hhs-2024-acf-acyf-cz-0052_Full Announcement.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due July 1, 2024

Children’s Bureau (CB)

National Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) Opportunity number: HHS-2024-ACF-ACYF-CZ-0052

Contents Before you begin 3

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4

Basic information 5

Eligibility 6

Program description 7

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 13

Get registered 14

Find the application package 14

Learn more 14

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 15

Application contents and format 16

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 27

Application review 28

Award notices 32

Step 5: Submit Your Application 33

Application submission and deadlines 34

Application checklist 36

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 37

Post-award requirements and administration 38

Contacts and Support 39

Contents 2

Before you begin If you believe you are a good candidate for this funding opportunity, secure your SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations now. If you are already registered, make sure your registration is active and up-to-date.

SAM.gov registration (this can take several weeks) You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Grants.gov registration (this can take several days) You must have an active Grants.gov registration. Doing so requires a Login.gov registration as well.

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Apply by July 1, 2024 Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 1, 2024.

To help you find what you need, this NOFO uses internal links. In Adobe Reader, you can go back to where you were by pressing Alt + Left Arrow (Windows) or Command + Left Arrow (Mac) on your keyboard.

Before you begin 3 https://sam.gov/ https://grants.gov/

Jump to a step

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1:

Review the Opportunity

In this step

Basic information 5

Eligibility 6

Program description 7

Basic information Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Children’s Bureau (CB)

Creating a national center to provide services and training to Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention funding recipients.

Have questions?

See Contacts and Support.

Key facts

Opportunity Name:

National Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP)

Opportunity Number:

HHS-2024-ACF-ACYF-

CZ-0052

Federal Assistance Listing:

93.590

Statutory authority number:

Title II, section 207 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) (42 U.S.C. 5116g)

Key dates

Application deadline:

July 1, 2024

Expected award date:

September 29, 2024

Expected start date:

September 30, 2024

See deadlines.

Summary This funding opportunity from the Children’s Bureau (CB) will create a national center to support Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) recipients and their state, local, and tribal partners. The center will be CB’s main provider of training and technical assistance (TTA) to CBCAP recipients. The center will focus on:

• Staffing the center.

• Building knowledge and capacity.

• Increasing awareness and accessibility of TTA resources.

• Increasing opportunities for collaboration.

• Evaluating TTA activities.

The center will also provide services in alignment with the goals of the Administration on Children and Families (ACF) Strategic Plan, which includes reducing structural barriers such as racism and other forms of discrimination.

Funding details Type: Cooperative agreement

Estimated total program funding: $2 million

Total expected awards: 1

Minimum award amount for the first budget period (award floor): $1.75 million

Maximum award amount for the first budget period (award ceiling): $2 million

Funding periods: 60-month period of performance with five 12-month budget periods

Awards made under this funding opportunity are subject to federal funds availability.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 5 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/grant-funding/community-based-child-abuse-prevention-cbcap-grants https://www.acf.hhs.gov/about/acf-strategic-plan-2022 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/about/acf-strategic-plan-2022 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title42/chapter67&edition=prelim https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title42/chapter67&edition=prelim

Eligibility Who can apply

Eligible applicants Eligibility is unrestricted. Any organization is eligible for an award with the following exceptions:

• Individuals, including sole proprietorships.

• Foreign entities.

Other eligibility criteria Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible for awards under this funding opportunity.

See the initial review section for disqualification factors.

Cost sharing This program has no cost-sharing requirement. If you choose to include cost-sharing funds, we won’t consider it during review. However, we will hold you accountable for any funds you add, including through reporting. If you don’t provide your promised amount, we may have to decrease your award amount or use other enforcement actions.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 6

Program description This project will create a national center to be CB’s main provider of TTA to recipients of CBCAP funding and their state, local, and tribal partners.

Recipients of CBCAP funding include:

• State lead agencies designated by the governors of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

• Tribes, tribal organizations, and migrant programs.

The center will provide TTA to CBCAP recipients to help them implement and evaluate the legislative requirements of the CBCAP programs [PDF].

Program focus Goals The center will make and carry out a plan to provide culturally responsive TTA to CBCAP recipients and their state, local, and tribal partners. This will enable these groups to better carry out their programs and measure their effectiveness.

The center will conduct its TTA in three categories:

• Providing universal capacity-building services to family support and prevention providers to increase national awareness of ways to strengthen families by:

◦ Reviewing and summarizing research, including rigorous evaluation of approaches to preventing child maltreatment.

◦ Gathering and organizing resources.

◦ Making information more accessible for broader use.

◦ Developing culturally responsive products and tools on effective ways to prevent child maltreatment.

• Offering specialized capacity-building services to CBCAP recipients to increase knowledge on specific topics by:

◦ Fostering increased knowledge sharing between recipients.

◦ Helping build relationships and networks that support learning.

• Delivering tailored services to increase the knowledge and skills of individual CBCAP recipients by:

◦ Providing services tailored to each recipient’s needs.

◦ Offering a combination of training, consultation, and coaching.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 7 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/grant-funding/community-based-child-abuse-prevention-cbcap-grants https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cb/capta.pdf

◦ Developing a TTA plan with CBCAP recipients that includes clear expectations and measurable milestones.

◦ Providing services to improve the organization’s capacity and performance.

Program objectives To meet its goals, the center will focus on the following program objectives.

Staff the center The center will require a qualified team to provide effective TTA. It is anticipated this will include:

• Recruiting and hiring staff from diverse backgrounds and with experience in the following:

◦ Identifying needs and providing TTA at a national level to child- and family-serving agencies.

◦ Supporting recipients with meeting the legislative requirements of the CBCAP program [PDF].

◦ Working with tribes, tribal organizations, and migrant programs.

◦ Partnering with parents, caregivers, and youth to plan, implement, and evaluate TTA activities.

◦ Using a protective factors framework [PDF] and aligning TTA activities with ACF’s Strategic Plan.

◦ Identifying factors that can increase the risk of child abuse and neglect (such as trauma exposure, substance misuse, domestic violence, and homelessness), as well as factors that reduce risk.

◦ Providing TTA on evaluation of family support and prevention services.

• Establishing roles within the team, such as project director, child welfare liaison, and evaluator.

• Participating in CB required meetings.

Build knowledge and capacity The center will increase CBCAP recipients’ knowledge, skills, and capacity. It is anticipated this will involve the following:

• Identifying strengths and gaps in the state and local delivery of services to children and families.

• Selecting and carrying out evidence-based or evidence-informed child abuse prevention programs, services, and supports tailored to communities.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 8 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cb/capta.pdf https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cb/capta.pdf https://cwig-prod-prod-drupal-s3fs-us-east-1.s3.amazonaws.com/public/documents/victimscan.pdf?VersionId=A9FH5nb7o4odlH74aTL8qwKJNfxxO6F2 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/about/acf-strategic-plan-2022

• Identifying and implementing strategies to increase the participation of parents in CBCAP services, to include planning, carrying out, and evaluating their programs, with particular focus on:

◦ Racial and ethnic minorities.

◦ Tribal communities.

◦ Adults with disabilities and/or caring for children with disabilities.

◦ Homeless families and those at risk of homelessness.

◦ Adult survivors of child abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.

◦ Other underserved or underrepresented populations.

• Developing and maintaining partnerships with state and local child- and family-service providers to create networks of services and resources to support families.

• Increasing participation in other federal and state efforts to evaluate and improve services and outcomes for children and families, such as Child and Family Services Plans and Child and Family Services Reviews.

• Reducing structural barriers that foster inequity within their organizations and communities.

• Identifying program goals and evaluating progress toward achieving them.

• Increasing awareness, understanding, and use of research findings on child abuse prevention services.

Increase awareness and accessibility of TTA resources The center will increase awareness, availability, and accessibility of TTA resources to prevention service providers and CBCAP grant recipients. It is anticipated these resources will include:

• Increased availability of learning tools.

• Increased accessibility of information on effective prevention services and TTA resources.

• Increased opportunities to foster peer-to-peer learning and transfer of knowledge.

• Increased dissemination of new or existing culturally responsive products, findings, and relevant resources developed with or by other CB technical service providers.

• Increased availability of supports, such as technology, to help recipients complete their reports and applications on time.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 9 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/child-family-services-plans https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/child-family-services-plans https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/monitoring/child-family-services-reviews

Increase opportunities for collaboration The center will increase opportunities for collaboration and develop network resources and support for child- and family-serving agencies. It is anticipated this will include:

• Partnering with individuals and organizations with knowledge and experience with child abuse prevention to develop and provide TTA activities. Entities to partner with may include, but are not limited to:

◦ CB’s Child Welfare Information Gateway.

◦ CB’s Capacity Building Collaborative.

◦ CB’s Learning and Coordination Center.

◦ Other federal agencies or TTA providers focused on prevention.

◦ Parents, caregivers, and others with relevant knowledge to share.

• Supporting CB initiatives to increase awareness of ways to support families and prevent child abuse and neglect, such as:

◦ Assisting with the development, review, and printing of the Prevention Resource Guide.

◦ Promoting Child Abuse Prevention Month at national, state, and local levels.

◦ Providing TTA to states and tribes through joint efforts with other CB technical assistance providers, including those mentioned in this section.

Evaluate TTA activities The center will evaluate how it carries out its TTA activities and whether goals are being achieved. The evaluation will:

• Be supported by a logic model.

• Assess progress toward the center’s goals.

• Include a reliable measurement plan and sound methodological design.

• Outline strategies to collect, manage, share, and analyze data.

• Describe how data will inform improvement of funded activities.

The center should be able to evaluate the project objectively, either by:

• Sufficient in-house capacity or

• A plan for contracting with a third-party evaluator or a university or college

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 10 https://www.childwelfare.gov/ https://capacity.childwelfare.gov/ https://cblcc.acf.hhs.gov/ https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/20232024-prevention-resource-guide/ https://www.childwelfare.gov/resources/20232024-prevention-resource-guide/

Cooperative agreement—Description of ACF’s involvement A cooperative agreement is a method of awarding federal assistance in which substantial federal involvement is anticipated. The agreement clearly defines CB’s and the expected awardee’s responsibilities. CB anticipates that its involvement will benefit you in your ability to carry out the project. CB’s involvement and collaboration will include the following:

• Reviewing and approving plans for activities before you carry them out.

• Collaborating with you on major project activities, such as:

◦ Planning the project.

◦ Carrying out activities.

◦ Improving information technology.

◦ Providing TTA.

◦ Producing publications or other products.

◦ Evaluating the project.

• Monitoring your activities to make sure they fit within the requirements of the funding.

Note: Consistent with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C.

3501-3521), CB 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.

Funding policies and limitations We do not allow the following costs under this NOFO:

• Construction

• Purchase of real property

• Major renovation

See 45 CFR § 75.420 – 75.475 for information on costs that are always unallowable or have restrictions.

Indirect costs Indirect costs are those for a common or joint purpose across more than one project and that cannot be easily separated by project. Learn more at 45 CFR § 75.414, Indirect Costs.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 11 https://pra.digital.gov/ https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFR5d90ba314caea08 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/section-75.414

To charge indirect costs you can select one of two methods:

Method 1—Approved rate. You currently have an indirect cost rate approved by your cognizant federal agency.

Method 2—De minimis rate. Per 45 CFR § 75.414(f), if you have never received a negotiated indirect cost rate, you may elect to charge a de minimis rate. If you are awaiting approval of an indirect cost proposal, you may also use the de minimis rate. If you choose this method, costs included in the indirect cost pool must not be charged as direct costs.

This rate is 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC). See 45 CFR § 75.2 for the definition of MTDC. You can use this rate indefinitely.

Subawards The prime recipient must maintain a substantive role in the project. We define a substantive role as conducting funded activities and providing services that are necessary and integral to completing the project. Monitoring your subrecipient’s activities alone is not a substantive role. See 45 CFR § 75.352 for information on subrecipient monitoring.

We do 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.

Subrecipients must meet the eligibility requirements of this NOFO.

Statutory authority Title II, section 207 of CAPTA (42 U.S.C. 5116g)

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 12 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.414(f) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.2(Modified%20Total%20Direct%20Cost) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/section-75.352

Step 2:

Get Ready to Apply

In this step

Get registered 14

Find the application package 14

Learn more 14

Get registered SAM.gov You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier. SAM.gov registration can take several weeks. Begin that process today.

To register, go to SAM.gov Entity Registration and click Get Started. From the same page, you can also click on the Entity Registration Checklist for the information you will need to register.

Grants.gov You must also have an active account with Grants.gov. You can see step-by step instructions at the Grants.gov Quick Start Guide for Applicants.

Need help? See Contacts and Support.

Find the application package The application package has all the forms you need to apply. You can find it online. Go to Search Grants at Grants.gov and search for opportunity number HHS-2024-ACF- ACYF-CZ-0052. Then, click the Package tab. The required forms are also listed in this

NOFO.

If you can’t use Grants.gov to download application materials, you may request them from the grants management contact.

If you are also unable to apply through Grants.gov, see the section on exemptions for paper submissions.

Learn more Visit Applying for an ACF Grant Award on the ACF Grants page.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 14 https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration http://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants https://grants.gov/search-grants https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant

Step 3:

Prepare Your Application

In this step

Application contents and format 16

Application contents and format Application components You will submit two files plus the other required forms in the application package.

File one: Project Narrative Attachment form Includes:

• Table of contents

• Project summary, one page

• Project narrative

• Line-item budget and budget narrative

File two: Other Attachments form Includes all attachments.

Forms Includes other required forms.

Required format Page limit for file one and file two combined: 75 pages

File format: Portable Document File (PDF) is recommended, but not required. ACF supports the following file formats when you attach files to the Project Narrative Attachment Form and the Other Attachments Form:

• Adobe PDF (.pdf)

• Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)

• Microsoft Excel (.xls or .xlsx)

• Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt)

• Image formats (.JPG, .GIF, .TIFF, or .BMP only)

Paper Size: 8 ½ inches x 11 inches

Margins: 1 inch all around

Language: English

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 16

If possible, include page numbers

Do not include external links to information you want reviewers to assess.

Fonts Font: Times New Roman

Size: 12-point font

Footnotes and text in tables and graphics may be 10-point.

Spacing Table of contents: Must be single-spaced

Project summary: Must be single-spaced

Project narrative: Must be double-spaced

Logic model: Can be single-spaced

Line-item budget and budget narrative: Can be single-spaced

Resumes or curricula vitae (CV): Must be single-spaced

Attachments: As needed

Tables and footnotes throughout: Can be single-spaced

Table of contents At the beginning of file one, insert a table of contents that guides a reader through the contents of both files in your application. If possible, include links to the relevant content in file one.

Project summary Provide a one-page summary of the project description. Do not cross-reference to other parts of the application. The summary must include:

• At the top, the project title, applicant name, address, phone numbers, email addresses, and any website URL.

• A brief description of the project, including the needs and population you will address and your proposed services.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 17

Project narrative The project narrative is where you address all of your proposed activities. It is a critical section of your application, which we evaluate and rank against other applications using the merit review criteria. Remember that substance and measurable outcomes are more important than length. We are particularly interested in project narratives that convey strategies for achieving intended performance.

In it, you must:

• Explain how the project will meet the purpose of the NOFO, as described in the program description.

• Make sure your narrative is clear, concise, and complete.

• Use cross-referencing rather than repetition.

• Be sure to include any required supporting documents noted. You generally provide these in your attachments.

• Use the headings and order of the sections that follow.

Objectives State your main objectives and any sub-objectives.

• Address how the objectives stated relate to the overall purpose of this program.

• Describe how you will achieve the objectives.

• Describe your understanding of the legislative requirements of the CBCAP program [PDF].

• Outline your vision for creating a center that will support recipients in meeting these legislative requirements.

Expected outcomes Identify the outcomes you plan to achieve from the project. Outcomes should relate to the overall program as described in the program description section. If research is part of the proposed work, outcomes must include hypothesized results and implications of the proposed research.

Approach Outline your action plan. Describe the scope and detail of how you will accomplish your proposed project. Account for all functions or activities you identify in your application.

Explain potential obstacles and challenges to accomplishing your project goals. Explain the strategies you will use to address them.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 18

You should clearly outline how you will provide TTA to build the capacity of CBCAP recipients and their state, local, and tribal partners. You should also explain how you will improve the capacity of CBCAP recipients and their partners to provide effective community-based child abuse prevention programs.

You must describe how your approach to TTA is culturally responsive. You must also include how you will provide specific types of TTA activities under each of the three categories described in the program description:

• Universal capacity-building services

• Specialized capacity-building services

• Tailored services

You should respond to the objectives discussed in the program description and describe how you will carry out these objectives. Include each of the following sections, referring to the full descriptions in the program description.

Staff the center Explain how you will develop a qualified team to provide TTA.

Build knowledge and capacity Explain how your approach will increase CBCAP recipients’ knowledge and capacity to carry out the items mentioned in the program description.

Increase awareness and accessibility of TTA resources Describe how you will increase awareness and accessibility of TTA resources as a way to distribute information on the areas outlined in the program description.

Increase opportunities for collaboration Explain how you will join existing or create new partnerships to develop networks of resources and support for child- and family-serving agencies. Address all the items mentioned in the program description.

Project timeline and milestones Provide a timeline for your project that includes milestones. To do so:

• Organize the information by task and subtask, showing related milestones.

• Provide monthly or quarterly quantitative projections for what you plan to accomplish and by when. For example, provide the number of people you plan to serve or the number of a certain activity you plan to complete.

• If you can’t quantify some of your accomplishments, provide their target dates.

• Cover the full period of performance in your timeline.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 19

Organizational capacity Provide the following information for your full project team including the applicant organization and any cooperating partners, contractors, and subrecipients:

• Evidence that your team has the relevant experience and expertise needed to carry out your project.

• Description of your team’s experience with administering, developing, implementing, managing, and evaluating similar projects, including the objectives described in the program description.

• Evidence that your team has the organizational capability to fulfill their roles and functions effectively.

• Description of your plan for assigning or hiring the following roles, which can each be filled by different staff or by one to two staff members filling multiple roles:

◦ A project director to oversee and manage the effective completion of all project activities.

◦ A child welfare liaison who understands state and tribal child welfare systems and has experience developing and using culturally sensitive outreach and networking activities.

◦ An evaluator to lead the development and implementation of a plan to evaluate whether the project is achieving identified outcomes.

• Definitions of the roles, responsibilities, and time commitments of each proposed key project staff position, including any consultants, subcontractors, and partners.

Plan for oversight of federal award funds and activities You must ensure proper award oversight. The regulation that governs this oversight is 45 CFR Part 75 Subpart D. It includes standards for:

• Financial and program management.

• Property management.

• Procurement.

• Performance and financial monitoring and reporting.

• Subrecipient monitoring and management.

• Record retention and access.

• Remedies for noncompliance.

• Prior written approval.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 20 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75/subpart-D

Describe your framework to ensure proper oversight of federal funds and activities.

Include:

• A description of the governance, policies and procedures, and systems you use for record keeping and financial management.

• A description of the procedures to identify and mitigate risks and issues. These might include audit findings, continuous performance assessment findings, and monitoring.

• The key staff who will be responsible for maintaining oversight of program activities, staff, and any partners or subrecipients.

Project performance evaluation plan Describe a plan for how you will evaluate your project’s performance and how it will contribute to continuous quality improvement. This plan must describe:

• How you will monitor ongoing activities and the progress toward the project’s goals and objectives.

• The inputs, key activities, and expected outcomes of the funded activities. Inputs might include your collaborative partners, key staff, budget, service processes, or other resources.

• How you will measure the inputs, activities, and outcomes.

• How you will use the resulting information to inform improvement of funded activities.

• Any processes that support the overall data quality.

• The organizational systems and processes that will track performance outcomes.

• How your organization will collect and manage data in a way that allows for accurate and timely reporting of performance outcomes. This might include assigning skilled staff, data management software, and/or methods to ensure data integrity.

• Any potential obstacles to implementing the project performance evaluation and how you will address them.

• A timeline for how you will review information from the performance evaluation and apply it to your ongoing project.

Address all the items mentioned in the evaluation section of the program description.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 21

Logic model You must submit a logic model for designing, managing, and evaluating the project. A logic model is a diagram that:

• Presents how inputs drive activities to produce outputs, outcomes, and the ultimate goals of the proposed project.

• Explains the links among project elements.

• Targets the identified objectives and goals of the project.

This ACF resource on logic models [PDF] provides additional information you can use to develop your logic model.

Protection of sensitive or confidential information Describe how you will collect and safeguard protected personally identifiable information and other information that is considered sensitive. Make sure your approach is consistent with applicable federal, state, local, and tribal laws regarding privacy and obligations of confidentiality. Provide:

• The methods and systems you will use to ensure that you properly handle confidential and sensitive information, including any subrecipients and/or contractors.

• A plan for the disposition of such information at the end of the period of performance.

See 45 CFR § 75.303(e) for more information.

Line-item budget and budget narrative The line-item budget and budget justification support the information you provide in the Budget Information Standard Form (SF)424-A. See the other required forms.

It justifies the costs you ask for and includes added detail, including detailed calculations for the “object class categories” in the Budget Information Standard Form.

You will provide this information for each year of the period of performance. See information on funding periods.

As you develop your budget, consider:

• If the costs are necessary, reasonable, allocable, and consistent with your project’s purpose and activities.

• How you calculate your costs in ways that are clear and repeatable.

• The restrictions on spending funds. See the funding policies and limitations.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 22 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/prep-logic-model-ts_0.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.303(e)

• Funds to support required travel for:

◦ The project director, child welfare liaison, evaluator, and/or other key staff to attend a two-to-three-day kick-off meeting in Washington, DC, within two to three months of the award of this project.

◦ The project director, child welfare liaison, evaluator, and/or other key staff to attend the annual two-day meeting of CBCAP recipients in Washington, DC.

• Funds to help develop and distribute an annual Prevention Resource Guide and support annual Child Abuse Prevention Month activities.

We encourage you also to review the Standard Form instructions.

To create your line-item budget and justification, see detailed budget instructions on our website.

In general, you must:

• Indicate the method you will use for your indirect cost rate. See the section on indirect costs for further information.

• Include estimation methods, quantities, unit costs, and other similar quantitative detail sufficient for the calculation to be duplicated.

• For any cost-sharing, include a detailed listing of any funding sources identified in Block 18 of the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance.

Proprietary or personally identifiable information In your application, you may identify salary or other proprietary information or personally identifiable information. We will remove this information from applications before they go to reviewers.

If you have an exemption for paper submission, you can protect salary information and any proprietary information by placing that information only in the original application. You can remove the information from the copies, keeping summary information.

Attachments You will upload attachments in Grants.gov using the Other Attachments form. These attachments are included in the overall application page limit, unless it says otherwise in this section.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 23 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/prepare-budget https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/prepare-budget

Indirect cost agreement If you include indirect costs in your budget using an approved rate, include a copy of your current agreement approved by your cognizant agency for indirect costs. If you use the de minimis rate, you do not need to submit this attachment.

See the section on indirect costs for more information.

Legal proof of nonprofit status If your organization is a nonprofit, you need to attach proof. We will accept any of the following:

• A reference to your listing in the IRS’s most recent list of tax-exempt organizations.

• A copy of a current tax exemption certificate from the IRS.

• A letter from your state’s tax department, attorney general, or another appropriate state official saying that your group is a nonprofit and that none of your net earnings go to private shareholders or others.

• A certified copy of your certificate of incorporation or similar document. This document must show that your group is a nonprofit.

• Any of these documents for a parent organization. Also include a statement signed by an official of the parent group that your organization is a nonprofit affiliate.

Organizational capacity supporting information You must attach the following information to support the information in your organizational capacity section:

• Organizational charts, including all partners.

• Resumes or curricula vitae (CV) for all key personnel.

• Biographical sketches for all key personnel.

• Job descriptions for each vacant key position.

• Copy or description of the applicant organization’s fiscal control and accountability procedures.

• Information on compliance with federal, state, and local government standards.

• Information on the project director, child welfare liaison, evaluator, and/or other key staff.

• Evidence that your organization and any partnering organizations have relevant experience and expertise administering, developing, implementing, managing, and evaluating programs similar to the one described in this NOFO.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 24 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.2(Cognizant%20agency%20for%20indirect%20costs)

• Evidence that each participating organization, including partners and/or subcontractors, has the organizational capability to fulfill its roles and functions effectively.

Third-party agreements You must submit agreements with all third parties involved in the project. Third parties include subrecipients, contractors, and other cooperating entities. Third-party agreements include letters of commitment, memoranda of understanding, and memoranda of agreement. We do not consider general letters of support to be third-party agreements.

Any such agreement must:

• Describe the roles and responsibilities for project activities.

• Describe the support and resources that the third party is committing to the proposed project.

• Be signed by the person in the third-party organization with the authority to make such commitments.

• Detail work schedules and estimated compensation with an understanding that the parties will negotiate a final agreement after award.

• Identify the primary applicant and all collaborators responsible for project activities if for a collaboration or consortia application.

Maintenance of effort certification Not included in the page limit.

You will self-certify your maintenance of effort. Place this certification on your organization’s letterhead. See the maintenance of effort wording at ACF’s website.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 25 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/certification-regarding-maintenance-effort https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/certification-regarding-maintenance-effort

Other required forms You will need to complete some other required forms. Upload the following forms at Grants.gov. You can find them in the NOFO application package or review them and their instructions at Grants.gov Forms.

Forms Submission requirement

Application for Federal Assistance

(SF-424)

With the application.

Budget Information for Non- Construction Programs (SF-424A)

With the application.

Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B)

With the application.

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

(SF-LLL)

If applicable, with the application or before award.

Key Contacts With the application.

Grants.gov Lobbying Form With the application or before award.

Project/Performance Site Location(s) (SF-P/PSL)

With the application. Cite your primary location and up to 29 additional performance sites.

Protection of Human Subjects With the application.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 26 https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family

Step 4:

Learn About Review and Award

In this step

Application review 28

Award notices 32

Application review Initial review We review each application to make sure it meets basic requirements. We won’t consider an application that:

• Requests funding above the award ceiling.

• Is submitted after the deadline.

• Is from an individual, including a sole proprietorship or a foreign entity.

• Is received in paper format that didn’t have a previously approved exemption from

ACF.

We will let you know if your application is disqualified within 30 days of the application deadline. You won’t receive any notice from ACF if your application failed Grants.gov validation checks.

If you submit more than two files in addition to your forms, we will remove the extra files. We will let you know if this happens.

We will also remove blurred or illegible pages and any file formats that are not supported.

We will not review any pages that exceed the page limit.

If your application fails to adhere to ACF’s NOFO formatting, font, and page limitation requirements, we will adjust your application by removing page(s) from the application. We will remove the pages before the merit review and will not send them to reviewers.

If we remove pages, we will send you a letter after we make awards to notify you that we amended your application.

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 28

Merit review A panel reviews all applications that pass the initial review using the criteria in this section.

Additionally, our reviewers typically are not federal employees. See the section on proprietary and personally identifiable information.

Criteria

Criterion Total number of points = 100

1. Objectives 15 points

2. Approach 40 points

3. Organizational capacity 20 points

4. Project performance evaluation plan and logic model 20 points

5. Budget and budget justification 5 points

Objectives (Maximum points: 15) In reviewing the objectives in your project narrative, reviewers will consider the extent to which you:

• Clearly state your main objectives and any sub-objectives, including all the details requested in the objectives section.

• Describe your understanding of the legislative requirements of the CBCAP program [PDF].

• Outline your vision for creating a center that will help recipients meet legislative requirements.

Approach (Maximum points: 40) In reviewing your approach, reviewers will consider the extent to which you fully and clearly:

• Describe a plan for providing TTA to build the capacity of CBCAP recipients, including descriptions of the three types of services: universal capacity-building services, specialized capacity-building services, and tailored and intensive services.

• Demonstrate a complete plan to staff the center with individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences, as described in the program description.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 29

• Outline a comprehensive approach to build CBCAP recipients’ knowledge, skills, and capacity, addressing each item listed in the program description.

• Describe ways you will increase awareness and accessibility of TTA resources with CBCAP recipients and other prevention-focused service providers, including all the specific items requested in the program description.

• Describe your approach to increase opportunities for collaboration and develop new partnerships among state and child- and family-service providers to create networks of services and resources to support families, responding to the components mentioned in the program description.

Organizational capacity (Maximum points: 20) In reviewing your organizational capacity, reviewers will consider the extent to which you:

• Demonstrate expertise in administering, developing, carrying out, managing, and evaluating similar projects.

• Show expertise in providing TTA to build the capacity of child- and family-serving agencies.

• Show comprehensive knowledge of and experience with all the items mentioned in the program description, approach, and organizational capacity sections.

• Provide appropriate roles and responsibilities.

• Show that your key partners have committed to the project, if applicable.

Project performance evaluation plan and logic model (Maximum points: 20) Reviewers will consider the extent to which:

• You propose a clear plan to evaluate the project that satisfies the requirements in the program description section on evaluating TTA activities and the project performance evaluation plan section of the project narrative.

• Your logic model illustrates your approach and addresses the outcomes you plan to achieve. The activities you describe are well-conceived and linked to the outcomes. You link your proposed activities and services to your goals.

Budget and budget justification (Maximum points: 5) In reviewing the budget and budget justification, reviewers will consider the extent to which you:

• Provide a budget narrative and detailed line-item budget justification for the duration of the project. The costs are reasonable based on the activities you are conducting, expected results, and benefits.

• Include the costs for travel to the required meetings in Washington, DC.

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 30

• Include the costs of helping produce the annual Prevention Resource Guide.

• Include enough funding for all required activities to ensure the success of the project.

Risk review Before making an award, we review the risk that you will not prudently manage federal funds. We need to make sure you’ve handled any past federal awards well and demonstrated sound business practices. We use SAM.gov Responsibility / Qualification to check this history for all awards likely to be over $250,000.

If we find a significant risk, we may choose not to fund your application or to place specific conditions on the award.

For more details, see 45 CFR § 75.205.

Selection process When making funding decisions, we consider:

• Merit review results. These are key in making decisions but are not the only factor.

• Organizations serving emerging, unserved, or under-served populations.

• The larger portfolio of agency-funded projects by considering geographic distribution.

• The past performance of the applicant.

We may:

• Fund applications in whole or in part.

• Fund applications at a lower amount than requested.

• Decide not to allow a prime recipient to subaward if they may not be able to monitor and manage subrecipients properly.

• Decide not to fund a project with high startup costs or unreasonably high operating costs.

• Choose not to fund applicants with management or financial problems.

• Designate your application as “approved but unfunded” if it was successful but there was not sufficient funding to make an award. You may receive funding if additional funds become available within the fiscal year.

• Choose to fund no applications under this NOFO.

We will not fund:

• An incomplete application.

• A disqualified application.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 31 https://sam.gov/content/entity-information https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/section-75.205

Award notices How we make awards If you are successful, we will email or transmit through our grant systems a Notice of Award (NoA) to your authorized official. We will email you if your application is disqualified or unsuccessful.

The NoA is the only official award document. The NoA tells you about the amount of the award, important dates, and the terms and conditions you need to follow. Until you receive the NoA, you have not received an award. Project costs that you incur before you receive a NoA are at your risk.

If you want to know more about NoA contents, go to Notice of Award at ACF’s website.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 32 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/manage-grant/grant-award#noa

Step 5:

Submit Your Application

In this step

Application submission and deadlines 34

Application checklist 36

Application submission and deadlines Deadlines Application Due on July 1, 2024.

• For electronic submissions, the due time is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).

• If you receive an exemption from electronic submission, the due time is 4:30 p.m.

ET. See exemptions for paper submissions.

Grants.gov creates a date and time record when it receives the application. If you submit the same application more than once, we will accept only the last on-time submission.

The grants management officer may extend an application due date based on emergency situations such as documented natural disasters or a verifiable widespread disruption of electric or mail service.

Submission methods Grants.gov You must submit your application through Grants.gov unless we give you an exemption for a paper submission. See information on getting registered.

For instructions on how to submit in Grants.gov, see the Quick Start Guide for Applicants. Make sure that your application passes the Grants.gov validation checks. Do not encrypt, zip, or password protect any files.

See Contacts and Support if you need help.

Issues with federal systems If you experience a systems issue with Grants.gov or SAM.gov, please refer to ACF’s Policy for Applicants Experiencing Federal Systems Issues.

Exemptions for paper submissions We need to give you an exemption before you can apply on paper. See the ACF Policy for Requesting an Exemption from Required Electronic Application Submission. Once we have approved your exemption, download your forms package under the “Package” Tab in Grants.gov.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 5: Submit Your Application 34 http://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants http://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ACF%20Policy%20for%20Applicants%20Experiencing%20Federal%20Systems%20Issues.pdf 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

To submit your application, mail it to:

CB Operations Center c/o LCG, Inc.

ATTN: HHS-2023-ACF-ACYF-CA-0078

6000 Executive Boulevard, Suite 410 Rockville, MD 20852

The requirements include:

• Print your application and all copies one-sided.

• Applicants must submit one original and two copies of the complete application, including all standard forms and OMB-approved forms.

• You must submit the original and both copies in a single package. If you plan to submit more than one application under this NOFO or others, you must submit them separately. Clearly label each package with the NOFO title and funding opportunity number.

• Your authorized organization official must sign the application. One application copy must include an original signature.

Other submissions Intergovernmental review This NOFO is not subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs. No action is needed.

Mandatory disclosure You must submit any information related to violations of federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the federal award. See Mandatory Disclosures, 45 CFR § 75.113.

Send written disclosures to us at CB@grantreview.org and to the Office of Inspector General at grantdisclosures@oig.hhs.gov.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 5: Submit Your Application 35 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/section-75.113 mailto:CB@grantreview.org mailto:grantdisclosures@oig.hhs.gov

Table of contents

Project summary

Project narrative

Line-item budget and budget narrative

Indirect cost agreement

Legal proof of nonprofit status

Organizational capacity supporting information

Third-party agreements

Maintenance of effort certification

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)

Assurances for Non-Construction Programs

(SF-424B)

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

Key Contacts

Grants.gov Lobbying Form

Project/Performance Site Location(s) (SF-P/

PSL)

Protection of Human Subjects

Application checklist Make sure that you have everything you need to apply:

Component How to upload Included in page limit?

File One: Narratives Use the Project Narrative Attachment form.

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

File Two: Attachments Insert each in the Other Attachments form.

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Other required forms Upload using each required form.

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

Step 5: Submit Your Application 36

Step 6:

Learn What…