HHS-2022-ACF-ACYF-CU-0094 signed.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Administration on Children, Youth, and Families - Children's Bureau

Regional Partnership Grants to Increase the Well-Being of, and to Improve the Permanency Outcomes for, Children and Families Affected By Opioids and Other Substance Abuse

HHS-2022-ACF-ACYF-CU-0094

Application Due Date: 07/08/2022

Table of Contents Executive Summary

I. Program Description

II. Federal Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

III.3. Other

IV. Application and Submission Information

IV.1. Address to Request Application Package

IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Required Forms, Assurances, and Certifications

The Project Description

The Project Budget and Budget Justification

Application Submission Options

IV.3. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM)

IV.4. Submission Dates and Times

Explanation of Due Dates

Acknowledgement of Received Application

IV.5. Intergovernmental Review

IV.6. Funding Restrictions

IV.7. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Criteria

V.2. Review and Selection Process

V.3. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

VI. Federal Award Administration Information

VI.1. Federal Award Notices

VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

VI.3. Reporting

VII. HHS Award Agency Contact(s)

VIII. Other Information

Reference Websites

Application Checklist

Appendix

Funding Opportunity Title:

Regional Partnership Grants to Increase the Well-Being of, and to Improve the Permanency Outcomes for, Children and Families Affected By Opioids and Other Substance Abuse Announcement Type:

Initial Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2022-ACF-ACYF-CU-0094

Primary CFDA Number:

93.087 Due Date for Applications:

07/08/2022 Executive Summary Notice:

Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the entire notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) 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/how-apply-grant.

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to establish, by cooperative agreement, Regional Partnership Grants (RPG) projects designed to increase well-being, improve permanency, and enhance the safety of children who are in, or at risk of, an out-of-home placement as a result of a parent's or caregiver's opioid or other substance misuse. These RPG projects will provide activities and services through interagency collaboration and integration of programs. Successful applicants will have a collaborative infrastructure in place capable of building the region's capacity to meet a broad range of needs as for families involved with child welfare systems, substance use disorder treatment, courts, and other related service organizations while addressing race equity and support for underserved communities.

The RPG program aims to build evidence on the effectiveness of targeted approaches that improve outcomes for children and families affected by opioids and other substance use disorders. To this end, recipients will evaluate their local program; monitor ongoing activities and the progress towards the goals and objectives of the project; select and report on performance indicators that align with proposed program strategies and activities; and participate in a national cross-site evaluation that will describe outcomes for children, adults, and families enrolled in RPG projects as well as the outcomes of the partnerships.

Prospective applicants should carefully review this funding opportunity, and consider the level of effort necessary to meet the purpose of the funding, the legislatively required project phases (Planning and Implementation), and the evaluation-related requirements. Prospective applicants should note the requirements for a non-federal match throughout the project and that a minimum of 20 percent of grant funds will be spent on evaluation elements of this funding opportunity, https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant including the satisfactory collection and evaluation of the data necessary for monitoring the proposed performance indicators.

I. Program Description Statutory Authority Title IV, part B, subpart 2-Promoting Safe and Stable Families, Section 437(f) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 629g(f)).

Description

BACKGROUND

Families of children who come in contact with the child welfare system often face several difficult challenges, many often deeply associated with poverty, such as underemployment, a lack of secure housing, and other social determinants of health. Such challenges can be exacerbated or caused by mental health concerns, Substance Use Disorders (SUDs), domestic violence, and several other complex societal issues. Parental SUDs are a key factor underlying the abuse or neglect experienced by many of the children who enter foster care or are at risk of entering foster care. In the United States, about 1 in 8 children ages 17 or younger are living in households with at least one parent who has a substance use disorder. While these 8.7 million children will not all experience abuse or neglect, they are at increased risk for child maltreatment and child welfare involvement compared to other children (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2020).

According to Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) data, parental alcohol or drug use was the reason for removal for almost 38.9 percent of children entering foster care in fiscal year (FY) 2019, with several states exceeding 60 percent (National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare [NCSACW], 2021). At this same point in time approximately 86, 694 children were removed from their homes due to a parent’s issue with drug abuse (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS], 2020a) this data emphasizes the intersection of SUDs and child welfare and underscores the impact of SUD on families and communities.

Furthermore, in a review of race and disproportionality for families of color and other diverse groups affected by child abuse or neglect and SUDs, NCSACW notes the prevalence of SUD and challenges associated with disproportionality and disparities in service systems. For example, the rate of Black/African American drug overdose deaths between 2015 and 2016 was 40 percent compared to the overall population increase at 21 percent. This exceeded all other racial and ethnic population groups in the United States (SAMHSA, Office of Behavioral Health Equity, 2020). Contributing factors include substantially lower access to SUD treatment and limited access to medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorders (SAMHSA, 2020). The RPG program, through its collaborative cross-systems approach, is well-positioned to address institutional inequities and advance work in this area.

The Children's Bureau's (CB) vision for child welfare is to support families and strengthen communities in ways that will prevent maltreatment and keep children with their families and in their communities. To achieve this vision, families must be able to access comprehensive, evidence-based, and evidence-informed programming, as well as basic supports and resources with their communities through their local-child and family serving agencies and other key public and private partners.

RPGs The Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 reauthorized the Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) program and provided funding over 5 years to implement a targeted grant program to improve permanency outcomes for children affected by methamphetamine and/or substance abuse. This legislation was in direct response to the recognition that parental substance abuse is a key factor underlying the abuse or neglect experienced by many children in the child welfare system.

In 2018, the President signed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-123) into law, reauthorizing the RPG program through 2021. As part of the reauthorization, several changes were made to the RPG program, primarily including a change in the required mandatory partners and the addition of a Planning Phase -- not to exceed 2 years with a funding disbursement of $250,000.

RPG projects seek to expand the evidence base of programs and practices in the broader fields of child welfare and substance use disorder treatment. The RPG program does so by: (1) requiring recipients to identify and use appropriate practices that are indicated by evidence to be well-supported, supported, promising, or emerging practices (See Appendix C), (2) encouraging recipients to consider adapting these practices for their target populations if needed, and (3) incorporating local and cross-site evaluation into the grant program to expand the evidence base on services for families involved in the child welfare and substance use disorder treatment systems. By collecting and analyzing multiple sources of data, ACF will be able to provide information on the effectiveness of the RPG program.

RPG projects support a variety of services aimed to support parents and children outside of the child welfare system as well as family focused interventions to families involved with child welfare. Since 2007, the RPG program has served 37,678 children, 27,917 adults, and 22,452 families. In the most recently published Report to Congress, findings from the national evaluation of Round 2 RPG projects show that child safety and permanency improved after their families participated in RPG services. The rates at which children experienced behavioral problems fell, and adult mental health as well as parenting attitudes, improved significantly from program entry to exit. Adult use of all substances declined, and more adults participated in substance use disorder treatment than before RPG. Opioid users, whose needs were more severe than other adults, also improved significantly (HHS, 2020b).

Specifically, for families in the RPG 2 projects, rates of substantiated maltreatment declined significantly after enrollment in the RPG program. In addition, removals from the home were less common in the year after RPG enrollment than in the year before (HHS, 2020b). A pooled impact study of Round 3 RPG demonstrated the following two favorable impacts on adult outcomes: reduced trauma symptoms and depressive symptoms. Additionally, the study showed children enrolled in RPG had reduced behavior problems and reduced executive functioning deficits (Cole, R., Burnett, A., and Strong, D., 2021). These positive outcomes suggest the success of previous RPG projects to impact collaborative efforts to address fragmentation, service gaps, and service implementation.

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

The remainder of this section highlights the requirements of recipients in several areas:

Target Area and Population The target area and population of the project should include communities in which there are a number of children in out-of-home placements or who are at risk of being placed in an out-of-home placement due to the impact of opioid and other substance misuse and seek to reach underserved populations/communities. Communities of focus may have limited availability of resources for addressing the needs of children, adults, and families affected by substance use disorders.

Collaboration Mandatory partners for regional partnerships include the state child welfare agency that is responsible for the administration of the state plan under title IV-B or title IV-E of the Social Security Act and the state agency responsible for administering the substance abuse prevention and treatment block grant provided under subpart II of part B of title XIX of the Public Health Service Act 42 U.S.C. 629(f)(2)(A). In addition, if the partnership will serve children in an out-of-home placement due to child abuse and neglect, the collaboration must include the Juvenile Court or Administrative Office of the Courts.

Collaborations are required to include signed memoranda of agreement/understanding. In addition, collaborations may include the following components:

1. Routine consultation and interaction with other agencies;

2. Joint accountability and shared outcomes clearly documented;

3. Cross-training and staff development;

4. Processes for communication and information sharing;

5. Willingness and agreement to share administrative data for program evaluation and/or research;

6. Addressing how partners' values and principles help or hinder the collaboration; and

7. Having agreements about shared costs and budgets.

The recipient acknowledges its obligation to comply with 45 CFR Part 87, “Equal Treatment For Faith-Based Organizations.” For more information on this requirement please see: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#chapter-2.

Program Strategies and Activities Recipients will implement, in coordination with CB and CB-supported contractors, specific services and activities that address: increasing child and family well-being, improving treatment outcomes for parents, and supporting the implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018 (FFPSA), along with the more traditional goals of enhancing safety and improving permanency for children who are in, or at risk of being placed in an out-of-home placement as a result of a parent or caretaker's substance misuse.

All recipients of these cooperative agreements must select and report on performance indicators to measure the improvement of child, adult, and/or family outcomes that align with their https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#chapter-2 proposed program strategies and activities. Examples of activities that recipients will engage in, or integrate into existing service delivery systems, include the following:

Services and activities for children and youth that address child well-being and trauma, including screening and assessment of child well-being, enhancing identification and services to substance-exposed newborns, access to appropriate mental and behavioral health services, and early intervention and preventive services;

Quality substance use disorder treatment for parents and families including access to comprehensive substance use disorder treatment programs where children can live on-site with parents (often the mother). The programs are designed to meet the needs of the entire family by providing access to medication-assisted treatment, in-home substance use disorder treatment, trauma-specific services, and continuing care and recovery support;

Services designed to specifically address violence and trauma-related symptoms and reactions; and

Services for parents and children that improve parenting capacity and family functioning, including efforts to build or enhance parental protective factors, parenting skills training programs to address relational problems and concerns, training for foster or relative care providers, services and interventions to improve family functioning and assist with reunification, and ancillary services for families to support securing needed services including housing, transportation, and child care.

Please see Appendix A for a further list of potential project services and activities.

Using Well-Supported, Supported, Promising, and/or Emerging Practices Recipients will build upon and strengthen existing collaborative practices and fund services or practices that are indicated by evidence to be well-supported, supported, or promising, as well as those emerging practices that are appropriate and culturally responsive for the population of focus; and shown to be effective in achieving the outcomes of the grant. Recipients are required to: (1) identify the well-supported, supported, promising, and/or emerging (evidence-informed) practices they plan to use; (2) provide evidence that shows the practices to be effective; (3) commit and support the implementation of practices; and (4) provide a rationale for using the practices in the identified community with the identified target population. "Indicated by evidence" refers to approaches that are validated by some form of documented research evidence.

Resources to assist recipients in selecting practices that are well-supported, supported, promising, and/or emerging practices are available in Appendix C.

Planning and Implementation Phases Funding for this grant program includes a legislative requirement to be disbursed in two phases:

a Planning Phase and an Implementation Phase. The Planning Phase is not to exceed 2 years and funds in the Planning Phase may not exceed $250,000. CB is open to flexibilities regarding the length of a planning period up to 2 years and is committed to supporting recipients in the most effective strategies for the implementation of the proposed projects. Dependent on the readiness of an individual program and the complexity of the proposal, CB anticipates variation in the lengths of the project's Planning Phase. A recipient may complete a Planning Phase in less than

12 months and begin the Implementation Phase. The award is comprised of a 60-month project period and five 12-month budget periods. Applicants may and are encouraged to apply for and be awarded up to $600,000 in each of the five 12-month budget periods. For the first 12-month period, expenditure of funds beyond $250,000 is contingent on successful completion of the Planning Phase.

During the Planning Phase, recipients will engage in intensive assessment and planning activities in which recipients will build on their proposed project plan that was clearly described in their applications to further refine and finalize their implementation and local evaluation plans, as well as finalize their performance data indicator selections. Projects will work with a federally funded, cross-site evaluation and technical assistance team to further develop and refine the strongest possible evaluation plans for the Implementation Phase of the project. Such efforts will also include work to align local evaluation designs with the cross-site evaluation, including design, methodologies, and measures. The degree to which such alignment is possible will be determined throughout the Planning Phase. Adjustments to implementation and evaluation plans may be necessary upon further refinement of the target population and in consultation with CB and technical assistance providers.

The purpose of the planning period is to:

Finalize all outstanding partnership agreements necessary to support the successful implementation of the regional partnership project;

Further define the target population and finalize program eligibility and referral and recruitment plans to ensure the project meets goals for targeting underserved populations/communities and targeted numbers served to optimize the success of the program and the rigorous local evaluation;

Ensure the appropriateness and fit of the selected program(s), models, interventions, and/or services for the targeted children and their families;

Assess the capacity and readiness of the lead agency and key partnering agencies for the implementation of RPG services;

Further refine the evaluation plan to be as rigorous as possible;

Finalize performance indicators and outcome selections;

Ensure the final evaluation plan is reviewed by the relevant Institutional Review Board(s)

(IRB), and their approval is obtained, or ensure a sound plan is in place to obtain IRB approval; and

Ensure the necessary data-sharing agreements are in place to secure the administrative data needed to support both the local and cross-site evaluation.

Based upon the results of the comprehensive set of activities undertaken during the Planning Phase, recipients will develop a detailed, revised implementation and evaluation plan to guide the Implementation Phase of their projects. This revised plan will be submitted to CB during the ninth month of the Planning Phase, to be reviewed and approved by CB. The revised plan will include details of the governance and management structure guiding their regional partnership;

the target population, projections for numbers served, eligibility criteria and referral and recruitment processes; RPG programs and strategies to be implemented; work plan for the Implementation Phase; a revised logic model that outlines an overall theory of change for the regional partnership (which may include a review of their states' Child and Family Services Plan (CFSP), and when appropriate, seeking opportunities to engage with relevant state-level efforts);

a plan for a rigorous local evaluation and participation in the cross-site evaluation, including a detailed data collection plan; and sustainability and dissemination plans.

The Implementation Phase of the project cannot begin until the revised implementation and evaluation plan has been approved by CB. After the revised implementation and evaluation plan is approved by CB, recipients are required to have the project and the implementation of services fully functioning as described in their timeline. Upon completion of the Planning Phase and approval of the implementation and evaluation plan, recipients may expend funds beyond the $250,000 Planning Phase.

Evaluation ACF expects that projects funded under this funding opportunity will help build the evidence base for interventions that will enhance well-being and improve outcomes for children and families affected by a parent or caretaker’s substance misuse. The evaluation and reporting on performance measures for this cooperative agreement are intricate and require a concerted effort.

Recipients will adopt and fully implement specific, well-defined, and quality program services, and activities that are indicated by evidence and/or evidence informed. Recipients are to conduct a rigorous site-specific local evaluation that analyzes the implementation, including evaluation to improve processes and services, performance, and outcomes, including demonstrating linkages between proposed interventions and improved outcomes of the grant project. ACF is specifically interested in determining the impact of these programs on improving outcomes for children and families in the key areas of increased well-being, improved permanency, enhanced safety, recovery, and family stability. Also, ACF is interested in the use of rigorous rapid cycle evaluation methodologies, specifically in the area of referrals, recruitment, and retention of clients to RPG services, to identify successful strategies that improve the ability to direct referrals to available and appropriate services and engage clients to participate in such services.

Recipients must implement a local evaluation plan of sufficient rigor to assess impacts on service delivery and outcomes for the targeted population and contribute to the evidence base for approaches that improve well-being and functionality for families affected by substance use disorders. Pilot testing or rapid cycle learning evaluation may be a part of the local evaluation during the Planning Phase, but the start of such efforts must be approved by CB. Results from pilot testing or rapid cycle learning that occurs during the Planning Phase should inform the implementation and evaluation plan developed and finalized during the Planning Phase, as well as further work on the project.

In addition to conducting a local evaluation, recipients must participate fully in a national cross-site evaluation in which an ACF-supported contractor analyzes the performance and/or outcomes of multiple projects that are funded under the grant program. Recipients must devote a minimum of 20 percent of their project budget to data collection and evaluation activities. The cross-site evaluation will describe outcomes for children, adults, and families enrolled in RPG projects and the outcomes of the partnerships. Recipients must collect and submit the required information and performance indicator data for the national cross-site evaluation. For more information about current and past cross-site evaluations, including cross-site evaluation design reports, Reports to Congress, and other related publications, please visit: https://www.mathematica.org/projects/regional-partnership-grants-national-cross-site-evaluation

Per the legislative requirements, recipients are required to evaluate their local program, finalize their performance indicator selections with the assistance of the CB-supported contractor, and report on those selections. The recipient’s proposed program strategies and activities must align with their selection of proposed performance indicators. Please see Appendix A for a list of potential outcomes, performance indicators, and measures. Legislation requires that ACF report on recipients' success in meeting performance indicators and addressing the needs of families with substance use disorder. To meet this requirement, ACF will review and analyze several data sources collected and reported by recipients.

ACYF/CB recognizes that when our discretionary grant recipients can access relevant child welfare data from child welfare agencies for the children and family participants in their grant projects, they are better able to assess performance and outcomes or complete their required evaluations. Recipients are encouraged to review Information Memorandum (IM) ACYF-CB- IM- 13-02, which encourages child welfare agencies to share relevant child welfare data on the families and children served with CB discretionary grant recipients and related federally funded grant projects for program evaluation, performance measurement, or research purposes.

In cases where CB is directly involved in the creation of data collection activities under this NOFO, data collection will be conducted consistent with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521) and display a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. OMB-related efforts pertaining to required data collection will be conducted by a CB-supported contractor. CB will not conduct or sponsor --- and a person is not required to respond to --- a collection of information covered by the PRA, unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

Skilled Evaluator Projects are required to have a skilled evaluator to conduct the local evaluation of the project and support their participation in the cross-site evaluation. If the recipient does not have the in-house capacity to conduct an objective and comprehensive evaluation of the project, the recipient must contract with a third-party evaluator specializing in social science or evaluation or a university or college to conduct the evaluation. In either case, it is important that the evaluator demonstrate the necessary independence from the project to ensure objectivity. In addition, projects and their evaluators are required to work closely with the designated cross-site evaluation and evaluation technical assistance contract provider, as well as CB, in activities that support projects in conducting their evaluation, participation in the cross-site evaluation, as well as other federally led evaluation activities.

The evaluator must have sufficient experience with research and/or evaluation design and methods, including continuous quality improvement, understand the target population and have experience in obtaining and analyzing child welfare data. The evaluator must have experience successfully implementing human services evaluations utilizing research designs similar to the proposed effort. A skilled evaluator must be able to help develop a logic model, assist in the design, and provide rigorous evaluation strategies that are appropriate given the goals and https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cb/im1302.pdf https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cb/im1302.pdf objectives of the proposed project. Other important experiences to demonstrate include selecting measures, using existing data systems as a source of evaluation information, and collecting data that are reliable and valid.

Additional assistance may be found in a document titled, "Program Manager's Guide to Evaluation." A copy of this document can be accessed at: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/program-managers-guide-evaluation-second-edition.

Well-being as a Special Consideration One key intent of this funding opportunity is to ensure that the well-being of all target populations will improve as a result of the programs and services offered by the recipients. CB anticipates that recipients will rely on existing theory and evidence-based knowledge to guide their activities and that the results of the evaluations will contribute to the body of evidence that demonstrates the impact of services that address SUDs and their effects on child and family well-being. CB recognizes that there are a variety of projects that can be responsive to this funding opportunity and that recipients will represent a diverse set of activities and strategies that are intended to impact several outcomes. Nonetheless, this funding opportunity requires that, at a minimum, each recipient work to achieve at least one well-being measure indicator for children and one well-being indicator for adults (either proximal or distal).

The well-being of both children and parents, or caretakers should improve as a result of the programs and services offered by the recipients. CB recognizes that well-being can be defined in a variety of ways (physical, social/emotional, cognitive, etc.), but recipients are required to give particular focus on the social/emotional well-being of their target population. This may include, but is not limited to, projects that target activities that will result in improvement in the following proximal outcomes: child and family functioning, parenting skills, developmental functioning, or protective factors such as resiliency, attachment, social connections, and/or concrete supports for parents.

CB expects that recipients will be able to logically link, and empirically support the connection between project activities that are designed to mitigate the effects of parental/caretaker substance use disorder, and the improved well-being of children in the child welfare system. Measuring the improvement of well-being could mean that a treatment group fared better on a proximal outcome than a control group or comparison group with similar characteristics that did not receive the benefits of the program provided by the recipient. It also could mean that graduation rates increase in the geographic area identified (a distal indicator). For the data collection and reporting of well-being measures, recipients are required to use valid and reliable instruments and to report case-specific baseline and subsequent data measurement points (e.g., pre-and post-scores) to demonstrate the results of their services and activities. Potential measurement tools that are included in the existing cross-site evaluation are listed in Appendix B.

Race Equity as a Special Consideration As called for by the Executive Order On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, ACF is pursuing a robust approach to advancing equity across programs and processes, with a focus on people of color, and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/program-managers-guide-evaluation-second-edition https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ inequality (definitions for equity, focus populations, and additional terms are detailed within the Executive Order). Cross-system collaborative approach attuned to and actively addressing institutional inequities in services, and differences among populations are necessary to meet the complex needs of children and families across programming and under this funding opportunity.

CB recognizes that there are a variety of projects serving a diverse population that can be responsive to this funding opportunity and that recipients will propose to target various populations to impact several outcomes. Efforts in this area may vary given the geographic location and proposed target population, but recipients are encouraged to give particular focus on the issue of disparity and inequity within their communities. This may include, but is not limited to, projects that target serving children and families who may be historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality; recruiting and retaining staff to support these families, and selecting services and programs with evidence to support their use serving children and families of color. Efforts may focus on inequities in the provision of treatment and treatment facilities as it relates to enrollment and completion of recovery services. This current round of RPG funding presents an opportunity for applicants to support work to collaboratively address equity, disparity, and as it relates to substance use disorder, within child welfare and partner systems.

Dissemination Recipients will be expected to work throughout their grants with federal project officers, the relevant CB training and technical assistance providers, and other grants in this program to complete the following:

Finalize individual grant dissemination goals, objectives, and strategic plans;

Identify and engage with target audiences for dissemination;

Produce detailed procedures, materials, and other products based on the program evaluation and the needs of identified target audiences; and Develop and disseminate summarized/synthesized information about the grant.

Project Sustainability Plan ACYF is interested in ensuring that the most effective program strategies, services, and interventions can be sustained. Recipients are required to establish a plan to address how they will maintain the identified strategies and activities initiated under this grant that should and can be sustained after the end of the project period. Such a plan may include the use of prevention services and programs as outlined under FFPSA within division E, title VII of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, and other funds provided to the state for child welfare and substance abuse prevention and treatment services.

II. Federal Award Information Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Estimated Total Funding:

$10,800,000 Expected Number of Awards:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/

Award Ceiling:

$600,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$250,000 Per Budget Period

Average Projected Award Amount:

$600,000 Per Budget Period

Anticipated Project Start Date:

09/30/2022 Length of Project Periods:

60-month project period with five 12-month budget periods

Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' 60-month project period with five 12-month budget periods. This includes two phases: a Planning and an Implementation Phase.

Additional Information on Awards:

Awards made under this funding opportunity 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 funding under this funding opportunity. 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.

For more information on these requirements, see Section III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching.

Recipients must spend no more than $250,000 in the Planning Phase. The Planning Phase may vary in length dependent on the project’s readiness for implementation but may not exceed 2 years. Upon completion of the Planning Phase and the approval of the project’s implementation and evaluation plan recipients may expend funds beyond the $250,000 limit. (Take, for example, a grant that is awarded $600,000 for the first 12-month budget period. If the recipient completes their Planning Phase, and receives CB approval of their implementation and evaluation plan in 6 months, they would have completed their Planning Phase and would be eligible to expend funds beyond the $250,000 Planning Phase limit. Once in the Implementation Phase, this recipient may expend funds beyond the $250,000 and up to the $600,000 awarded for the budget period.

Applicants should anticipate spending up to $600,000 for each budget period once in the Implementation Phase of the project.

Recipients are required to commit a minimum of 20 percent of their project budget to program evaluation.

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

A cooperative agreement is a specific method of awarding federal assistance in which substantial federal involvement is anticipated. A cooperative agreement clearly defines the respective responsibilities of CB and the awardee prior to the award. CB anticipates that agency involvement will produce programmatic benefits to the recipient otherwise unavailable to them for carrying out the project. The involvement and collaboration include the following:

CB review and approval of planning stages of the activities before implementation phases may begin;

CB and recipient collaboration in the performance of key programmatic activities (i.e., strategic planning, implementation, information technology enhancements, training and technical assistance (T/TA), publications or products, and evaluation); and

Close monitoring of the requirements stated in this announcement that limit the awardee’s discretion concerning scope of services offered.

III. Eligibility Information III.1. Eligible Applicants The Secretary has the authority to make grants to regional partnerships. As required by the legislation, regional partnership means a collaborative agreement (which may be established on an interstate, state, or intrastate basis) entered into by mandatory and optional partners.

Applicants must identify a primary applicant responsible for administering the grant. Any member of the Regional Partnership is eligible to be a lead applicant provided that: (1) the partner is one of the eligible entities described below and, (2) the member agency or organization has the capacity to sufficiently monitor program activities or services, funding, and reporting requirements described in this funding opportunity.

Mandatory Partners

The state child welfare agency responsible for the administration of the state plan under title IV-B and title IV-E of the Social Security Act (must be included in the partnership unless it is a Regional Partnership entered into by Indian tribes or tribal consortia (section 437(f)(2)(D)(i));

The state agency responsible for administering the substance abuse prevention and treatment block grant provided under subpart II of part B of title XIX of the Public Health Service Act; and

The Juvenile Court or Administrative Office of the Court that is most appropriate to oversee the administration of court programs in the region and to address the population of families who come to the attention of the court due to child abuse or neglect, only when the partnership is proposing to serve children in out-of-home placement.

Optional Partners

An Indian tribe or tribal consortium (federally recognized);

Non-profit or for-profit child welfare service providers;

Community health service providers, including substance use disorder treatment providers;

Community mental health providers;

Local law enforcement agencies;

School personnel;

Tribal child welfare agencies (or consortia of the agencies);

Any other providers, agencies, personnel, officials, or entities that are related to the provision of child and family services under a State plan approved under subpart 2-PSSF of title IV-B of the Social Securities Act.

While institutions of higher education (e.g., universities) are neither specifically named as eligible applicants, nor listed as one of the organizations that may be the primary applicant responsible for administering the grant, please note that the above-bulleted list includes the following, "School personnel" and "Any other providers, agencies, personnel, officials, or entities that are related to the provision of child and family services under a state plan approved under this subpart 2 - PSSF of title IV-B of the Social Securities Act." If an applicant can demonstrate that their organization meets either of these descriptions, then that organization can be an eligible applicant and may operate as a lead agency.

Additional Partner Information While the relevant court and court offices are mandatory partners only when the partnership is proposing to serve children in out-of-home placement, CB strongly encourages the participation of courts, judicial offices, judges, court personnel, and juvenile justice officials in regional partnerships.

If the regional partnership is located in a state-supervised, county-administered state, the county child welfare agency satisfies the administration of the state plan requirement. In such a regional partnership, the state agency that is ultimately responsible for state plan compliance under title IV-B and title IV-E is not required to be a partner in the regional partnership but also is not precluded from participating as a member of the regional partnership. In a state-administered system, a local office of the state child welfare agency can participate in the regional partnership and satisfy this statutory requirement.

As required by the legislation, if an Indian tribe or tribal consortium is the lead applicant for a regional partnership, the Indian tribe may (but is not required to) include the state child welfare agency as a partner in the collaborative agreement. If the regional partnership is an Indian tribe or tribal consortia, they may not enter into a collaborative agreement only with tribal child welfare agencies (or a consortium of such agencies). The Indian tribe or tribal consortium applicant should enter into a collaborative agreement with at least two of the parties listed above.

If the partnership proposes to serve children in out-of-home placements, the partnership may include tribal court organizations in lieu of other judicial partners.

See Section IV.2., Content and Form of Application for documentation required to support eligibility.

Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from competitive review and funding under this funding opportunity. 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. 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 45 CFR Part 87 and 42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq., ACF will not, in the selection of recipients, discriminate against an organization on the basis of the organization's religious character, affiliation, or exercise.

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement:

Yes 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 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.

FEDERAL/RECIPIENT SHARE

12-Month Period Federal Share Recipient Share 9/30/2022 – 9/29/2023 85% 15% 9/30/2023 – 9/29/2024 85% 15% 9/30/2024 – 9/29/2025 80% 20%

9/30/2025 – 9/29/2026 80% 20% 9/30/2026 – 9/29/2027 75% 25% Applicants are to detail the match amount, as well as detail the proposed match source.

A match can be calculated by using the Federal Share (award) divided by the percentage of Total Project Cost minus Federal Share. A sample is as follows:

With a match of 15 percent, and a Federal Share of 85 percent, a $1,000,000 federal grant:

$1,000,000 divided by 85 percent = $1,176,470 $1,176,470 minus $1,000,000 = $176,470

Applicants must fully identify and document the specific costs or contributions proposed to meet the matching requirement, the source of the funding or contribution, and how the valuation was determined. Additionally, applicants are advised that funded projects will be required to meet the matching requirement on an annual basis. In keeping with good business practices, a recipient may wish to consider providing its required matching in proportion to its expenditure of the federal share of the total annual budget.

Applicants are further advised that if an applicant proposes cost-sharing at a level in excess of a cost-sharing requirement, and the proposed cost-sharing is accepted as part of the approved budget, and project, it becomes an award requirement enforceable through the Notice of Award (NOA). Therefore, the excess is included in the amount of the total approved budget, and the percentage for the non-federal share in block 17a of the NOA will adjust accordingly.

Matching Waiver Pursuant to 48 U.S.C. 1469a(d) Matching requirements (including in-kind contributions) of less than $200,000 (up to $199,999) are waived under grants made to the governments of American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (other than those consolidated under other provisions of 48 U.S.C. 1469) pursuant to 48 U.S.C. 1469a(d). This waiver applies whether the matching required under the grant equals or exceeds $200,000.

III.3. Other Award Floor Disqualification Applications that request an award amount that is below the Award Floor per budget period, as stated in Section II. Federal Award Information will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement. This disqualification applies to the Award Floor listed for each 12-month budget period.

The statutory authority for this funding opportunity specifies that the grants be for amounts no less than $250,000 per grant per FY. Therefore applications should be for amounts no less than $250,000. Any lesser amount would be in violation of the statutorily mandated minimum amount of $250,000 per year and thus would not be eligible for award (42 U.S.C. 629g(f)(3)(A)).

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

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 funding under this funding opportunity. This disqualification applies only to the Award Ceiling listed for the first 12-month budget period for projects with multiple budget periods.