HHS-2021-ACF-OCS-ET-1959.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Office of Community Services

Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) CARES Act Rapid-Cycle Impact Projects

HHS-2021-ACF-OCS-ET-1959

Application Due Date: 07/26/2021

Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) CARES Act Rapid-Cycle Impact Projects

HHS-2021-ACF-OCS-ET-1959

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: Community Services Block Grant

(CSBG) CARES Act Rapid-Cycle Impact Projects

Announcement Type: Initial Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2021-ACF-OCS-ET-1959 Primary CFDA Number: 93.569 Due Date for Applications: 07/26/2021

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 Office of Community Services (OCS) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is issuing this FOA for grants for the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) CARES Act Rapid-Cycle Impact Projects (RCIP). This new FOA will support the CSBG CARES Act RCIP goal of adapting current service models to effectively respond to immediate community needs while also testing innovative community approaches and strategies developed to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the effects of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Grantees will be responsible for implementing community-based projects focused on priority areas identified by OCS.

As part of their RCIP award, grantees will be expected to incorporate a rapid-cycle learning, or continuous quality improvement, approach into the implementation of their project to strengthen the implementation and effectiveness of programs and service strategies. Grantees will receive support from OCS on all aspects of this rapid-cycle learning approach and assistance in implementing it in their projects.

Grantees will receive support from OCS on developing rapid-cycle learning plans for this purpose. Specifically, OCS will aid grantees on using their own, internal CSBG data for strengthening the implementation of their project efforts, identifying lessons learned, and identifying promising practices.

I. Program Description

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

This program is authorized by sections 674(b)(2)(A) and 678A of the CSBG Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. §§ 9903(b)(2)(A) and 9913) and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, 2020, Public Law 116-136.

Description

CSBG BACKGROUND

CSBG is a federal block grant program administered by the OCS. CSBG supports activities to alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty in communities. Funds support a range of individual, family, and community-level services and strategies to assist the needs of individuals and families with low incomes, including people who are homeless, migrants, and the elderly.

CSBG provides support to states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. Territories, federal and state-recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations, migrant and seasonal farmworkers, and other organizations designated by the states. OCS distributes the CSBG funds to states and local communities, working through a network of over 1,100 CSBG-eligible entities designated to receive funds, for the reduction of poverty, the revitalization of low-income communities, and the empowerment of low-income families and individuals in rural and urban areas to become fully self-sufficient.

CSBG SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING THROUGH THE CARES ACT

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, 2020, Public Law 116-136, was signed into law on March 27, 2020, providing $1 billion in additional funds to the CSBG program. The funds to states, territories, and tribes authorized under the CSBG Act are intended to address the consequences of increasing unemployment and economic disruption as a result of

COVID-19.

In the wake of the many COVID-19-related challenges communities across the country are facing, OCS intends for these grants to help rethink communities’ social services safety net and create lasting and adaptable change. To support high-quality projects that empower individuals and families to adapt to the new economic, social, and public health challenges resulting from COVID-19, grantees will be expected to incorporate a rapid-cycle learning approach into the implementation of their grant. These learning methods will help ensure that the new approaches grantees undertake are as robust and effective as possible.

CSBG CARES RAPID-CYCLE IMPACT GRANTS

The goal of CSBG CARES RCIP grants is to adapt current eligible entity service models to effectively respond to immediate community needs while also preparing for a future model that realigns local service based on those needs. Proposed projects should prevent, prepare for, and respond to the economic and social impacts of COVID-19. Grantees will be responsible for implementing community-based projects focused on priority areas to be specified by OCS.

This funding opportunity is designed to identify, support, and refine up to 20 regionally diverse projects. As part of their RCIP award, grantees will be expected to incorporate a rapid-cycle learning, or continuous quality improvement, approach into the implementation of their project to strengthen the implementation and effectiveness of programs and service strategies.

The innovative practice may be an expansion and refinement of a service, practice, or community-level initiative already being implemented with CSBG CARES Act funds in a community response to COVID-19; however, recipients need to ensure funds are tracked separately. OCS recognizes that innovative practices may address more than one of these priority areas. Applicants will be expected to identify a single priority area most directly relevant to their project. However, applicants may identify a secondary priority area if directly relevant to the proposed effort.

Grantees will implement projects that focus on the following priority areas:

Coordination with public health and emergency management officials to address urgent health and social outcomes for people with low-income;

o For example, efforts may include interagency/public health systems integration, collaborative needs assessments, including trauma-informed collaborative service planning and delivery.

Adapting service delivery to a physical distancing environment to promote safety and effectiveness;

o For example, efforts may include using technology for remote service delivery or to coordinate services, virtual outreach and delivery-based services, or assuring technology access to individuals with low incomes.

Strengthening individual and family adaptive capacities (including two-generation and intergenerational service models);

o For example, efforts may include innovations and integrated supports for families affected by changes in work arrangements, disrupted school and childcare

Making structural reforms at the community-level;

o For example, efforts may include community-level initiatives focused on improving community infrastructure, creating economic opportunities, and addressing social inequities in areas of concentrated poverty.

Identifying and training for high demand jobs in the post-COVID-19 economy o For example, efforts may include public/private partnerships and innovative job training and placement efforts focused on a variety of service sectors, including health care, “green jobs,” technology, etc.

The examples provided are a small sampling of the types of projects that could be funded. They do not represent the gamut of eligible projects that fall within the priority areas. Projects should be based on the specific needs, systems, and organizational partners available in each community. OCS encourages projects with innovative ideas that cater to specific community needs. OCS is particularly interested in projects that include new partnerships with sectors and industries not previously involved with the CSBG Network, as well as partnerships that promote systems integration and collaboration.

OCS will identify up to 20 regionally diverse projects focusing on one or more OCS priority areas to participate in a Rapid-Cycle Evaluation and Continuous Quality Improvement approach.

To support grantee efforts, OCS will provide access to trained experts in rapid-cycle learning and continuous quality improvement. OCS will also provide experts to aid with the collection of project data, modification of the project based on rapid-cycle learning approaches and methods, and the creation of publishable findings after the project has been completed.

RAPID CYCLE LEARNING MODELS

To accelerate the process of adapting services and strategies to address the impacts of COVID- 19 in communities, OCS plans to support grantees in using a rapid-cycle learning, or continuous quality improvement approach, and rapid-cycle learning methods. Rapid-cycle learning approaches aim to expedite program improvement and enhance program effectiveness. They use program performance and other related data in a quick turn-around, agile, and iterative way to guide program implementation and improvement with the goal of enhancing program impacts.

There are numerous approaches and strategies to help support rapid learning. All use data internally generated by the program (including performance measurement data), typically employing a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches.

Key to the success of any rapid learning approach is the ability to develop and/or identify the right measures and the right data. Ideally, both measures and data are already embedded in practitioners’ daily work. One approach to continuous quality improvement and rapid-cycle learning is the “Plan-Do-Study-Act” approach to help a program develop, revise, and fine-tune a solution to an identified problem as well as assess whether or not there has been some meaningful improvement in the identified problem. Rapid cycle learning models often benefit from technical expertise to define measures and review and analyze data.

Additional information on rapid-cycle learning can be obtained on the following weblink: https ://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/research/project/rapid-learning-methods-portfolio

RAPID-CYCLE IMPACT PROJECT PHASES

The CSBG CARES Rapid-Cycle Impact Project grants will be implemented through a multiphase process that includes a 15-month project implementation phase for accepted grant projects.

Projects that are accepted for grant funding will participate in a rapid-cycle testing process that will be implemented in consultation with trained experts in rapid-cycle learning and continuous quality improvement. The effort will be broken up into 3-month quarterly increments, as described in the following bullets.

Rapid-Cycle Plan Refinement (Months 1-3)

During this project phase, grantees will work with expert consultants on a “rapid-cycle learning plan” that includes refining project goals, intended outcomes, and measures. A key element of work during this phase will be to ensure that the elements of the service or strategy to be assessed are clearly defined and that proposed measures of impact are practical and easily measured. While 3 months are reserved for this effort, grantees may begin implementation of the rapid-cycle learning plan as soon as it has been completed and agreed-upon.

Quarterly Review and Refinement (Months 4-12)

In 3-month increments, grantees will schedule a quarterly review and consultation with OCS-sponsored rapid-cycle learning consultants. During these reviews, grantees will review progress, consider any potential refinements to the service or practice based on available data, and consider any potential updates to project goals or measures.

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/research/project/rapid-learning-methods-portfolio https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/research/project/rapid-learning-methods-portfolio

Final Impact Assessment and Sustainability Planning (Months 13-15)

In the final 3 months of the grant project, grantees will work with expert consultants in assessing the success of the project in achieving its rapid-learning goals, any lessons learned, and recommendations regarding areas for sustaining successful practices in the community and how the practices may be expanded within the community or disseminated for replication in other communities.

CSBG RESPONSE TO COVID-19

The CSBG and its network of states, tribes, and eligible entities are playing a critical role in responding to needs of low-income people during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

CSBG-eligible entities play a critical role in providing a wide array of services to low-income individuals and families in communities. This effort has required rapid adaptation of service delivery approaches in close partnership with public health and emergency management officials within communities. Because the public health response to COVID-19 requires physical and social distancing, an effective immediate response to COVID-19 has required new ways of organizing and delivering services.

If, during the project period, OCS and/or grantees are required to adjust program and/or grantee requirements due to COVID-19 or another nationally declared emergency, OCS will exercise maximum flexibilities as needed. Requirements may be conducted virtually, or timelines modified in consultation with OCS.

IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERSHIPS

OCS encourages project collaboration and partnerships that will help ensure successful project implementation. These partnerships will promote programmatic and system integration and/or service-delivery coordination. OCS considers these partnerships an essential component to responding to the immediate community needs during the COVID-19 public health emergency, as well as creating long-term community change.

For purposes of this FOA, bonus points will be awarded to projects that utilize or establish partnerships to adapt current service models to effectively respond to immediate community needs while also testing innovative community approaches and strategies developed to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the effects of the COVID-19 public health emergency. In an effort to promote service and system integration, OCS will award up to five bonus points to projects that demonstrate partnerships that strengthen the likelihood of successful project implementation.

SUBAWARDS

Recipients under this grant program may opt to transfer a portion of substantive programmatic work to other organizations through subaward(s). The prime recipient must maintain a substantive role in the project. ACF defines a substantive role as conducting activities and/or providing services funded under the award that are necessary and integral to the completion of the project. Subrecipient monitoring activities alone as specified in 45 CFR § 75.352, do not constitute a substantive role. Furthermore, ACF does not fund awards where the role of the applicant is primarily to serve as a conduit for passing funds to other organizations unless that arrangement is authorized by statute.

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

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

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

PRE-APPLICATION WEBINAR

OCS will post a pre-recorded, pre-application webinar, which will be accessible on June 24, 2021 at 3 p.m. EST. The webinar can be accessed via the webpage: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs /fy-2021-csbg-rcip-foa. The goal of the webinar will be to provide applicants with a brief orientation to rapid-cycle learning and OCS CARES Act Technical Assistance Priorities. Only the information provided in this FOA will be presented.

IDENTIFICATION OF FEDERAL SUPPORT

NOTE: Identification of Federal Support – whenever T/TA projects are either entirely or partially supported by CSBG funds, the CSBG T/TA provider (grantee) must clearly identify the associated activities, services, or resources as part of the CSBG National T/TA Strategy.

Furthermore, the grantee must include a certification statement, as follows:

"This [project/publication/program/website, etc.] [is/was] supported by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the United State (U.S.) Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance aware totaling $XX with 100 percent funded by ACF/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ACF/HHS or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit the ACF website, Administrative and National Policy Requirements.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

For the purpose of this announcement, the following definitions apply:

CSBG Eligible-Entities – Non-profit or public agencies that meet the requirements of section 673(1)(A) and 676B of the CSBG Act, (42 U.S.C. § 9902 (1)(A)). They provide various assistance with the goals of reducing poverty and enabling low-income families to become economically self-sufficient. A CSBG-eligible entity may or may not also be designated as a Community Action Agency (CAA).

Rapid-cycle Learning Approaches – Rapid-cycle learning methods use as close to real-time data as possible to assess changes that are intended to improve program implementation or effectiveness. These methods, which include both quantitative and qualitative techniques and data, focus on gathering and analyzing information more quickly and iteratively than traditional approaches to learning and evaluation. As a result, rapid-cycle learning methods can provide timely information stakeholders can use for making decisions about a program’s implementation and encourage continuous improvement within programs.

State CSBG Lead Agency – The agency designated by the Governor or Chief Executive Officer of a state to submit the state's official CSBG plan, monitor the activities of eligible entities, and ensure compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements for the CSBG.

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#chapter-15 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/fy-2021-csbg-rcip-foa https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/fy-2021-csbg-rcip-foa https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#chapter-8

Training – An educational activity or event that is designed to impart knowledge and understanding or increase the development of skills. Such training activities may be in the form of assembled events such as workshops, seminars, conferences, or programs of self-instructional activities.

Technical Assistance (TA) – An activity, generally using the services of an expert (often a peer), aimed at enhancing capacity, improving programs and systems, or solving specific problems. Such services may be provided proactively to improve systems or as an intervention to solve specific problems.

II. Federal Award Information Funding Instrument Type: Grant Estimated Total Funding: $3,850,000 Expected Number of Awards: 20 Award Ceiling: $250,000 Per Budget Period Award Floor: $150,000 Per Budget Period Average Projected Award Amount: $192,000 Per Budget Period Anticipated Project Start Date: 10/01/2021

Length of Project Periods:

Length of Project Period: Other 15 Month Project period and budget period.

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.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

As prescribed by section 678A(c)(2) of the CSBG Act (42 U.S.C. § 9913(c)(2)), eligible applicants are CSBG-eligible entities, or statewide or local organizations or associations, with demonstrated expertise in providing training to individuals and organizations on methods of effectively addressing the needs of low-income families and communities.

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.

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

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.

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

Charisse Johnson Administration for Children and Families OCS c/o LCG Operations 6000 Executive Blvd.

#400 Rockville, MD 20774 Phone: 1-888-203-6161 Email: OCS_TA@grantreview.org

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, assurances, and certifications are available in the "Select Grant Opportunity Package" available in the FOA's Grants.gov Synopsis under the Package tab at www.Grants.gov. See Section IV.2. Request an Exemption from Required Electronic Application Submission if applicants do not have an Internet connection or sufficient computing capacity to upload large https://www.Grants.gov https://www.Grants.gov https://www.Grants.gov mailto:OCS_TA@grantreview.org documents (files) to www.Grants.gov.

Federal Relay Service:

Hearing-impaired and speech-impaired callers may contact the Federal Relay Service (FedRelay) for assistance at www.gsa.gov/fedrelay.

IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

FORMATTING APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS

Each applicant applying electronically via www.Grants.gov is required to upload only two electronic files, excluding Standard Forms and OMB-approved forms. No more than two files will be accepted for the review, and additional files will be removed. Standard Forms and OMB-approved forms will not be considered additional files.

FOR ALL APPLICATIONS:

Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) AOR is the designated representative of the applicant/recipient organization with authority to act on the organization’s behalf in matters related to the award and administration of grants. In signing a grant application, this individual agrees that the organization will assume the obligations imposed by applicable Federal statutes and regulations and other terms and conditions of the award, including any assurances, if a grant is awarded.

Point of Contact In addition to the AOR, a point of contact on matters involving the application must also be identified. The point of contact, known as the Project Director or Principal Investigator, should not be identical to the person identified as the AOR. The point of contact must be available to answer any questions pertaining to the application.

Application Checklist Applicants may refer to Section VIII. Other Information for a checklist of application requirements that may be used in developing and organizing application materials.

Accepted Font Style Applications must be in Times New Roman (TNR), 12-point font, except for footnotes, which may be TNR 10-point font. Pages that contain blurred text, or text that is too small to read comfortably, will be removed.

English Language Applications must be submitted in the English language and must be in the terms of United States (U.S.) dollars. If applications are submitted using another currency, ACF will convert the foreign currency to U.S. currency using the date of receipt of the application to determine the rate of exchange.

Page Limitations Applicants must observe the page limitation(s) listed under "PAGE LIMITATIONS AND https://www.grants.gov http://www.gsa.gov/fedrelay https://www.grants.gov/

CONTENT FOR ALL SUBMISSION FORMATS:". Page limitation(s) do not include SFs and OMB-approved forms.

All applications must be double-spaced. An application that exceeds the cited page limitation for double-spaced pages in the Project Description file or the Appendices file will have extra pages removed and those pages will not be reviewed.

Application Elements Exempted from Double-Spacing Requirements The following elements of the application submission are exempt from the double-spacing requirements and may be single-spaced: the table of contents, the one-page Project Summary, required Assurances and Certifications, required SFs, required OMB-approved forms, resumes, logic models, proof of legal status/non-profit status, third-party agreements, letters of support, footnotes, tables, the line-item budget and/or the budget justification.

Adherence to FOA Formatting, Font, and Page Limitation Requirements Applications that fail to adhere to ACF’s FOA formatting, font, and page limitation requirements will be adjusted by the removal of page(s) from the application. Pages will be removed before the objective review. The removed page(s) will not be made available to reviewers.

Applications that have more than one scanned page of a document on a single page will have the page(s) removed from the review.

For applicants that submit paper applications, double-sided pages will be counted as two pages.

When the maximum allowed number of pages is reached, excess pages will be removed and will not be made available to reviewers.

NOTE: Applicants failing to adhere to ACF’s FOA formatting, font, and page limitation requirements will receive a letter from ACF notifying them that their application was amended.

The letter will be sent after awards have been issued and will specify the reason(s) for removal of page(s).

Corrections/Updates to Submitted Applications When applicants make revisions to a previously submitted application, ACF will accept only the last on-time application for pre-review under the Application Disqualification Factors. The Application Disqualification Factors determine the application's acceptance for competitive review. See Section III.3. Application Disqualification Factors and Section IV.2. Application Submission Options.

Copies Required Applicants must submit one complete copy of the application package electronically. Applicants submitting electronic applications need not provide additional copies of their application package.

Applicants submitting applications in paper format must submit one original and two copies of the complete application, including all Standard Forms and OMB-approved forms. The original copy must have original signatures.

Signatures Applicants submitting electronic applications must follow the registration and application submission instructions provided at www.Grants.gov.

The original of a paper format application must include original signatures of the authorized representatives.

Accepted Application Format With the exception of the required Standard Forms (SFs) and OMB-approved forms, all application materials must be formatted so that they are 8 ½" x 11" white paper with 1-inch margins all around.

If possible, applicants are encouraged to include page numbers for each page within the application.

ACF generally does not encourage submission of scanned documents as they tend to have reduced clarity and readability. If documents must be scanned, the font size on any scanned documents must be large enough so that it is readable. Documents must be scanned page-for-page, meaning that applicants may not scan more than one page of a document onto a single page. Pages with blurred text will be removed from the application.

PAGE LIMITATIONS AND CONTENT FOR ALL SUBMISSION FORMATS:

The combined page limitation for the Project Description and the Appendices must not exceed 150 pages.

The Project Description must include the following items in the Table of Contents. All items must be labeled, numbered, and organized clearly in the Table of Contents.

Table of Contents Project Summary Geographic Location Need For Assistance Objectives Expected Outcomes Approach Project Timeline and Milestones Logic Model Project Budget and Budget Justification Bonus Points- Partnerships

The Appendices must include the following in the Table of Contents. All items must be labeled, numbered, and organized clearly in the Table of Contents.

Table of Contents

Organizational Capacity Proof of Legal Status of Entity/Proof of Non-Profit Status Plan for Oversight of Federal Award Funds Third-party Agreements Letters of Support Other Supporting Documentation

ELECTRONIC APPLICATION SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Applicants are required to submit their applications electronically unless they have requested and received an exemption that will allow submission in paper format. See Section IV.2.

Application Submission Options for information about requesting an exemption.

Electronic applications will only be accepted via www.Grants.gov. ACF will not accept applications submitted via email or via facsimile.

Each applicant is required to upload ONLY two electronic files, excluding SFs and OMB-approved forms.

File One: Must contain the entire Project Description, and the Budget and Budget Justification (including a line-item budget and a budget narrative).

File Two: Must contain all documents required in the Appendices.

Adherence to the Two-File Requirement No more than two files will be accepted for the review. Applications with additional files will be amended and files will be removed from the review. SFs and OMB-approved forms will not be considered additional files.

Application Upload Requirements ACF strongly recommends that electronic applications be uploaded as Portable Document Files (PDFs). One file must contain the entire Project Description and Budget Justification; the other file must contain all documents required in the Appendices. Details on the content of each of the two files, as well as page limitations, are listed earlier in this section.

To adhere to the two-file requirement, applicants may need to convert and/or merge documents together using a PDF converter software. Many recent versions of Microsoft Office include the ability to save documents to the PDF format without need of additional software. Applicants using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software will be able to merge these documents together. ACF recommends merging documents electronically rather than scanning multiple documents into one document manually, as scanned documents may have reduced clarity and readability.

Applicants must ensure that the version of Adobe Acrobat Reader they are using is compatible with Grants.gov. To verify Adobe software compatibility please go to Grants.gov and click on “Applicants” at the top bar menu and select “Adobe Software Compatibility", which is listed under "Applicant Resources." The Adobe verification process allows applicants to test their version of the software by opening a test Workspace PDF form. Grants.gov also includes guidance on how to download a supported version of Adobe, as well as troubleshooting instructions for use, if an applicant is unable to open the test form.

The Adobe Software Compatibility page located on Grants.gov also provides guidance for applicants on filling out a Workspace PDF form. In addition, it addresses local network and/or computer security settings and the impact this has on use of Adobe software.

Required Standard Forms (SFs) and OMB-approved Forms Standard Forms (SFs) and OMB-approved forms, such as the SF-424 application and budget forms and the SF-P/PSL (Project/Performance Site Location), are uploaded separately at Grants.gov. These forms are submitted separately from the Project Description and Appendices files. See Section IV.2. Required Forms, Assurances, and Certifications for the listing of required Standard Forms, OMB-approved forms, and required assurances and certifications.

Naming Application Submission Files Carefully observe the file naming conventions required by www.Grants.gov. Limit file names to 50 characters (characters and spaces). Special characters that are allowed under Grants.gov’s naming conventions, and are accommodated by ACF’s systems, are listed in the instructions available in the "Select Grant Opportunity Package" at Grants.gov. Please also see https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/submitting-utf-8-special-characters.html.

Use only file formats supported by ACF It is critical that applicants submit applications using only the supported file formats listed here.

While ACF supports all of the following file formats, we strongly recommend that the two application submission files (Project Description and Appendices) are uploaded as PDF documents in order to comply with the two file upload limitation. Documents in file formats that are not supported by ACF will be removed from the application and will not be used in the competitive review. This may make the application incomplete and ACF will not make any awards based on an incomplete application.

ACF supports the following file formats:

Adobe PDF – Portable Document Format (.pdf) Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) Microsoft Excel (.xls or .xlsx) Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt) Image Formats (.JPG, .GIF, .TIFF, or .BMP only)

Do Not Encrypt or Password-Protect the Electronic Application Files If ACF cannot access submitted electronic files because they are encrypted or password protected, the affected file will be removed from the application and will not be reviewed. This removal may make the application incomplete and ACF will not make awards based on an incomplete application.

FORMATTING FOR PAPER APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/submitting-utf-8-special-characters.html

The following requirements are only applicable to applications submitted in paper format.

Applicants must receive an exemption from ACF in order for a paper format application to be accepted for review. For more information on the exemption, see "ACF Policy on Requesting an Exemption from Required Electronic Application Submission'" at www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/ howto#chapter-6

Format Requirements for Paper Applications All copies of mailed or hand-delivered paper applications must be submitted in a single package. If an applicant is submitting multiple applications under a single FOA, or multiple applications under separate FOAs, each application submission must be packaged separately.

The package(s) must be clearly labeled for the specific FOA it addresses by FOA title and by Funding Opportunity Number (FON).

Applicants using paper format should download the application forms package associated with the FOA's Synopsis on www.Grants.gov under the Package tab.

Because each application will be duplicated, do not use or include separate covers, binders, clips, tabs, plastic inserts, maps, brochures, or any other items that cannot be processed easily on a photocopy machine with an automatic feed. Do not bind, clip, staple, or fasten in any way separate sections of the application. Applicants are advised that the copies of the application submitted, not the original, will be reproduced by the federal government for review. All application materials must be one-sided for duplication purposes. All pages in the application submission must be sequentially numbered.

Addresses for Submission of Paper Applications See Section IV.7. Other Submission Requirements for addresses for paper format application submissions.

Required Forms, Assurances, and Certifications

Applicants seeking grant or cooperative agreement awards under this announcement must submit the listed Standard Forms (SFs), assurances, and certifications with the application. All required Standard Forms, assurances, and certifications are available in the Application Package posted for this FOA at www.Grants.gov.

Forms / Assurances / Certifications

Submission Requirement Notes / Description

SF-424 Key Contact Form

Submission is required for all applicants by the application due date.

Required for all applications.

SF-LLL - Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

If submission of this form is applicable, it is due at the time of application. If it is

If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/howto#chapter-6 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/howto#chapter-6 https://www.grants.gov not available at the time of application, it may also be submitted prior to the award of a grant.

employee of any agency, a member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of Congress in connection with this commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan, the applicant shall complete and submit the SF-LLL, "Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying," in accordance with its instructions.

Unique Entity Identifier

(DUNS)

and Systems for Award Management (SAM) registration.

Required of all applicants. To obtain a DUNS number, go to http://fedgov.dnb.com/ webform.

Active registration at the SAM website must be maintained throughout the application and project award period.

SAM registration is available at http://www.sam.gov.

See Section IV.3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) for more information.

SF-424 -

Application for Federal Assistance

Submission is required for all applicants by the application due date.

Required for all applications.

SF-424A - Budget Information - Non- Construction Programs and SF- 424B - Assurances - Non- Construction Programs

Submission is required for all applicants when applying for a non-construction project.

Standard Forms must be used.

Forms must be submitted by the application due date.

By signing and submitting the SF-424B, applicants are making the appropriate certification of their compliance with all federal statutes relating to nondiscrimination.

Required for all applications when applying for a non-construction project.

Certification Regarding Lobbying

Submission required of all applicants with the

Submission of the certification is required for all applicants.

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform https://www.sam.gov

(Grants.gov Lobbying Form) application package. If it is not submitted with the application package, it must be submitted prior to the award of a grant.

SF-

Project/Performance Site Location(s)

(SF-P/PSL)

Submission is required for all applicants by the application due date.

Required for all applications. In the SF- P/PSL, applicants must cite their primary location and up to 29 additional performance sites.

Mandatory Grant Disclosure All applicants and recipients are required to submit, in writing, to the awarding agency and to the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG), all information related to violations of federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the federal award. (Mandatory Disclosures, 45 CFR § 75.113)

Disclosures must be sent in writing to:

The Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Grants Management, ATTN: Grants Management Specialist, 330 C Street, SW., Switzer Building, Corridor 3200, Washington, DC 20201

And to:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, ATTN:

Mandatory Grant Disclosures, Intake Coordinator, 330 Independence Avenue, SW., Cohen Building, Room 5527, Washington, DC 20201

Fax: (202) 205-0604 (Include “Mandatory Grant Disclosures” in subject line) or Email: MandatoryGranteeDisclosures@oig.hhs.gov

Non-Federal Reviewers Since ACF will be using non-federal reviewers in the review process, applicants have the option of omitting from the application copies (not the original) specific salary rates or amounts for individuals specified in the application budget as well as Social Security Numbers, if otherwise required for individuals. The copies may include summary salary information. If applicants are submitting their application electronically, ACF will omit the same specific salary rate information from copies made for use during the review and selection process.

The Project Description mailto:MandatoryGranteeDisclosures@oig.hhs.gov mailto:anteeDisclosures@oig.hhs.gov mailto:anteeDisclosures@oig.hhs.gov mailto:anteeDisclosures@oig.hhs.gov

The Project Description Overview

General Expectations and Instructions The Project Description provides the majority of information by which an application is evaluated and ranked in competition with other applications for financial assistance. It must address all activities for which federal funds are being requested and all application requirements as stated in this section. The Project Description must explain how the project will meet the purpose of the FOA, as described in Section I. Program Description. As a reminder, reviewers will be evaluating this section in accordance with Section V.1. Criteria.

The Project Description must be clear, concise, and complete. ACF is particularly interested in Project Descriptions that convey strategies for achieving intended performance. Project Descriptions are evaluated on the basis of substance and measurable outcomes, not length.

Cross-referencing should be used rather than repetition. Supporting documents designated as required must be included in the Appendix of the FOA.

Table of Contents

List the contents of the application including corresponding page numbers. The table of contents may be single spaced.

Project Summary

Provide a summary of the application project description. It must be clear, accurate, concise, and without cross-references to other parts of the application. The summary must include a brief description of the proposed grant project including the needs to be addressed, the proposed services, and the population group(s) to be served.

Please place the following at the top of the Project Summary:

Project Title Applicant Name Address Contact Phone Numbers (Voice, Fax, Cell) Email Address…