HHS-2023-ACF-ACYF-CY-0021 Basic Center Program NOFO.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

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

FY 2023 Basic Center Program

HHS-2023-ACF-ACYF-CY-0021

Application Due Date: 06/09/2023

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:

FY 2023 Basic Center Program Announcement Type:

Initial Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2023-ACF-ACYF-CY-0021

Primary CFDA Number:

93.623 Due Date for Applications:

06/09/2023 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 Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF), Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) supports organizations and communities that work every day to end youth homelessness, adolescent pregnancy, and domestic violence. FYSB’s Division of Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) is accepting applications for the Basic Center Program (BCP). The purpose of the BCP is to provide temporary emergency shelter and counseling services to youth, under the age of 18, who have runaway or left home without permission of their parents or guardians; have been forced to leave their home; cannot live safely with a parent, legal guardian, or relative; have no other safe alternative living arrangement; or youth experiencing homelessness who might otherwise end up in contact with law enforcement or in the child welfare, mental health, or juvenile justice systems.

I. Program Description

Statutory Authority This program is authorized by Title III, part A, Section 311 of the RHY Act (34 U.S.C. 11211)

Description

ACYF DIVISION OF RHY

ACYF, through FYSB, supports the safety, permanency, well-being, and self-sufficiency of youth who have runaway or are experiencing homelessness and youth and young adults who cannot live safely with a parent, legal guardian, or relative and have no other safe alternative living arrangement.

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant

FYSB's Division of RHY promotes a Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework, which integrates strengths-based approaches to emphasize a youth's self-determination, resilience, life skills, and strengths. It provides a meaningful framework to consistently support youth in identifying strengths and using those skills towards personal growth, decision-making, development, and success. This PYD framework is essential to ensure a young person has a sense of safety, structure, belonging, membership, self-worth, social contribution, independence, and control over one's life, as well as skills to develop plans, set goals, make decisions, and foster healthy interpersonal relationships. The RHY Program also promotes increasing youth leadership capacity through intentional projects and activities designed to enhance this skill set.

Additionally, FYSB's Division of RHY supports projects to increase prevention and intervention efforts focusing on sexual exploitation and all forms of human trafficking within RHY Programs.

These ongoing efforts seek to minimize sexual exploitation and trafficking incidents among youth who have runaway or are experiencing homelessness, equip programs with the necessary tools to prevent these incidents, and identify youth who are either experiencing or at risk of experiencing human trafficking.

Special Notice About Available Funding: Pursuant to Section 313(b) of the RHY Act (34 U.S.C. 11213(b)(1) and (2)), “in selecting applications for grants under Section 312(a) (11211(a) as codified), the Secretary shall give priority to (1) eligible applicants who have demonstrated experience providing services to runaway and homeless youth; and eligible applicants requesting grants of less than $200,000.

Section IV.2., Content and Form of Application Submission, The Project Description, Organizational Capacity of this NOFO directs applicants to provide, “Evidence that the applicant organization, and any partnering organizations, have relevant experience and expertise…”

Additionally, in Section V.1., Criteria, ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY AND THIRD-PARTY AGREEMENTS of the NOFO indicates that applications are awarded up to 5 points based on the extent to which they effectively, “Detail evidence of experience and expertise in operating runaway and homeless youth projects…”

In implementing priority for applicants requesting less than $200,000, FYSB will take into consideration the results of the competitive objective review when making selections of projects for funding as detailed in Section V.2. Review and Selection Process, Objective Review and Results. As part of selection process, applicants requesting less than $200,000 will be given priority over applicants requesting $200,000 or more when limited funding is available and applications have the same scores from the objective review.

For example, if two applicants score 80 in the objective review and funding is only able to support one application, then priority will be given to the applicant requesting less than $200,000.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

In response to widespread concern about youth who were away from home and in at-risk situations, often through no fault of their own, Congress passed the RHY Act in 1974 and authorized BCP. This enabled community-based organizations to operate short-term shelters (congregate care and host family homes) to provide emergency care to youth who have run away and/or are experiencing homelessness or housing instability who were not already receiving services from the child welfare or juvenile justice systems. Therefore, the primary purpose of the BCP is to provide temporary, emergency shelter and counseling services to youth less than 18 years of age.

Pursuant to Section 312(b)(1) and (2) of the RHY Act (34 U.S.C. 11212(b)(1) and (2)), applicants "shall operate a runaway and homeless youth center located in an area which is demonstrably frequented by or easily reachable by runaway and homeless youth; (2) shall use such assistance to establish, to strengthen, or to fund a runaway and homeless youth center, or a locally controlled facility providing temporary shelter, that has - (A) a maximum capacity of not more than 20 youth, except where the applicant assures that the State where the center or locally controlled facility is located has a State or local law or regulation that requires a higher maximum to comply with licensure requirements for child and youth serving facilities; and (B) a ratio of staff to youth that is sufficient to ensure adequate supervision and treatment". For the purpose of this NOFO, individual host family homes are exempt from the requirement that each structure provide shelter for a minimum number of four youth found at 45 CFR § 1351.18(c) of the RHY Rule (see Appendix A. Definitions: Host family home). However, "projects must have the ability to accommodate no fewer than four youth across multiple homes."

Pursuant to 45 CFR § 1351.23(e) and (f): "(e) Grantees shall develop and implement a plan for addressing youth who have run away from foster care placement or correctional institutions, in accordance with federal, state, or local laws or regulations that apply to these situations. In accordance with Section 312(b)(4) of the Act (34 U.S.C. 11212(b)(2)), Basic Center grant recipients must also develop a plan that ensures the return of runaway and homeless youth who have run away from the correctional institution back to the correctional institution.

Grant recipients shall also take steps to ensure that youth who are or should be under the legal jurisdiction of the juvenile justice or child welfare systems obtain and receive services from those systems until such time as they are released from the jurisdiction of those systems."

Projects must ensure that all shelters they operate, including host family homes, are licensed and determine that any shelters that they regularly refer clients to have evidence of current licensure in the states and/or localities with licensure requirements. Failure to adhere to licensing requirements outlined in 45 CFR § 1351.23(h) may result in disallowance of federal funds.

Projects must also ensure appropriate coordination with law enforcement; health and behavioral health care, to include substance abuse and mental health; social service; school system; and welfare personnel.

Additionally, though centers can provide temporary, emergency shelter for up to 21 days for youth with FYSB funding, they may also seek to reunite young people with their families, when possible and appropriate, or to locate appropriate alternative placements. If shelter is required beyond the allowable 21-day maximum, an organization may continue to provide shelter for a youth; however, the shelter stay must be covered under an alternative funding source.

Organizations receiving awards funded by the RHY Act shall abide by the purpose, function, and eligibility criteria set forth in law and regulation. The eligibility requirements and priorities of the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Continuum of Care (CoC) shall not supersede that of the RHY Act. See the Appendix, Definition of CoC for more information.

PROJECT GOAL AND VISION

Goal: Provide temporary emergency shelter and counseling services to eligible youth under the age of 18 (i.e., ages 17 and under) who have run-away or left home without permission of their parents or guardians, have been forced to leave their home, or are youth living on the street or youth experiencing homelessness who might otherwise end up in contact with law enforcement or in the child welfare, mental health, or juvenile justice systems.

Vision: Establish and/or strengthen community-based projects that meet the immediate needs of youth who have runaway or have left home without permission, youth experiencing homelessness, and youth living on the street through the provisions of temporary shelter and services that encourage family reunification, when it is in the best interest of the youth.

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

Consistent with the statutory mandates set forth in the RHY Act, as well as the regulatory requirements set forth in the RHY Rule, BCP projects must include the following components:

Shelter and Counseling Projects shall provide youth under the age of 18 (i.e., ages 17 and under) with temporary, emergency shelter or safe and stable housing for up to 21 days and individual, family, and group counseling, as appropriate, with FYSB funding.

BCP shelters must accommodate no fewer than 4 and not more than 20 youth under the age of 18 in a single structure, providing services for not more than 21 days with FYSB funding.

The RHY Act permits BCPs to provide shelter to youth 18 years of age and over if the state where the center is located has an applicable state or local law (including a regulation) permitting a higher maximum age in compliance with licensure requirements for child-and youth-serving facilities. For the purposes of this NOFO and receipt of RHY funding, if a BCP elects to provide shelter to youth 18 years or older in the same shelter facility as youth ages 17 and younger who have runaway or youth experiencing homelessness, as defined by the section § 11279(3)(A)(i) and (4) of the RHY Act, the shelter facility must provide and maintain separate sleeping rooms for youth ages 18 and over from youth ages 17 and younger. Additionally, the shelter must have a clear and detailed plan in place to ensure the safety and security of minors for use of bathrooms and showers, shelter programming (i.e., counseling, life skills), and recreational activities. The agency must maintain safety protocols, procedures and policies to ensure adequate supervision is in place to ensure the safety and security of minor youth where a higher maximum age is allowable by state or local law or regulations.

Applicants must maintain state or local licenses for youth servicing facilities.

BCP services must be accessible 24-hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week, provided with the lowest possible barriers to entrance and have a publicly available shelter telephone number answered by staff on a 24 hours-a-day basis.

BCP projects must ensure all shelters they operate, including host family homes, are licensed and determine that any shelters that they regularly refer clients to have evidence of current licensure in the states and/or localities with licensure requirements.

BCP projects must adhere to the guidance provided in RHY Regulations at 45 CFR. §

1351.18 (c) requiring that runaway and homeless youth centers have, “a minimum residential capacity of four (4) and a maximum residential capacity of twenty (20) youth in a single structure (except where the applicant assures that the state where the center or locally controlled facility is located has a state or local law or regulation that requires a higher maximum to comply with licensure requirements for child and youth serving facilities), or within a single floor of a structure in the case of apartment buildings, with a number of staff sufficient to assure adequate supervision and treatment for the number of clients to be served and the guidelines followed for determining the appropriate staff ratio."

BCP projects utilizing a host family home model to provide emergency shelter are exempt from the minimum number of four youth per structure requirement as defined by the RHY Rule (see Appendix A. Definitions: Host family home); however, projects still must have the ability to accommodate no fewer than four youth across multiple homes.

BCP funds may not be used for providing respite care. Respite care services provide parents and other caregivers with short-term childcare services that offer temporary relief.

A legal guardian cannot bring youth to a BCP shelter with the intention of abdicating their responsibility to provide shelter. If a youth is forced to leave their residence, whether that was the home of their parent or any legal guardian, and has no safe alternative living arrangement, then they are considered homeless and eligible to receive BCP shelter services.

BCP projects should contact the parents, legal guardians, or other relatives of each youth as soon as feasible, but no later than 72 hours of the youth entering the program.

BCP projects serving youth who run away from foster care and/or child welfare must create a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between their program(s) and child welfare agencies that clarify roles, responsibilities, and define the provision of services at the time youth enter the shelter. This MOU should also clarify what financial obligations are associated with the provision of services. This requirement is in accordance with an ACF Information Memorandum ACYF-CB/FYSB-IM-14-1 issued on November 4, 2014, available at: https://www.rhyttac.net/foster-care-youth-in-rhy-programs---information-memorandum.

Specific to BCP projects, prevention is defined as services provided to a youth and/or their family before and/or after their shelter stay, including at least 3 months of aftercare, for the express purposes of preventing youth from running away or otherwise becoming homeless. Prevention services are also offered as part of optional home-based services and can include individual, family, and group counseling and crisis intervention services.

BCP projects must ensure staff are prepared and trained to interact with youth who have runaway, homeless, street, and in-crisis youth as well as youth experiencing or at risk of experiencing human trafficking (e.g., sex and labor) and other forms of violence or https://www.rhyttac.net/foster-care-youth-in-rhy-programs---information-memorandum https://www.rhyttac.net/foster-care-youth-in-rhy-programs---information-memorandum victimization (i.e., sexual assault, sexual and physical abuse). Shelter services and other referrals for trafficked youth should be carefully identified by the appropriate staff.

BCP projects must provide shelter and services that are safe, inclusive, and accessible for all youth, including youth of color, youth who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Two-Spirit (LGBTQIA2s+), and other underserved populations.

BCP projects should ensure that transportation to the shelter is available and easily accessible for youth.

Geographic Location: BCP projects are located in areas where youth who have runaway or youth experiencing homelessness under the age of 18 can easily access BCP services. These areas may include rural or tribal communities or areas outside of metropolitan areas.

Safe and Appropriate Exits: BCP projects must ensure youth have safe and appropriate exits when leaving the shelter program. (See Appendix A for the definition of safe and appropriate exits.)

Optional Services: Pursuant to Section 311(a)(2)(C) of the RHY Act (34 U.S.C.

11211(a)(2)(C)), projects may elect to provide street-based services; home-based services for families with youth at-risk of separation from the family; drug abuse education and prevention services; and testing for sexually transmitted diseases, at the request of youth who have runaway or youth experiencing homelessness.

Comprehensive Youth-Centered Services Model Social and emotional well-being and strengths-based approach: BCP projects use a trauma-informed approach, which involves understanding and responding to the symptoms of chronic, interpersonal trauma and traumatic stress, as well as the behavioral and mental health consequences of trauma and prevention of re-traumatization. For more information about the effects of trauma and utilizing a trauma-informed approach, visit https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/infographics/6_principles_trauma_info.htm.

BCP projects should also utilize a PYD framework that includes healthy messages, safe and structured places, adult role models, skill development, and opportunities to serve others. PYD is an intentional, prosocial approach that engages youth within their communities, schools, organizations, peer groups, and families in a manner that is productive and constructive.

Employing PYD also means promoting increased youth leadership capacity through intentional projects and activities designed to enhance this skill set. These activities often include employing young people with lived homelessness expertise as staff and ensuring that projects are infusing authentic youth voice and youth input on program implementation and improvement from youth advisory boards and youth with lived expertise. For more information on PYD, visit.

https://rhyclearinghouse.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/PosYthDevel.pdf.

Ensuring Equity RHY projects must ensure equitable treatment of all youth receiving services under RHY-funded programs. According to research conducted by Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, youth https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/infographics/6_principles_trauma_info.htm https://rhyclearinghouse.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/PosYthDevel.pdf of color, notably Black and Latino youth, are at greater risk of experiencing housing instability and youth homelessness. Roughly 11 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native youth and young adults are over-represented in the homeless youth population relative to 4 percent of White, non-Hispanic youth.[1] Additional data from FYSB’s RHY-HMIS, on gender identity or sexual orientation of youth served in the RHY program reveals roughly 26 percent of youth and young adults who participated in RHY programs in fiscal year (FY) 2021 identified as LGBTQIA2S+ or being uncertain of their sexual orientation. To this end, FYSB is committed to awarding grants to organizations who address these disparities in the prevalence and severity of experiences faced by youth related to ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity. As such, BCP projects must have a plan to provide safe and inclusive spaces for all youth, including youth of color, youth who identify as LGBTQIA2S+, and other underserved populations. BCP project outreach and interventions strategies must reflect policies and practices that are sensitive to people of color and other underserved populations as well as the gender identity or sexual orientation Furthermore, BCP projects must be inclusive of language access needs of youth and families of youth served.

Outreach Implementation Strategy: Projects utilize an outreach implementation strategy that includes the following:

BCP Outreach Strategy: BCP projects will actively find youth who have runaway or youth experiencing homelessness, or youth at risk of becoming runaway or homeless, who might not use RHY Program services due to lack of awareness or active avoidance, providing information to them about services and benefits, and encouraging the use of appropriate services.

Education and Awareness: BCP projects will keep the community informed about the BCP through social media; public service announcements; and collaboration with other youth and family serving organizations, the National Communication System for Runaway and Homeless Youth (i.e., National Runaway Safeline), culturally specific community-based organizations, sexual violence organizations, organizations that provide support or services to those who have experienced trafficking or are at-risk of experiencing trafficking, law enforcement, health care providers, legal services, and other stakeholders. Public education includes the development and distribution of materials providing information about services, benefits, and encouraging the use of appropriate services.

Youth Engagement and Collaboration: BCPs must engage youth with lived expertise to assist in the development of a plan to locate youth, develop youth-centered BCP services and outreach strategies that are individualized to meet the youth's needs, and ensures education and awareness strategies are grounded in youth voice and collaboration.

Gateway services: When necessary and appropriate to facilitate the delivery of required BCP shelter and services, projects provide food, drink, clothing, personal safety information (e.g., national youth hotlines, local hotlines), transportation, and hygiene products to prevent malnutrition and ill-health while building trust with workers in order for the youth to be successful in the program.

Screening and Assessment: BCP projects must implement standardized methods to assess eligibility to receive shelter and support services including an assessment of each youth to determine suitability for the program as well as for the health and safety of other youth and the program. Projects must conduct screening to identify youth victims of all forms of trafficking or those at high-risk for human trafficking or exploitation. For more resources for supporting youth/young adults who are, or have, experienced sexual and/or labor trafficking, or domestic violence, see https://www.acf.hhs.gov/otip/victim-assistance/services-available-victims-trafficking and https://www.thehotline.org.

BCP’s must also assess the immediate needs of the client upon entry to the program. Screening and assessments begin during engagement on the street, during intake screening, or at drop-in-center program entry (optional). Immediate needs may include the client's physical health, potential for victimization (e.g., sex trafficking, labor trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation, sexual assault), behavioral health, connection to family, safety, access to resources, issues of neglect or abuse, and other risk and protective factors that impact their well-being and potential for sustainable living. At intake, the BCP, at a minimum, should ensure they are working with their local CoC program to ensure that referrals are coordinated, and youth have access to all community resources, including permanent housing resources and family resources if applicable that are funded through the CoC program, as described in 45 CFR § 1351.1 of the RHY Rule.

Assessments are individualized with priority on reunifying youth who have left home without permission of a parent, guardian, another adult relative, or another adult that has the youth’s best interest in mind and can provide a stable arrangement as defined in 45 CFR § 1351.1 of the RHY Rule while prioritizing youth living on the street for immediate shelter. As described in 45 CFR § 1351.23 (a) of the RHY Rule), assessment tools evaluate the unique needs of subpopulations of runaway and homeless youth, including, but not limited to, the following: 1) youth who are pregnant or parenting; 2) system-involved youth, including involvement in juvenile justice and child welfare systems; 3) sexually exploited or trafficked youth; 4) youth in need of substance abuse and/or mental health services; and 5) other special populations (e.g., Native American youth, youth with disabilities, and youth that identify as LGBTQIA2S+).

The screening tools must be able to identify the unique needs of youth who have runaway or youth experiencing homelessness and guide identification, assistance, and referral for delivery of appropriate services. For more information on screening and assessment tools that can be used for types of interventions and services available, visit https://rhyclearinghouse.acf.hhs.gov/screening-tool.

Harm Reduction: BCP projects engage and educate runaway, homeless, and street youth under the age of 18 on the street with regard to safety plans and ways to reduce risk of sexual exploitation, human trafficking, sexual assault, substance use and misuse, and any other harm associated with street life.

Case Management: BCP projects identify and assess the needs of each youth and, as appropriate, arrange, coordinate, monitor, evaluate, and advocate for a package of services to meet their specific needs. The following list includes specific programmatic requirements for case management planning for youth:

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/otip/victim-assistance/services-available-victims-trafficking https://www.acf.hhs.gov/otip/victim-assistance/services-available-victims-trafficking https://www.thehotline.org https://rhyclearinghouse.acf.hhs.gov/screening-tool

Individualized Service or Treatment Plan: BCP projects must develop service or treatment strategies based on the assessed needs for and input from every youth receiving services.

Service Coordination Plan: BCP projects will have a suitable referral strategy based on an assessment of the youth's needs to ensure appropriate system of care services are accessible. The system of care services each BCP project shall coordinate with includes, but is not limited to, social services, law enforcement, educational services, vocational training and employment training services, welfare, legal services, organizations that provide support or services to those who have experienced trafficking or are at-risk of experiencing trafficking, mental and behavioral health, health care programs (including health insurance options) affordable child care, and/or child education programs. Projects must also take steps to ensure that youth who are under the legal jurisdiction of the juvenile justice or child welfare systems receive services from those systems until they are released from the jurisdiction of those systems.

Education Service Plan: Projects must develop adequate and appropriate educational strategies for ensuring coordination with McKinney-Vento school district liaisons, designated under Section 722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)), to ensure that runaway and homeless youth are provided information about the educational services available to such youth under subtitle B of title VII of that Act (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.).

Aftercare: BCP projects must provide additional services beyond the period of residential stay.

These services must offer continuous and supportive follow-up for at least 3 months to all youth served by the program. BCP projects must establish an aftercare strategy with youth within 3 days of receiving BCP shelter and services. The aftercare strategy must include permanent placement planning to ensure the youth have the opportunity to make informed decisions about the support and services they need to assist the youth develop a plan for permanency and to help the youth identify and achieve their personal goals.

Performance Standards The RHY Rule, 45 CFR Part 1351, establishes RHY Program performance standards as measures of successful outcomes for youth. The performance standards are used to monitor project performance in achieving the purposes of the RHY Act.

The RHY Rule requires BCP projects to collect data that demonstrate their ability to meet the performance standards described in Section 1351.30 of the RHY Rule. Specifically, BCP projects are responsible for consistently enhancing four core outcome areas for youth, which include social and emotional well-being, permanent connections, education or employment, and safe and stable housing.

Through the provision of temporary emergency shelter and services, indicators of improvements include, but are not limited to, the following:

Social and Emotional Well-being: Youth will connect to trauma-informed, system of care providers to assist with physical health, substance abuse treatment, mental health, personal safety (e.g., identify potential trafficking situations), and sexual risk behaviors they may face.

Permanent Connections: Youth will experience positive ongoing attachments to families, communities, schools, and other social networks.

Education or Employment: Youth will connect to school or vocational training programs, improve interviewing skills, or job attainment skills, and obtain employment.

Safe and Stable housing: Youth will transition to safe and stable housing that appropriately matches their level of need after leaving a BCP to include the following:

moving in with family, when appropriate, or other permanent supportive housing; rapid re-housing; or residential treatment center or substance abuse treatment facility.

FYSB has approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for information collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) on the BCP program performance standards for post-award reporting. The RHY-HMIS report process is found under PRA OMB Control Number 0970-0573, expiration date July 31, 2024. Please see Section VI.3. Reporting for more information.

Training Recipients must send at least one key staff person to attend the annual National RHY “Grantee” Training, the annual regional training, and any other required training or technical assistance sponsored by the Division of RHY.

Sustainability Plan

To be successful, BCP projects must develop a sustainability plan at the beginning of the project that is revisited and revised, as necessary, throughout the project. This plan should include the following:

Sustainability through diversification of funding to continue services in the event of a loss of FYSB funding, as well as a plan to address staff retention and staff turnover;

Accountability in meeting FYSB's BCP performance standards; and Collaboration through building meaningful partnerships with other service agencies, youth with lived experience of homelessness, as well as other experts on runaway and homeless youth in the community.

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

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

Eligible Applicants. Additionally, all subrecipient(s) must obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) assigned by the System for Award Management (SAM), if they do not already have one.

Prime recipients are required to check SAM to verify that the subrecipient(s) is/are not debarred, suspended, or ineligible.

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

Response to Nationally Declared Emergency

If, during the project period, FYSB and/or recipients are required to adjust program and/or recipient requirements due to nationally declared emergency, FYSB will exercise maximum flexibilities as needed. Requirements may be conducted virtually and/or timelines modified in consultation with FYSB.

[1] Berger Gonzalez, S., Morton, M., Patel, S., & Samuels, B. (2021). Centering racial equity in youth homelessness. Chicago, IL: Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago.

II. Federal Award Information

Funding Instrument Type:

G (Grant) Estimated Total Funding:

$22,414,392 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$250,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$50,000 Per Budget Period

Average Projected Award Amount:

$200,000 Per Project Period

Anticipated Project Start Date:

09/29/2023 Length of Project Periods:

36-month project period with three 12-month budget periods

Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' 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 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#book_content_14 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements

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.

FYSB will review the results of the competitive objective review and take them into consideration in the selection of projects for funding as detailed in Section V.2. Review and Selection Process, Objective Review and Results.

The funds available for new awards provided in each state and insular areas can be found by accessing https://www.acf.hhs.gov/fysb/grant-funding/basic-center-program-estimated-fy2023-state-allocations. Funding amounts available for new awards are approximations at the time of publication. Actual amounts available may change due to availability of funds.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

Public and nonprofit entities and combinations of such entities are eligible to apply unless they are part of the juvenile justice system. For-profit organizations are not eligible. Private institutions of higher education must be non-profit entities. In selecting applications for award under this NOFO, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible applicants who have demonstrated experience in providing services to youth who have runaway and are experiencing homelessness.

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 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/fysb/grant-funding/basic-center-program-estimated-fy2023-state-allocations https://www.acf.hhs.gov/fysb/grant-funding/basic-center-program-estimated-fy2023-state-allocations

Recipients are required to meet a non-federal share of the project cost, in accordance with Section 383 of the RHY Act. (34 U.S.C. § 11274)

Recipients must provide at least 10 percent of the total approved cost of the project. The total approved cost of the project is the sum of the ACF (federal) share and the non-federal share. The non-federal share may be met by cash or in-kind contributions, although recipients are encouraged to meet their match requirements through cash contributions. For example, in order to meet the match requirements, a project requesting $250,000 in ACF (federal) funds must provide a non-federal share of the approved total project cost of at least $ 27,778 , which is 10 percent of total approved project cost of $ 277,778 .

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 Amount Non-Federal Share Total Project Cost for 12-month period

$50,000 $5,555 $55,555

$75,000 $8,333 $83,333

$100,000 $11,111 $111,111

$125,000 $13,889 $138,889

$150,000 $16,667 $166,667

$175,000 $19,444 $194,444

$200,000 $22,222 $222,222

$250,000 $27,778 $277,778

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 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. 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 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 funding under this funding opportunity.

Applicants that do not have an internet connection or sufficient computing capacity to upload large documents to the internet may contact ACF for an exemption that will allow the applicant to submit applications in paper format. Information and the requirements for requesting an exemption from required electronic application submission are found in "ACF Policy for Requesting an Exemption from Electronic Application Submission."

Missing the Application Deadline (Late Applications)

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

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

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ACF_Policy_for_Requesting_an_Exemption_from_Required_Electronic_FINAL_0.pdf https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ACF_Policy_for_Requesting_an_Exemption_from_Required_Electronic_FINAL_0.pdf

Each time an application is submitted via 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 pm ET on the due date listed in the Overview and in Section IV.4. Submission Dates and Times. Paper applications received after 4:30 pm ET on the due date will be disqualified from competitive review and funding under this funding opportunity. Paper applications received from applicants that have not received approval of an exemption from required electronic submission will be disqualified from competitive review and funding under this funding opportunity.

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 NOFO.

IV. Application and Submission Information

IV.1. Address to Request Application Package

FYSB Operations Center c/o F2 Solutions Attn: Basic Center Program NOFO 1401 Mercantile Lane Suite 401 Largo

MD

20774 1-855-792-6551 TechAssist@fysb.net Application Packages

Electronic Application Submission:

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

Applications in Paper Format:

For applicants that have received an exemption to submit applications in paper format, Standard Forms (SFs), assurances, and certifications are available in the "Select Grant Opportunity Package" available in the NOFO's Grants.gov Synopsis under the Package tab at 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 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 http://www.gsa.gov/fedrelay

FORMATTING APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS

Each applicant applying electronically via Grants.gov is required to upload only two electronic files, excluding SFs and Office of Management and Budget (OMB)-approved forms. No more than two files will be accepted for the review, and additional files will be removed. SFs and OMB-approved forms will not be considered additional files.

FOR ALL APPLICATIONS:

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

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

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

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

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

Page Limitations Applicants must observe the page limitation(s) listed under "PAGE LIMITATIONS AND 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 NOFO Formatting, Font, and Page Limitation Requirements Applications that fail to adhere to ACF’s NOFO 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 and 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 NOFO 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…