by email or by USPS postal mail within 30 federal business days from the closing date of this FOA.

IV. Application and Submission Information

IV.1. Address to Request Application Package

Family Youth and Services Bureau Operations Center c/o F2-Solutions FON HHS-2021-ACF-ACYF-EV-1942 Attention: Family Violence Prevention and Services Program Funding 1401 Mercantile Lane, Suite 410 Largo, MD 20774 Phone: (855) 792-6551 Email: techassist@fysb.net

Electronic Application Submission:

The electronic application submission package is available in the FOA's listing at www.Grants.gov.

Applications in Paper Format:

For applicants that have received an exemption to submit applications in paper format, Standard Forms,…