HHS-2021-ACF-OPRE-PE-1944.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation

Family Self-Sufficiency Demonstration Development Grants

HHS-2021-ACF-OPRE-PE-1944

Application Due Date: 07/02/2021

Family Self-Sufficiency Demonstration Development Grants

HHS-2021-ACF-OPRE-PE-1944

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 Self-Sufficiency Demonstration

Development Grants Announcement Type: Initial Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2021-ACF-OPRE-PE-1944 Primary CFDA Number: 93.595 Due Date for Letter of Intent: 06/02/2021 Due Date for Applications: 07/02/2021

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 Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announces the availability of funds for the Family Self- Sufficiency Demonstration Development Projects to support planning for and execution of evaluation-related activities by eligible entities that serve low-income families with children.

These cooperative agreements are intended for entities looking to strengthen and evaluate coordinated, client-centered approaches to improving family self-sufficiency. Participating organizations will not only contribute to the evidence base on interventions serving low-income families with children but also increase their capacity to conduct research and evaluation, use data to improve program outcomes, and demonstrate the value of their program to stakeholders.

OPRE seeks grantees who aim to develop and assess multi-faceted approaches to improve family self-sufficiency and well-being and who are part of the network of services available to families eligible for or at risk of becoming eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Interventions should target outcomes related to employment (e.g., removing barriers to employment, increased earnings, career advancement) and at least one other outcome related to family well-being, such as education, health, food security, financial security, or social capital. The goal of this funding is to help grantees advance toward developing comprehensive, evidence-informed interventions that improve client outcomes. Funds may not be used for program services (i.e., cash assistance, support services, etc.). Grantees should, at minimum, have conceptualized an intervention to improve self-sufficiency among low-income families, including TANF eligible families, and have an interest in ultimately evaluating that intervention. Grantees will work with a federally funded, third-party evaluation technical assistance (TA) provider who will provide tailored support to recipients to further develop and move toward evaluating their interventions. For example, grantees who are in the early stages of http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/howto designing an intervention may receive support to create a program logic model, while grantees who have already implemented an intervention may receive support to design and execute a pilot evaluation. These 24-month cooperative agreements, with two 12-month budget periods, can fund program design, evaluation planning, and small-scale studies to assess demonstrations’ implementation or effectiveness.

I. Program Description

Statutory Authority Title IV, part A, Section 413 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §613

Description A. Background The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) established the TANF program to replace the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program. The four statutory purposes of TANF are to:

1. Provide assistance to needy families so that children can be cared for in their own homes;

2. End the dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage;

3. Prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies; and

4. Encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.

States, tribes, and U.S. territories receive federal TANF funding in the form of a block grant, which provides broad flexibility in the design and implementation of TANF programs. Federal TANF funds and the required state match (known at the “maintenance of effort” funds) can be spent on any activity reasonably calculated to achieve one or more of the above-referenced purposes of TANF. TANF eligibility varies by state/tribe/territory and is determined based on income and other household characteristics. More information about the TANF program can be found at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/programs/temporary-assistance-needy-families-tanf.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) administers the TANF program and supports efforts by eligible entities to create client-centered, coordinated approaches to more efficiently and effectively serve low-income individuals and families, including TANF-eligible families. ACF aims to identify service providers building responsive service delivery approaches that are tailored to participants' varied needs as part of the network of services available to families eligible for or at risk of becoming eligible for TANF. ACF is interested in coordinated approaches designed to improve outcomes related to employment and one or more additional outcome related to family well-being such as education, health, food security, financial security, or social capital. Through research and evaluation, ACF and its partners can learn how to make TANF and related services as effective as possible. It is ACF’s policy to integrate both use of existing evidence and opportunities for further learning into activities. ACF supports an approach to ensure that resources are directed toward practices with the strongest evidence while still fostering innovation. In this FOA, ACF aims to invest in programs offering promising models and https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/programs/temporary-assistance-needy-families-tanf approaches. This FOA targets program initiatives in the early stages of development (e.g., organizations with an idea for an intervention that has not been implemented) and those that are closer to being ready for full-scale evaluation (e.g., organizations with a program that has been implemented but the program or program components have not yet been part of a rigorous evaluation).

Where an evidence base is lacking, ACF is committed to building evidence through strong evaluations. OPRE studies ACF programs and the populations they serve through rigorous research and evaluation projects. OPRE also has a long history of supporting efforts to build research and evaluation capacity among state and local human services agencies through the provision of evaluation TA. For example, ACF and its contractor developed the Learn, Innovate, Improve (LI2) framework (https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/learn-innovate-impro ve-li2-enhancing-programs-and-improving-lives). LI2 is a research-informed approach to program improvement that embeds analytic methods in the design and implementation of an initiative and incorporates iterative testing of program changes. These and other related efforts aim to support TANF and other human services agencies in becoming better users and producers of high-quality research in order to improve programs for low-income individuals and families.

The Family Self-Sufficiency Demonstration Development Grants will complement prior evaluation TA efforts to support continued improvement of services to low-income families through evidence generation. Under this FOA, ACF seeks to identify eligible entities implementing multi-faceted approaches to support family economic self-sufficiency and well-being that are interested in enhancing their organization’s research and evaluation capacity. This FOA seeks potential applicants that collaborate with one or more state or local social services agencies that administer or coordinate with TANF-funded services.

B. Purpose and Scope The purpose of this FOA is to support grantees in planning and conducting research and evaluation activities related to interventions that support low-income families with children, including TANF-eligible families, on the path to self-sufficiency. Thoughtful planning and preparation is a critical first step for engaging in any meaningful evaluation activities. ACF recognizes that interested applicants to this FOA may be in various phases of readiness for participation in rigorous evaluation; however, interested applicants at any phase are encouraged to apply. For example, an interested applicant may be in the early stages of designing an intervention, while another interested applicant may have implemented an intervention but not evaluated all or part of it. ACF is particularly interested in organizations whose programs or program components have not undergone a large-scale, rigorous evaluation and would benefit from assistance in taking preliminary steps toward being able to engage in evaluation-related activities.

Through this FOA, ACF seeks to work with organizations implementing approaches to better serve low-income families with children, especially those implementing coordinated, client-centered approaches to improve family economic self-sufficiency as part of the network of services available to families eligible for or at risk of becoming eligible for TANF. Consistent with the statutory purposes of TANF, interventions should primarily target outcomes related to employment (or removing barriers to employment) and at least one other outcome related to family well-being such as education, health, food security, financial security, social capital, or https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/learn-innovate-improve-li2-enhancing-programs-and-improving-lives https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/learn-innovate-improve-li2-enhancing-programs-and-improving-lives other relevant domains. Interventions that rely on coordination across multiple programs, agencies, or funding sources are of particular interest.

Examples of the types of interventions that are of interest to ACF include, but are not limited to, the following:

Career pathways programs;

Employment coaching programs with a focus on social capital development;

Programs that use a two-generation approach to support employment and child development;

Integrated case management programs;

Programs that incorporate behavioral nudges to increase client engagement;

Programs that address barriers to employment, such as mental health or homelessness;

and Centralization of multiple service programs or agencies in one location.

Grantees funded under this FOA will be required to work closely with ACF and its third-party evaluation TA provider to use evidence-informed approaches to strengthen their intervention and conduct initial activities necessary to prepare for testing the effectiveness of the intervention and/or conducting an implementation evaluation. Examples of such activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Creating a program logic model or theory of change;

Writing program objectives in measurable terms;

Identifying potential data sources, understanding and interpreting data, and assessing and improving data quality;

Developing an evaluation plan; and/or Conducting pilot or other small-scale studies.

ACF and the evaluation TA provider will meet the grantee where they are in terms of experience with these activities and the program’s readiness for participation in evaluation activities. No prior knowledge or expertise in research and evaluation is required. The intent is that grantee staff participating in this work will gain new skills to become better users and producers of high-quality research.

Grantees do not need to conduct full-scale, independent evaluations separate from the work with the evaluation TA provider, and these grant funds are not intended for this purpose. Consistent with the purpose of this FOA, grant funds must be used to support planning for and execution of evaluation-related activities and may not be used for program services (e.g., cash assistance, support services, etc.). Grant funds may be used to support staff salaries for the percentage of their time that they are working on activities related to the purpose of this FOA but not for time spent on providing services to clients.

This cooperative agreement is a unique opportunity for organizations to increase their capacity to conduct research and evaluation, use data to improve program outcomes, and demonstrate the value of their program to stakeholders and funders. Participating organizations will contribute to the evidence base on interventions serving low-income families with children. ACF expects that some projects funded under this FOA could lead to future, large-scale evaluations of family self-sufficiency interventions.

C. Project Requirements Working with TA Provider. Grantees must fully participate in TA and evaluation activities in close partnership with ACF and its third-party TA provider. Specific activities will vary depending on the grantee’s needs, but expert consultation and TA will be provided at every step in the process. Grantees must be engaged and responsive to communications from ACF and the TA provider. To that end, grantees will be expected to name a primary point of contact for the TA provider; identifying additional key staff may be appropriate, depending on the size of the grantee’s organization and program. The primary point of contact must have the support of their organization’s leadership to participate in this funding opportunity. Grantees must actively participate in onsite TA visits from ACF and the TA provider as needed (up to two per year and to be held virtually, if necessary). This includes working with ACF and the TA providers to coordinate logistics and an agenda, as requested, and arrange for participation by necessary grantee staff. If relevant to their activities under the grant, grantees must be willing and able to share data with the TA provider. Grantees will be expected to review and provide feedback on written dissemination materials that the TA provider prepares about their work.

Annual Meeting and Quarterly Calls. At least one key staff from each grantee must plan to participate in the Family Self-Sufficiency Demonstration Development Annual Grantee Meetings. It is expected that one in-person meeting will be held per year in Washington, DC, for approximately 1 ½ days. If in-person meetings are not possible, the meetings will be held virtually. Only one key staff per grantee is required to attend, but applicants may budget for additional key project staff to attend, if desired. Given the anticipated diversity in grantee organizations' structure and staff roles, key staff is not explicitly defined in this FOA. However, key staff designated to attend grantee meetings must be substantively involved in the grant project and have sufficient authority to speak on behalf of the grantee organization as it relates to this project. Key staff should be identified in the grant application and changes should be approved by OPRE. Grantees are encouraged to send two key staff to grantee meetings if appropriate and resources allow. The purpose of these meetings is to facilitate connections and share information and cross-site learning among grantees, ACF, and the TA provider. One or more key staff per grantee must also participate in quarterly calls with ACF and the evaluation TA provider. These calls will provide the opportunity for grantees to communicate the progress of their work, identify any issues or challenges, and receive feedback and TA as needed.

A description of ACF's anticipated substantial involvement under the cooperative agreement award can be found in Section II. Federal Award Information.

II. Federal Award Information Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement Estimated Total Funding: $4,000,000 Expected Number of Awards: 20 Award Ceiling: $200,000 Per Budget Period Award Floor: $150,000 Per Budget Period Average Projected Award Amount: $175,000 Per Budget Period Anticipated Project Start Date: 09/30/2021

Length of Project Periods:

Length of Project Period: 24-month project period with two 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.

Initial awards will be made for the first 12-month budget period. Non-competing continuation awards for the second 12-month budget period will be subject to the availability of funds, satisfactory progress by the grantee, and a determination that continued funding would be in the interest of the federal government. ACF will determine satisfactory progress for continuation of the federal award by assessing the recipient's semi-annual Performance Progress Report.

During the first budget period, applicants will receive instructions on how to submit non-competing continuation applications to request funds for the second budget period.

The 24-month project period must be noted in Item 17 on the Standard Form (SF) 424, the project narrative, and the annual budgets and budget narrative.

Indirect Costs: Indirect costs are included in the Award Ceiling and are taken into consideration under the Award Ceiling disqualification factor.

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

Grants awarded under this FOA will be funded in the form of cooperative agreements. A cooperative agreement is federal assistance in which substantial federal involvement in project activities is anticipated. By choosing to participate in this cooperative agreement, the grantees agree to participate in a partnership composed of key staff from the grantees, key federal staff with interest in this project, ACF’s third-party TA provider, and any other parties identified as relevant by the grantees and ACF. Under the cooperative agreement, substantial federal involvement is anticipated throughout the duration of the funded project.

1. OPRE will work closely with the grantees and the third-party evaluation technical assistance provider to ensure that the grantees' needs are being met appropriately and progress is being made toward project goals.

2. OPRE will convene and participate in the Family Self-Sufficiency Demonstration Development Annual Grantee meeting each year.

3. OPRE will convene and participate in quarterly conference calls with grantees to provide any necessary TA and to remain informed about project activities and progress.

4. OPRE will organize additional consultations, meetings, briefings, teleconferences, and other forums, as necessary, with grantees to review current and planned activities and to share information among grantees and with other stakeholders.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

Eligibility under this FOA is defined under section 413 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C.

§613. The statutory authority for this funding opportunity does not limit eligible entities to receive this funding.

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 https://www.grants.gov 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.

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 Self-Sufficiency Demonstration Development Grants c/o ICF 9300 Lee Highway Fairfax, VA 22031 Phone: (877) 350-5913 Fax: (703) 934-3740 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 https://www.Grants.gov

Email: fssdemogrants@icf.com

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 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 mailto:fssdemogrants@icf.com https://www.Grants.gov https://www.Grants.gov https://www.grants.gov http://www.gsa.gov/fedrelay https://www.grants.gov/

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 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:

With the exception of SFs and OMB-approved forms, the application submission is limited to 75 pages in its entirety.

The applicant is limited to uploading only two electronic files. See ELECTRONIC APPLICATION SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS for more information.

File 1: The Project Description file includes:

1. Table of Contents

2. Project summary

3. Project description narrative, including:

A. Approach

i. Description of Proposed Intervention and Applicant Organization

ii. Expected Project Outcomes

iii. Key Personnel

B. Organizational Capacity

i. Description of Leadership Support

ii. Management Plan

iii. Fiscal Controls and Accountability Procedures

iv. Compliance with Government Standards

v. Biographical sketches

4. Annual budget and budget justification for each of the two budget periods.

File 2: The Appendices file includes:

1. Organizational chart

2. Resumes

3. Legal status of application entity

4. Proof of non-profit status (if applicable)

5. Third-party agreements (if applicable)

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

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:

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.

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

Forms / Assurances / Certifications

Submission Requirement Notes / Description

Certification Regarding Lobbying (Grants.gov Lobbying Form)

Submission required of all applicants with the application package. If it is not submitted with the application package, it must be submitted prior to the award of a grant.

Submission of the certification is required for all applicants.

SF-424 -

Application for Federal Assistance

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

Required for all applications.

SF-424 Key Contact Form

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

Required for all applications.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

SF-LLL - Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

If submission of this form is applicable, it is due at the time of application. If it is not available at the time of application, it may also be submitted prior to the award of a grant.

If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or 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.

Certificate of Good Standing

Submission is required for all for-profit organizations.

Sole proprietorships are not eligible applicants. The submission of the Certificate of Good Standing, along with the current list of board members, and organizational documents that require the establishment and maintenance of a Board of Directors, provide proof of eligibility for for-profit organizations.

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

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.

Letter of Intent

Applicants are strongly encouraged to notify ACF of their intention to submit an application under this announcement. Please submit a letter of intent by the deadline date listed in Section IV.4. Submission Dates and Times. The letter of intent should include the following information: number and title of this announcement; the name and address of the applicant organization; and the name, phone number, fax number and email address of a contact person.

Letter of intent information will be used to determine the number of expert reviewers needed to evaluate applications. The letter of intent is optional. Failure to submit a letter of intent will mailto:MandatoryGranteeDisclosures@oig.hhs.gov mailto:anteeDisclosures@oig.hhs.gov mailto:anteeDisclosures@oig.hhs.gov mailto:anteeDisclosures@oig.hhs.gov not impact eligibility to submit an application and will not disqualify an application from competitive review.

Applicants are encouraged to submit the letter of intent via email to fssdemogrants@icf.com.

Letters of intent may also be submitted via mail to:

Family Self-Sufficiency…