HHS-2023-ACF-OCS-EE- 0056.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Office of Community Services

Community Economic Development Planning Grants

HHS-2023-ACF-OCS-EE-0056

Application Due Date: 07/12/2023

Due Date for Applications:

FY 2024: May 13, 2024 FY 2025: May 12, 2025

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

Funding Opportunity Title:

Community Economic Development Planning Grants Announcement Type:

Initial Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2023-ACF-OCS-EE-0056

Primary CFDA Number:

93.570 Due Date for Applications:

07/12/2023 Due Date for Applications:

FY 2024: May 13, 2024 FY 2025: May 12, 2025

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.

For Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, the United States (U.S.) Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Community Economic Development (CED) program, administered by the Office of Community Services (OCS) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), will provide up to $1.5 million in awards ($150,000 maximum per award) to stimulate new CED project development through administrative capacity building. OCS will make awards to up to 10 Community Development Corporations (CDCs) to plan and develop CED projects in underserved communities. The objective of this funding opportunity is to focus resources in persistent high-poverty areas with struggling economies that have been unable to put forth a viable CED project in the past. The goal of this funding opportunity is to provide CDCs with financial assistance for administrative capacity building. With increased administrative capacity, CDCs will be better equipped to design a sustainable business project and package a viable competitive application to be submitted in a CED grant competition within the 12 months at the end of the project period.

I. Program Description

Statutory Authority This program is authorized by section 680(a)(2) of the CSBG Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C.

9921(a)(2).

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

Description The CED program seeks to address barriers to economic self-sufficiency in communities with low incomes by awarding funds to CDCs to implement community economic development projects that create business development and job opportunities. The CED program recognizes that non-profit CDCs intimately understand the unique assets and challenges in their communities. When CDCs and their partners have sufficient capacity, they are best suited to create new community economic development projects that reflect community needs.

Purpose of the CED Planning Grant

In 2022, the CED program awarded over $16 million to support 22 community economic development projects across the country, which will ultimately create nearly 700 new jobs for individuals with low incomes living in persistent poverty areas. Although CED is transforming many communities, OCS has learned through communications with award recipients, previous applicants, and potential applicants that there are many areas of the country that need a CED award, but do not have adequate time or resources to plan for the CED application. Many of these previous and potential applicants are in some of the highest persistent poverty areas throughout the country. OCS is committed to ensuring that communities in greatest need are supported in their efforts to compete for CED funding and ultimately create new job opportunities for individuals with low incomes. Thus, OCS made this planning grant funding available to support a variety of administrative capacity building activities that will ultimately allow potential applicants adequate time and resources to put together a viable CED application.

Addressing OCS Priorities

OCS-funded programs are vital in addressing persistent poverty and pervasive disparities and inequities. To achieve our vision, OCS established the four overarching priorities below to ensure that our goals are achieved across the country. Award recipients must ensure that these priorities are considered throughout the planning and execution of activities.

1. Ensuring the programs we administer are of the highest quality possible and are reaching those most in need.

2. Lifting up voices from the field and using lessons learned to be thoughtful, inclusive, and innovative in our approach.

3. Identifying opportunities to break down silos and implement cross-cutting initiatives within OCS and ACF and across the federal government.

4. Focusing on three additional priorities that complement and strengthen OCS’ priorities listed above. First, Executive Order (EO) 14008: Tracking the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad and the Justice40 Initiative, which underscores funding support for energy communities. Second, increasing equity in the geographic distribution of CED funds. Third, breaking down service silos and leveraging existing partnerships across OCS programs to reduce poverty through a wraparound service model for communities with low incomes.

The CED program seeks to address the personal and community barriers that must be overcome for individuals with low incomes to become self-sufficient. This funding opportunity is aligned with the following:

Upholding EO 14008: Tracking the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad and the Justice40 Initiative, which underscores funding support for energy communities. As such, this funding opportunity will seek to fund CDCs located in underserved energy communities. This aligns directly with OCS priority #4. Additionally, energy communities represent some of the highest persistent poverty areas in this country.

Supporting planning grants in these areas will allow OCS to ensure that communities in greatest need have the resources to compete for future CED funding and transform the lives of individuals as well as rebuild their economies.

Increasing equity in the geographic distribution of CED funds. As such, this funding opportunity will seek to fund CDCs serving communities in states and territories without an active CED project and/or have never been awarded a CED project in the past. This aligns with OCS priority #1, ensuring we administer programs that reach those in greatest need of assistance. OCS strives to ensure equitable investment of federal funds across the country. However, we are aware that there are several parts of the country that our programs and supports do not reach, creating gaps in services for vulnerable families and individuals. Our office hopes that with this priority area, we can support the creation of new projects and ultimately serve individuals and families that we haven’t been able to access before.

Breaking down service silos across OCS programs and leveraging existing partnerships. As such, this funding opportunity will seek to fund CDCs that are partnering with OCS programs: Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), Diaper Distribution Demonstration & Research Pilot (DDDRP), Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), Rural Community Development Program (RCD), or Social Services Block Grant Program (SSBG). This aligns directly with OCS priority #3, identifying opportunities to break down silos and implement cross-cutting initiatives within OCS and ACF, and across the federal government. OCS is committed to encouraging our award recipients across programs to work together to provide high quality, wraparound services to individuals and families in need. We understand that working in silos not only delivers lower quality, inefficient program(s), but also increases burden on the populations served.

OCS hopes with this priority area, applicants will partner across OCS programs to think strategically about how best to leverage resources and supports to provide high quality care.

CED PLANNING GRANT OBJECTIVE AND GOAL

The objective of this funding opportunity is to focus resources in persistent high-poverty areas with struggling economies that have been unable to put forth a viable CED project in the past.

The goal of this funding opportunity is to provide CDCs with financial assistance for administrative capacity building. With increased administrative capacity, CDCs will be better equipped to design a sustainable business project and package a viable competitive application to be submitted in a CED competition within the 12 months at the end of the project period.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/

ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES

CED funds under this opportunity may be used to implement activities that will lead to the development of a viable CED project concept and a CED application that will allow CDCs to compete for future CED funding. This includes the following:

Convene and organize stakeholders within the target community to strategize on shared economic development efforts, visions, and desired paths forward. Stakeholders include, but are not limited to, local government officials, entrepreneurs, schools, faith-based organizations, social service organizations, non-profit organizations, chambers of commerce, or other business support organizations.

Develop, update, or expand existing community economic development visioning statements and planning documents.

Obtain and expand community buy-in for planned economic development efforts.

Inventory existing data and conduct data collection efforts to assess local economic assets and identify viable markets for business development.

Identify existing federal, state, local, and private funding opportunities that can be leveraged, along with CED funds, to implement business development and job creation projects.

Develop and secure partnerships with social service providers, such as workforce development agencies and safety net providers to support economic development projects.

Develop a business plan for an identified business development or economic development opportunity that describes sources and uses of funding; market analysis and strategy; products, services, and target customer base; marketing and sales plan;

management plan; and operations plan.

SUBAWARDS

Recipients under this 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 UEI number assigned by the 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.

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

FEDERAL EVALUATION

ACF plans to implement a federally sponsored evaluation strategy to assess the success of approved CED planning projects.

The federal evaluation strategy will include recipient-level documentation of activities, outputs, and outcomes. As a condition of acceptance of an award, all funded recipients are required to agree to participate fully in federal evaluations, if selected, and to follow all evaluation protocols established by ACF or its designee contractor. Fully participating in a federal evaluation may include (but is not limited to) supporting and complying with special data collection requirements; providing additional administrative data on program participation or service receipt; facilitating on-site meetings and observations, including interviews with program and partner managers and staff as well as participants; and incorporating planned variation into program strategies.

Recipients selected to be in a federal evaluation will receive technical assistance and other support in meeting evaluation requirements. Recipients included in a federal evaluation must also meet regular award reporting requirements specified in this funding opportunity (see Section VI.3. Reporting).

NOTE: Consistent with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), under this NOFO, OCS will not conduct or sponsor–and a person is not required to respond to–a collection of information covered by such Act, unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

If necessary, OCS will seek approval for information collections related to the federal evaluation through the OMB Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and will not request information for the federal evaluation that is subject to PRA until the information collection is approved.

ADVANCING EQUITY

The award recipient must make equity a focal point, addressing the existing inequities created by the continuing and historical marginalization of underserved communities, as defined later in this section, and those disproportionately impacted by persistent poverty. Advancing equity creates opportunities for the improvement of communities that have been historically underserved and supports historically marginalized individuals and communities in reaching their full potential, which benefits all of society. Award recipients must pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, which will require a demonstrated understanding and vision of equity and inclusion, as well as the identification of the root causes of inequity, including the identification of existing activities and policies that perpetuate systemic barriers to opportunities.

To capture opportunities that lead to increased equity and to identify the actual needs of the community, the award recipient must intentionally include and amplify the voice of community members while collecting information and developing and implementing CED projects.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

The following definitions apply throughout this NOFO, and applicants are strongly encouraged to review these carefully prior to submitting an application.

Award-The funding made available to an eligible organization after a competitive application process.

Award Terms and Conditions-A statement of HHS and ACF regulations and policies, pursuant to federal law, that is attached to the Notice of Award (NOA) and that sets forth the standard terms and conditions with which recipients are required to comply.

Budget Period-Projects under CED awards are not divided into the typical 12-month intervals known as “budget periods.” All CED projects have only a single budget period, which is equal in length to the project period.

Community-Any geographic area defined by specific boundaries and the residents, businesses, and institutions within that geographical area.

Community Barrier -Conditions in a community that impede success in employment or self-employment of individuals with low incomes. Such conditions may include the following: lack of employment education and training programs; lack of public transportation; lack of markets;

unavailability of financing, insurance, or bonding; inadequate social services, such as employment services, child care, or job training; high incidence of crime; substance use disorder;

inadequate health care; or environmental hazards, such as toxic dump sites or leaking underground tanks.

Community Development Corporation (CDC)-In accordance with section 680(a)(2) of the CSBG Act, 42 U.S.C. 9921(a)(2), to be a qualified CDC, an organization must meet the following three conditions:

The organization must be a private non-profit with 501(c)(3) status;

The organization must have articles of incorporation or bylaws demonstrating that the

CDC has a principal purpose of planning, developing, or managing low-income housing or community development projects; and

The Board of Directors of the organization must have representation from community residents, business leaders, and civic leaders.

Note: The CDC designation does not need to be specified on any official documents as long as the three requirements stated earlier in this definition are met.

CED-A process by which a community organizes its resources and capacities to attract capital to invest in physical, commercial, and business development in order to create job opportunities for its residents.

Equity-The consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black Latino, Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color, members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.

Indirect Costs-Costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefiting more than one cost objective, and not readily assignable to the cost objectives specifically benefited, without effort disproportionate to the results achieved.

In-Kind Contributions Non-cash contributions that may be in the form of real property, equipment, supplies, and/or other expendable property, or goods and services provided by non-governmental sources directly benefiting and specifically allocated to the project.

Job Creation-New full-time, full-year positions for the project that did not exist prior to the start of the project and came about as a direct result of the investment of OCS funds in project activities, such as development of new business ventures, the expansion of existing participating businesses, or the development of new products and services.

Letters of Support-A signed letter that describes an endorsement of the project from a local or regional government agency or community organization. The letter should describe any specific relationship the agency or organization has to the applicant, knowledge of the applicant’s experience and qualifications in business and job creation, and any in-kind or financial contributions to the project, if applicable.

Low-Income-An individual whose household income level does not exceed 200 percent of the official poverty guidelines, as found in the most recent revision of the HHS Poverty Guidelines published by HHS at https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines.

More Experienced Partner-A CDC that has completed all of the following activities: two or more community economic development projects, one or more projects involving activities similar to the proposed project, and experience with collaborative programming.

Need for Assistance-Physical, economic, social, financial, institutional, and/or other problem(s) requiring a solution.

Non-Profit Organization–Any 501(c)(3) organization (corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization), not including institutions of higher education, that (1) is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purposes in the public interest; (2) is not organized primarily for profit; and (3) uses its net proceeds to maintain, improve, and/or expand its operations. For this purpose, the term “non-profit organization” excludes colleges and universities; hospitals; state, local, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments; and those non-profit organizations listed in Appendix VIII. to 45 CFR Part 75– Non-Profit Organizations Exempt from Subpart E of Part 75.

NOA-A legal document given to the intended organization that indicates that an award has been made and that funds may be requested from the designated HHS payment system or office. The NOA shows the amount of federal funds authorized for obligation and the budget period for the approved project. Recipients will find this information helpful because it outlines the conditions of their awards.

Persistent Poverty Area-A County in which 20 percent or more of the population has lived in poverty over the past 30 years according to the U.S. Census, as determined by the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Personal Barriers-Those aspects of an individual's personal situation that may impede success in obtaining and retaining employment. Barriers may include factors such as limited education, substance use disorder, insufficient life skills, criminal history, health problems, or disability.

Project-The scope of OCS activities described in the application for federal funds pursuant to this funding opportunity.

Project Partner-Any individual, organization, or business entity participating in the project that is not the direct recipient of CED funds, such as a more experienced CDC. Note: CED recipients must play a substantive role in the project. A recipient working with a project partner must actively monitor the project and ensure compliance with CED program requirements.

Project Period-The time during which the recipient may incur new obligations to carry out the https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines work authorized under the federal award.

Self-Sufficiency-A state of being or status of an individual or family where, by reason of employment, eligibility for public assistance is replaced by the financial capacity to meet all basic needs.

Service Area-The community to be served by the funded project.

Social Service Provider-Agencies and/or organizations that work with individuals with low incomes and can assist a recipient with filling the newly created positions with individuals with low incomes. Examples of social service providers include Temporary Assistance for Needy Families administering agencies, Community Action Agencies, LIHEAP administering agencies, employment education and training programs (e.g., the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration-funded one-stop career centers), and local child support enforcement agencies. These partnerships should be documented with signed third-party agreements, such as memorandums of understanding (MOUs), letters of commitment, or project partner agreements.

Technical Assistance-A problem-solving service generally using the services of a specialist and specifically customized or tailored to the needs of a particular organization. Such services may be provided on-site, by telephone, or by other means of communication.

Underserved Communities-“[The] populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Pre-Application Webinar A pre-application webinar and materials will be available for viewing no later than 7 days after publication at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/programs/ced until the closing of this NOFO. The goal of the pre-recorded webinar is to outline the CED program’s purpose and strategies, provide key dates for submitting an application for CED, and review key application criteria and requirements as outlined in the NOFO.

Joining and participating in the pre-recorded webinar is voluntary. Only the information provided in this NOFO will be presented. No question-and-answer portion will be conducted during the session. Participants will remain anonymous. Opting not to participate in the webinar will not affect eligibility, application scoring, or the selection process. Applicants will be able to access the recording and transcript on the program office website at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/programs/ced.

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

II. Federal Award Information

Funding Instrument Type:

G (Grant) Estimated Total Funding:

$1,500,000 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/programs/ced https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/programs/ced.

Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$150,000 Per Project Period

Award Floor:

$75,000 Per Project Period

Average Projected Award Amount:

$150,000 Per Project Period

Anticipated Project Start Date:

09/30/2023 Length of Project Periods:

Other

Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' Projects funded under this NOFO will have one 24-month project and budget period.

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.

All awards will be fully funded.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

To be eligible to apply for a CED Planning grant, an applicant must meet the following three conditions:

1. Applicant must be a private, non-profit CDC with 501(c)(3) status;

2. Applicant must have articles of incorporation or bylaws demonstrating that the CDC has as a principal purpose the planning, developing, or managing of low-income housing or community economic development activities; and

3. The Board of Directors must have representation from each of the following: community residents, business leaders, and civic leaders.

Note: The CDC designation does not need to be specified on any official documents as long as the three requirements stated above are met.

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.

Funding Restrictions Reference Please see Section IV.6. Funding Restrictions for any limitations on the use of federal funds that could affect the eligibility of an applicant or project.

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement:

No For all federal awards, any shared costs or matching funds and all contributions, including cash and third-party in-kind contributions, must be accepted as part of the recipient’s cost sharing or matching when such contributions meet all criteria listed in 45 CFR § 75.306.

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

Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

For awards that do not require matching or cost sharing by statute, where “cost sharing” refers to any situation in which the recipient voluntarily shares in the costs of a project other than as statutorily required matching, recipients will be held accountable for projected commitments of non-federal resources in their application budgets and budget justifications by budget period, or by project period for fully funded awards. These include situations in which contributions are voluntarily proposed by a recipient or subrecipient and are accepted by ACF. Non-federal cost sharing will be included in the approved project budget so that the recipient will be held accountable for proposed non-federal cost sharing funds as shown in the Notice of Award (NoA). A recipient’s failure to provide voluntary cost sharing of non-federal resources that have been accepted by ACF as part of the approved project costs and that have been shown as part of the approved project budget in the NoA, may result in the disallowance of federal funds. Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

III.3. Other

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

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.

OCS Application Disqualification Factors Applications received from organizations that are not CDCs 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

Chanel Jackson OCS Operations Center

HHS-2023-ACF-OCS-EE-0056

1401 Mercantile Lane, Suite 401 Largo

MD

20774 1-855-792-6551 ocstech@reviewops.org 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

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.

http://www.gsa.gov/fedrelay

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 and will specify the reason(s) for removal of page(s).

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

Application Submission Options.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PAGE LIMITATIONS AND CONTENT FOR ALL SUBMISSION FORMATS:

Applications must be submitted in two files and must not exceed a combined total of 50 pages. In both files, all items must be labeled, numbered, and organized clearly in the Table of Contents.

The first file must be titled, Project Description, and must include the following items:

Table of Contents Project Summary Geographic Location Legal Status of Applicant Entity Need for Assistance Objectives Expected Outcomes Approach Organizational Capacity

Plan for Oversight of Federal Award Funds and Activities Protection of Sensitive and/or Confidential Information Letters of Support (actual letters should be included in the Appendices) Project Budget and Budget Justification

Bonus Points-Underserved Areas: States or Trust Territories without Active CED Grants Bonus Points-Projects Located in Energy Communities Bonus Points-Projects Implemented in Partnership with OCS Programs Bonus Points-Underserved Areas: CED Project Supporting Native American

Communities

The second file must be titled, Appendices and must include the following:

Table of Contents (All items must be labeled, numbered, and organized clearly in the Table of Contents)

Proof of Legal Status/Proof of Non-Profit Status Additional Eligibility Documentation Third-Party Agreements Resumes (must be no more than two pages in length and identify the percent of time the individual has available for the project) Letters of Support Other Supporting Documentation

ELECTRONIC APPLICATION SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Applicants are required to submit their applications electronically unless they have received an exemption that will allow submission in paper format. See Section IV.2. Application Submission Options for information about requesting an exemption.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Required SFs and OMB-approved Forms SFs and OMB-approved forms are uploaded separately at Grants.gov. These forms are submitted separately from the Project Description and Appendices files. See Section IV.2. Required Forms, Assurances, and Certifications for the listing of required SFs, OMB-approved forms, and required assurances and certifications.

Naming Application Submission Files Carefully observe the file naming conventions required by Grants.gov. Limit file names to 50 characters (characters and spaces). Please also see https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/submitting-utf-8-special-characters.html.

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

ACF supports the following file formats:

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

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

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

FORMATTING FOR PAPER APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS:

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

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

Format Requirements for Paper Applications All copies of mailed or hand-delivered paper applications must be submitted in a single package.

If an applicant is submitting multiple applications under a single NOFO, or multiple applications under separate NOFOs, each application submission must be packaged separately. The package(s) must be clearly labeled with the NOFO title and Funding Opportunity Number.

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

Applicants are advised that the copies of the application submitted, not the original, will be reproduced by the federal government for review. All application materials must be one-sided for duplication purposes. All pages in the application submission must be sequentially numbered.

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

Required Forms, Assurances, and Certifications

Applicants seeking an award under this funding opportunity must submit the listed SFs, assurances, and certifications with the application. All required SFs, assurances, and certifications are available in the Application Package posted for this NOFO at Grants.gov.

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

Forms/Assurances/Cert…