HHS_2024_ACF_OCS_EDA_0146.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Office of Community Services

Diaper Distribution Demonstration and Research Pilot

HHS-2024-ACF-OCS-EDA-0146

Application Due Date: 07/11/2024

Table of Contents Executive Summary

I. Program Description

II. Federal Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

III.3. Other

IV. Application and Submission Information

IV.1. Address to Request Application Package

IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Required Forms, Assurances, and Certifications

The Project Description

The Project Budget and Budget Justification

Application Submission Options

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

IV.4. Submission Dates and Times

Explanation of Due Dates

Acknowledgement of Received Application

IV.5. Intergovernmental Review

IV.6. Funding Restrictions

IV.7. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Criteria

V.2. Review and Selection Process

V.3. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

VI. Federal Award Administration Information

VI.1. Federal Award Notices

VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

VI.3. Reporting

VII. HHS Award Agency Contact(s)

VIII. Other Information

Reference Websites

Application Checklist

Appendix

Funding Opportunity Title:

Diaper Distribution Demonstration and Research Pilot Announcement Type:

Initial Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2024-ACF-OCS-EDA-0146

Assistance Listing Number:

93.647 Due Date for Applications:

07/11/2024

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 an award, please visit "Applying for an ACF Award" at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS) announces the availability of funds for a Diaper Distribution Demonstration and Research Pilot (DDDRP). OCS will make approximately $8.4 million available through a competitive process.

OCS expects to make approximately seven cooperative agreements to eligible Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) state associations, tribes that were funded directly by CSBG in fiscal year (FY) 2024, and CSBG-funded territories. Recipients will partner with community action agencies (CAAs), local social service agencies, and/or other non-profit community organizations to operate and expand diaper distribution programs for families with low incomes.

The purpose of the DDDRP is to evaluate the ability of CAAs, social services agencies, and other non-profit community organizations to provide diapers and diapering supplies on a consistent basis through diaper distribution programs while also providing wraparound support services for families with low incomes.

As part of the pilot and in cooperation with the recipients, OCS will conduct a robust evaluation to collect pertinent information to assess DDDRP award recipients’ use of the funding to support low-income families by expanding ongoing diaper distribution programs (i.e., programs where families can receive diapers on a consistent basis) that also offer wraparound services.

Recipients will participate fully in a federal evaluation and follow all evaluation protocols established by ACF and/or its designee contractor(s). Fully participating in a federal evaluation may include supporting and complying with special data collection requirements; providing additional administrative data on program participation or service receipt; facilitating on-site https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant meetings and observations, including interviews with program and partner managers and staff as well as participants and other activities. In addition, the federal evaluation may include an evaluation of the DDDRP's implementation, program and participant outcomes associated with DDDRP, an examination of ongoing diaper distributions as an anti-poverty strategy, and an assessment of the effectiveness of DDDRP.

I. Program Description

Statutory Authority This program is funded under the authority of section 1110 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C.

1310.

Description A. Purpose

The purpose of the DDDRP is to evaluate the ability of CAAs, social services agencies, and/or other non-profit community organizations to provide diapers and diapering supplies on a consistent basis through diaper distribution programs while also offering wraparound support services for families with low incomes. An evaluation accompanying the program will study the implementation and/or impact of additional funding for diapers on families, partnering organizations, and the greater community.

B. Background/Statement of Need

One in three families in the United States with diaper-age children report having unmet diaper need.[1] Diaper need is largely defined as the lack of a sufficient supply of diapers to keep an infant/toddler clean, dry, and healthy. Infrequent diaper changes can lead to diaper rashes and urinary tract infections, compromising the health and well-being of infants and toddlers.

According to a study [2] on the impacts of diaper need and child health, families who have a limited supply of diapers attempt to maximize their supply of diapers by changing their infant or toddler less frequently, which can result in more infections and more visits to the doctor or trips to the hospital for children and families. This study also found associations between diaper need and parental stress, which can have negative, compounding effects on the health and well-being of both caregivers and children.

Studies also show that diaper need disproportionately impacts families with low incomes and can have long-term, multi-generational effects.[3] For instance, many child care providers require caregivers to provide an adequate supply of diapers before a child can be placed in care, yet many low-income families cannot afford a consistent supply of diapers. Therefore, diaper need can prevent infants and toddlers from being in early care settings and further exacerbate the impact of poverty by impeding caregivers’ ability to attend school, training programs, and/or work consistently. A 2019 Connecticut study measuring the impact of the diapers and diapering supplies[4] found that more than half (56 percent) of parents who rely on child care to go to work have missed work because of an inadequate supply of diapers. Furthermore, parents who were unable to access child care because of a lack of diapers missed work or school, on average, 4 days per month. Thus, access to diapers represents both a public health concern for the well-being of children and a source of economic stress for parents and caretakers.

According to a study conducted by the Rockefeller Institute of Government[5], an adequate supply of diapers costs an average of $23 per week, or an average of $1,196 per year, per child.

A single parent working full time at the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour makes $15,080 annually. Thus, the cost of diapers represents nearly 8 percent of their gross annual income, and very few of the current anti-poverty efforts targeting children and families include funding for diapers. Despite this, several studies have shown that ongoing diaper support has been found to improve economic stability, reduce familial stress, increase parental self-sufficiency, and improve both children and caretakers’ health and well-being.

In one study,[6] the influx of funding for diapers and diapering supplies was correlated with incidences of diaper rash declining by 33 percent and babies experiencing 77 percent fewer days of diaper rash. Moreover, the annual medical costs prevented, as a result of having adequate diapers, was calculated at over $4.2 million. Funding for diapers and diapering supplies also represents an opportunity to build stronger community connections. Diaper programs can serve as an entryway for families to get connected to other support services or programs for which they may be eligible, such as parenting classes, job training courses, mental health counseling, basic needs assistance, or housing services. Additionally, other successful diaper distribution programs have demonstrated that families connect and form relationships with others when they attend programs to receive diapers, which can be a vital protective factor and promote resiliency.

ACF’s Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation published a literature review brief on February 24, 2023, to provide foundational information about diaper distribution programs.

Diaper Distribution Programs: Overview of Programs and Available Research | ACF can be found at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/diaper-distribution-programs-overview-programs-and-available-research. The brief describes the current landscape of diaper distribution programs and summarizes the research about them.

As a condition of acceptance of an award, all funded DDDRP recipients are required to agree to participate fully in a federal evaluation and to follow all evaluation protocols established by ACF or its designee contractor(s). This evaluation is expected to collect information to evaluate program implementation, examine participant outcomes, and design a future impact study. This will require grant recipients, sub-grant recipients, and partners to collaborate with the research team to administer a beneficiary survey and collect administrative records, survey data, program data, or other information as needed to support the evaluation.

C. Goals and Desired Outcomes

DDDRP cooperative agreements will provide funding to scale-up existing diaper distribution programs where families can receive diapers on a consistent (i.e., regular) basis and maximize diaper distribution to diverse families with low incomes in various service areas and geographic regions.

As DDDRP is a demonstration program, OCS seeks to award cooperative agreements to organizations representing a diverse set of communities and regions of the country.

DDDRP recipients must manage the following requirements:

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/diaper-distribution-programs-overview-programs-and-available-research https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/diaper-distribution-programs-overview-programs-and-available-research

• Partner with local service organizations including CAAs, social services agencies, and other non-profit community organizations;

o Tribal recipients can utilize local existing diaper distribution programs operating within the structure of the tribal government and/or the jurisdiction of the tribe.

• Provide training and technical assistance (T/TA) to their partners to help them expand and/or strengthen existing diaper distribution programs;

• Work with their partners to make bulk purchases and ensure efficient transport of diapers and diapering supplies in such a manner as to take advantage of economies of scale;

• Assure that their partners are providing a range of wraparound support services to the beneficiaries of the diaper programs;

• Participate fully in the federal evaluation of DDDRP and follow all evaluation protocols established by ACF and/or its designee contractor(s); and

• Contribute to the overall cost of the project. (For more information on the match, please see Section III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching.)

DDDRP recipients must work toward the outcomes below. Recipients may be expected to report on their progress regarding these outputs/outcomes in their semi-annual reports, and the federal evaluation may seek to assess recipient performance on these outputs/outcomes.

• Short-term outcomes o Increased consistency of regular diaper provision by participating organizations o Increased connection to wraparound support services for families with low incomes o Decreased rates of missed days for children enrolled in child care o Increased organizational capacity to provide diaper distribution services o Increased community capacity to provide diapers, diapering supplies, and wraparound support services o Improved service and organizational coordination among social service agencies, community organizations, and other providers in the state

• Intermediate outcomes o Increased efficiency (e.g., reduced costs, reduced wait times for families between diaper giveaways) of diaper distribution programs o Individual/family reductions in certain health issues (e.g., diaper rash, bladder infections) and/or avoidable emergency department visits related to improved health of caretakers and children o Increased rates of children enrolled in child care o Increased workforce participation by beneficiaries o Increased participation in training and/or higher education by beneficiaries o Improved caretakers’ health and well-being (e.g., anxiety, depression)

• Long-term outcomes o Community reductions in certain health issues (e.g., diaper rash, urinary tract infections) and/or avoidable emergency department visits related to improved health of caretakers and children o Increased stability/sustainability of organizational diaper distribution programs o Improved connection to the community o Reduced unemployment in the community o Improved school readiness (e.g., if children are in educational child care settings) o Reduced economic stress o Increased family income

D. Activities

Areas of activity: There are five areas of activity for the DDDRP. Recipients will be required to implement projects that have a thorough plan for value-added activities in each of the following five areas:

1. Establishing partnerships with local service organizations with current diaper distribution programs. Tribal recipients can utilize local existing diaper distribution programs operating within the structure of the tribal government and/or the jurisdiction of the tribe.

2. Expanding existing diaper distribution programs.

3. Providing T/TA to partners to expand and/or strengthen existing diaper distribution programs, including providing wraparound services to program beneficiaries.

4. Facilitating bulk purchasing and efficient transportation of diapers and diapering supplies using economies of scale models.

5. Actively supporting the federal evaluation and ACF’s evaluation contractor and encouraging partners to do the same.

Principles: Recipients will be required to design and implement their diaper distribution pilot so that it reflects the following principles:

• Pilot programs must have as a central feature the distribution of diapers and diapering supplies to participating low-income families on a consistent, regular basis (e.g., bi-weekly, monthly) as opposed to an ad hoc approach.

o Pilot programs must ensure that diapers are distributed to each participating family at least once every 2 months, but preferably more often.

o Pilot programs must also ensure they take into consideration the changing sizes and needs of children from month to month and adjust diaper supply orders accordingly.

• Pilot programs must offer diaper distribution services to families/individuals who need them regardless of the age of the child (e.g., families with young children, families with individuals with disabilities and/or special needs).

o To ensure valid, reliable, and replicable results of this research demonstration, pilot programs should limit diaper purchasing for children under the age of 18.

• Recipients must design and implement their pilot programs with a consideration for the ultimate environmental impact of the program’s activities.

• Recipients must prioritize equity in the design and implementation of their pilot programs.

1. Establishing Program Partnerships

Award recipients must establish partnerships with a variety of local service organizations including CAAs, social services agencies, and/or other non-profit community organizations with experience operating diaper distribution programs. The purpose of the partnerships is to increase the organizations’ collective capacity to provide comprehensive diaper distribution services and outreach to families with low incomes. Working closely with their community partners, recipients will use this pilot funding to implement programs that expand the reach, depth, and/or quality of the existing diaper distribution (and related) programs. For the purposes of tribal recipients, community partners can be defined as local existing diaper distribution programs operating within the structure of the tribal government and/or the jurisdiction of the tribe.

Recipients, other than tribes, must partner with at least one CAA and one social service agency and/or other non-profit community organization with experience operating diaper distribution (and related) programs. These partner organizations will work together with the recipient to expand and/or strengthen these programs as part of their pilot project. Their focus will be on scaling up the current infrastructure, operating the programs in an efficient and effective manner, and maximizing the overall impact of the diaper distribution programs. Tribal recipients will work to scale up existing diaper infrastructure operating within the structure of the tribal government and/or the jurisdiction of the tribe.

The success of these projects will require a range of diverse community partners that will be integrally involved in all aspects of the project–beginning with the design planning and continuing through the implementation phase–to accomplish the goals and outcomes listed above.

Applicants are encouraged, as part of their community engagement, to actively involve families with low incomes from the communities to be served in the design, implementation, and operation of the proposed project, including in the development of the application itself.

2. Expanding Diaper Distribution Programs

Award recipients and their community partners (e.g., CAAs, social service agencies, and other non-profit organizations) will be responsible for growing and strengthening the existing network of diaper distribution programs in their state or region(s) of focus and ensuring that participating families have access to 1) diapers and related diaper supplies on an ongoing basis and 2) wraparound support services (i.e., additional social services to address other identified needs).

This will include soliciting beneficiary participation in the pilot program, holding regular diaper distributions for participants, connecting beneficiaries to other wraparound support services, and tracking beneficiaries' participation throughout the duration of the program. Data may be tracked through the federal evaluation and/or recipients’ regular performance progress reports.

Recipients will also be responsible for collaborating with partner organizations on the logistics of ordering and distributing diapers and ensuring partner organizations distribute diapers directly to beneficiaries on a regular basis (e.g., at least once every 2 months, but preferably more often).

Additionally, recipients will ensure that partner organizations collect survey data and other information from and about program beneficiaries at established intervals throughout the 2-year program period as directed by ACF and ACF’s federal evaluation contractor (e.g., baseline, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months). Tribal recipients will be responsible for growing and strengthening diaper distribution programs within the tribal government and/or jurisdiction of the tribe.

Please note that DDDRP grant award funding may only be used to support the provision of diapers and diapering supplies. DDDRP award funding may not be used to pay directly for any wraparound support services.

3. Providing Training and Technical Assistance

Recipients must work with their partner organizations to expand and/or strengthen existing diaper distribution programs for families with low incomes. Recipients must work with their community partners to support the partners’ participation in DDDRP by providing them with T/TA related to the efficient and effective operation and expansion of their diaper distribution programs, including providing wraparound support services to program beneficiaries.

Areas of T/TA related to program logistics may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Cost-effective diaper purchasing

• Effective diaper delivery practices

• Data tracking

• Management and organization

• Outreach

• Organizational and programmatic capacity-building efforts

• Program quality

• Expanding partnerships and increasing collaboration

A key part of this pilot is ensuring participating families have access to the additional services the organizations offer to support families with low incomes and increase the families’ overall economic capacity and mobility. Award recipients and their community partners will connect participating families with the wraparound support services currently offered within their agency or community, which may include financial literacy services, child care services, transportation, substance use disorder treatment, English language education, job training, social service referrals, casework, housing services, etc. Recipients will work closely with their community partners through the provision of T/TA and other activities and resources to ensure beneficiaries are connected to a variety of wraparound support services so that, together with the regular distribution of diapers, participating families can achieve a higher level of economic independence. For the purposes of tribal recipients, tribes must ensure that their expanded diaper distribution programs within their tribal jurisdiction allow families with low incomes to have access to additional wraparound support services as listed in the examples above.

4. Coordinating Diaper Distribution Logistics

Recipients will assist their partners in the bulk purchasing and efficient transportation of diapers and diapering supplies for the diaper distribution programs. Recipients will work with their partners to plan and coordinate the logistics in a manner that considers the unique needs and resources of their service area and maximizes the efficiency, effectiveness (including cost), and reach of the pilot project. For example, recipients may determine that it is most effective for them to buy in bulk for all their partners and then allocate and distribute the diapers and diapering supplies centrally. Alternatively, recipients may determine that the most efficient approach is to negotiate a single bulk purchasing agreement with a manufacturer that the partners can then participate in, or they may add the most value by helping their partners establish their own purchasing agreements. In any case, recipients must make sure they follow their own procurement procedures and ensure compliance with all relevant regulations. Tribal recipients will work within their tribal government and/or tribal jurisdiction to coordinate bulk purchasing and efficient transportation of diapers and diapering supplies for diaper distribution programs.

Award recipients will consider the benefits and costs of different options and make the best use of economies of scale.

5. Evaluation

Award recipients will work closely with ACF and ACF’s evaluation contractor(s) to facilitate a robust evaluation of this federal diaper distribution pilot. The federal evaluation will include gathering regular implementation data (e.g., number of diapers distributed, age of children) from recipients. It may also include, but is not limited to, data gathering from recipients, partners, and/or program beneficiaries through surveys, small focus groups, and/or qualitative interviews.

Recipients will fully and actively support the federal evaluation and work with and encourage their partner organizations to do the same. Recipients can provide training and/or other support to their community partners to ensure their full participation and to maximize the participation of the program beneficiaries (e.g., survey completion).

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. ACF will obtain OMB approval under PRA prior to collecting or requesting the collection of any information from more than nine individuals or entities.

ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES

The focus of the program is to scale-up existing diaper distribution programs where families can receive diapers on a consistent (i.e., regular) basis and maximize diaper distribution to diverse families with low incomes in various service areas and geographic regions. Funds from this award may be used within the five areas of activity described above for diapers and diapering supply needs. The following are examples of possible activities and are not meant to be definitive or exhaustive:

• Purchasing, transporting, and storing diapers and diapering supplies and planning the logistics of such activities.

• Organizing and facilitating regular diaper distribution/delivery to participating families.

• Collecting data and other information about the implementation of the program to improve performance.

• Providing T/TA to community partners related to the efficient and effective operation and expansion of their diaper distribution programs.

As a reminder, funds for this program may only be used for expenses associated with diaper and diapering supply needs.

BONUS POINTS

Bonus points will be awarded to applications that:

• Describe how families with low incomes from the communities to be served participated in the development of the application, were involved in the design of the project, and will be involved in its implementation.

• Demonstrate that the proposed project will collaborate with other OCS-funded programs.

• Demonstrate that the proposed project will be located in an area without an active

DDDRP project.

See Section V.1. Criteria of this funding opportunity for more information about bonus points.

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. Additionally, all subrecipient(s) must obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number assigned by the System for Award Management (SAM), if they do not already have one. Prime recipients are required to check SAM to verify that the subrecipient(s) is/are not debarred, suspended, or ineligible.

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

OCS Response to Nationally Declared Emergency

If, during the project period, OCS and/or recipients are required to adjust program and/or cooperative agreement 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.

E. Definitions

Beneficiary—For the purposes of this NOFO, the beneficiary includes both parents and/or caretakers of the diaper recipient and the diaper recipient themselves.

Community Action Agencies (CAAs)—Over 1,000 local level private and public non-profit organizations established to fight America’s war on poverty. Also known as CSBG-eligible entities (42 U.S.C. 9901 et seq.), these agencies create, coordinate, and deliver programs and service to communities with the goals of reducing poverty and investing in individuals and families with low-incomes to advance economically mobility and self-sufficiency.

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

Community partners—For the purposes of this NOFO, community partners include local service organizations including CAAs, social services agencies, and/or other non-profit community organizations with experience operating diaper distribution programs. For the purposes of tribal applicants, community partners can be defined as local diaper distribution programs operating within the structure of the tribal government and/or the jurisdiction of the tribe. Tribal recipients are not required to partner with CAAs, social service agencies, and/or other non-profit organizations external to the tribal jurisdiction.

CSBG—CSBG, authorized at 42 U.S.C. 9901 et seq., provides funds to states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. territories, and federally and state-recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations to support services designed to alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty by assisting individuals and families with low incomes and communities with services based on local needs (e.g., employment, education, and adequate housing).

CSBG State Associations—For the purposes of this NOFO, CSBG state associations are member organizations that provide coordination and T/TA designed to increase the capacity of CSBG-eligible entities to carry out the mandate of the CSBG Act, host conferences, measure results, and provide member services, coordination, and training. State associations are a key part of the T/TA efforts for the CSBG Network.

Diapers and diapering supplies—For the purposes of this NOFO, diapers and diapering supplies include, but are not limited to, disposable or cloth diapers for young children, pull-ups, diapers for older children, wipes, diaper rash cream, etc.

Diaper distribution infrastructure—For the purposes of this NOFO, diaper distribution infrastructure refers to the logistics surrounding ordering, transporting, storing, and ultimately distributing diapers and diapering supplies to families with low incomes. This also includes performing outreach.

Diaper need—For the purposes of this NOFO, diaper need is defined as a consistent lack of sufficient diaper supply to keep an infant or child clean, dry, and healthy.

Economies of scale—For the purposes of this NOFO, economies of scale are cost savings companies experience with increased level of production and when production becomes efficient and costs can be spread over a large amount of goods. For the purposes of this NOFO, purchasing using economies of scale principles refers to buying diapers in bulk (larger units) to ultimately reduce costs per diaper and maximize program funds to provide as many diapers to families with low incomes as possible.

Equity—For the purposes of this NOFO, equity means 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.

Non-profit community organizations (NPOs)—For the purposes of this NOFO, a non-profit community organization is a business that has been granted tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) because it furthers a social cause and provides a public benefit. Non-profit organizations are sometimes called NPOs or 501(c)(3) organizations based on the section of the tax code that permits them to operate.

Ongoing diaper support/Ongoing diaper distributions—For the purposes of this NOFO, these are programs where families can receive diapers on a consistent basis.

Social service agencies—For the purposes of this NOFO, social service agencies are those that promote the health and well-being of individuals by helping them to become more self-sufficient; strengthening family relationships; and restoring individuals, families, groups, or communities to successful social functioning.

Support services/Wraparound support services—For the purposes of this NOFO, support services (sometimes called wraparound support services) encompass any service that an individual or family with low income may need to become more financially stable and self-sufficient. Support services include, but are not limited to, financial literacy services, child care services, transportation, substance use disorder treatment, English language education, job training, social service referrals, basic needs support, housing services, etc. Please note that DDDRP grant award funding may only be used to support the provision of diapers and diapering supplies. DDDRP award funding may not be used to pay directly for any wraparound support services.

Underserved communities—For the purposes of this NOFO, underserved communities are those communities where the populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied the full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life.

F. Pre-Application Webinar

A pre-application webinar will be available for viewing no later than 7 days after publication at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/programs/diaper-distribution-pilot until the closing of this NOFO.

The goal of the pre-recorded webinar is to outline DDDRP program’s purpose and strategies;

provide key dates for applying for DDDRP; and review key application criteria and requirements, as outlined in the NOFO.

Viewing 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 view 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/diaper-distribution-pilot.

G. OCS Equity Action Statement

OCS is committed to advancing equity across all programs as called for in the Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government and the Executive Order on Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through The Federal Government. OCS focused on the following areas to guide the creation of a comprehensive strategy: addressing the root causes of inequity in underserved communities; elevating the voices of individuals, families, award recipients, and stakeholders in strategic planning; revising policies that perpetuate systemic barriers to opportunities; and promoting integrated service delivery using an equity lens. OCS has made steps to advance equity by implementing demographic data collection in programs https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/programs/diaper-distribution-pilot https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/programs/diaper-distribution-pilot https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/programs/diaper-distribution-pilot https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/02/16/executive-order-on-further-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/02/16/executive-order-on-further-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ across OCS to ensure programs are equitably serving individuals and households across the country. In FY 2023, recipients of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program will begin reporting demographic data on race, ethnicity, and gender. Learn more about OCS's activities here.

[1] Massengale, K., Comer, L., Austin, A., & Goldblum, J., (2020). Diaper Need Met Among Low-Income US Children Younger Than 4 Years in 2016. (2019). American Public Health Association. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6893346/.

[2] Smith, M. V., Kruse, A., Weir, A., & Goldblum, J. (2013). Diaper need and its impact on child health. Pediatrics, 132(2), 253–259. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-0597

[3] Smith, M. V., Kruse, A., Weir, A., & Goldblum, J. (2013). Diaper need and its impact on child health. Pediatrics, 132(2), 253–259. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-0597

[4] Carstensen, F. (2018). Better Health of Children: The Social and Economic Impacts of the Connecticut Diaper Bank. Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis.

https://ccea.uconn.edu/2018/05/05/better-health-of-children-the-social-and-economic-impacts-of-the-connecticut-diaper-bank/#

[5] Carstensen, F. (2018). Better Health of Children: The Social and Economic Impacts of the Connecticut Diaper Bank. Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis.

https://ccea.uconn.edu/2018/05/05/better-health-of-children-the-social-and-economic-impacts-of-the-connecticut-diaper-bank/#

[6] Carstensen, F. (2018). Better Health of Children: The Social and Economic Impacts of the Connecticut Diaper Bank. Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis.

https://ccea.uconn.edu/2018/05/05/better-health-of-children-the-social-and-economic-impacts-of-the-connecticut-diaper-bank/#

II. Federal Award Information

Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Estimated Total Funding:

$8,400,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$1,200,000 Per Project Period

Award Floor:

$800,000 Per Project Period

Average Projected Award Amount:

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/ocs-equity-action-statement-fy2022 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6893346/ https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-0597 https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-0597 https://ccea.uconn.edu/2018/05/05/better-health-of-children-the-social-and-economic-impacts-of-the-connecticut-diaper-bank/ https://ccea.uconn.edu/2018/05/05/better-health-of-children-the-social-and-economic-impacts-of-the-connecticut-diaper-bank/ https://ccea.uconn.edu/2018/05/05/better-health-of-children-the-social-and-economic-impacts-of-the-connecticut-diaper-bank/ https://ccea.uconn.edu/2018/05/05/better-health-of-children-the-social-and-economic-impacts-of-the-connecticut-diaper-bank/ https://ccea.uconn.edu/2018/05/05/better-health-of-children-the-social-and-economic-impacts-of-the-connecticut-diaper-bank/ https://ccea.uconn.edu/2018/05/05/better-health-of-children-the-social-and-economic-impacts-of-the-connecticut-diaper-bank/

$1,200,000 Per Project Period

Anticipated Project Start Date:

09/30/2024 Length of Project Periods:

Other

Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' One 24-month project period with one 24-month 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 the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity. Please see Section III.3. Other, Application Disqualification Factors.

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

The responsibility for the control, direction, or performance of the project will be shared by OCS and the recipient. OCS will have the right to intervene (including interruption or modification) in the conduct or performance of project activities if the recipient does not adhere to the goals and objectives as outlined in the NOFO and a signed cooperative agreement.

OCS program involvement will include the following:

• Providing program guidance and input, as appropriate;

• Approving all work plans and schedules;

• Reviewing and providing feedback on the activities, documentation, procedures, measures, and tools established and implemented for accomplishing the goals of the cooperative agreement throughout the duration of the initiative;

• Reviewing, providing feedback, and concurring with activities, procedures, tools, measures, products, and written materials prior to external communication and dissemination on an ongoing basis;

• Providing support for the federal evaluation contractor and recipients in meeting the requirements of the federal evaluation; and

• Participating in the presentation of results in publications.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants The following types of organizations are eligible to receive direct awards from DDDRP: CSBG state associations, tribes that were funded directly by CSBG in FY 2024, and CSBG-funded territories.

If a state does not have a CSBG state association or the CSBG state association is not willing to apply for funding, an individual community action agency from the state may apply with the support of a majority of all the CAAs in the state. Only one application from a CAA in the state will be accepted.

Please see Appendix A for a list of eligible organizations.

Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity. See Section III.3. Other, Application Disqualification Factors.

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement:

Yes Recipients are required to meet a non-federal share of the project cost, in accordance with section 1110(a)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1310(a)(1)(A)), which states that the funding is to be used for making grants to States and public and other organizations and agencies for paying part of the cost of research or demonstration projects.

Recipients must provide at least 9 percent of the total approved cost of the project. The total approved cost of the project is the sum of the ACF (federal) share and the non-federal share. The non-federal share may be met by cash or in-kind contributions. For example, if the total approved project cost is $ 1,318,681 , in order to meet the match requirements, a project requesting $1,200,000 in ACF (federal) funds must provide a non-federal share of the approved total project cost of at least $ 118,681 , which is 9 percent of total approved project cost.

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.

See Section IV.2. The Project Budget and Budget Justification, Commitment of Non-Federal Resources for more information.

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

Non-federal resources will be evaluated under criteria found in Section V.1. Criteria of this funding opportunity.

III.3. Other

Application Disqualification Factors Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from the merit 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, as stated in Section II. Federal Award Information, will be disqualified from the merit 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 that have not been approved for an exemption from required electronic submission will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity.

If you do not have an internet connection or sufficient capacity to upload large documents to the internet you may contact ACF for an exemption that will allow you to submit your application 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 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ACF_Policy_for_Requesting_an_Exemption_from_Required_Electronic_FINAL_0.pdf

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 the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity.

Applications submitted to Grants.gov which fail their validation check, will not be received at, or acknowledged by ACF. If you submit an application for the same NOFO more than once, only the last on-time submission will be acknowledged.

Paper applications with an approved exemption from the electronic submission requirement must be received by 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 the merit 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 Thom Campbell Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families Office of Community Services

HHS-2024-ACF-OCS-EDA-0146

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.

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

IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

FORMATTING APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS

Notice of Two-File Requirement Applicants applying via Grants.gov must upload only two electronic files, excluding Standard Forms (SFs) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB)-approved forms. Additional files will be removed prior to the merit review.

FOR ALL APPLICATIONS:

Signature of Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) Each applicant must designate an authorized organization representative (AOR) with authority to act on the organization’s behalf on matters related to the application submission and administration of awards. The AOR signature must appear on all forms in which a signature is required. By signing, the AOR agrees the organization will abide by all applicable Federal statutes, regulations and terms and conditions of the award.

Accepted Font Style and Size Applications must be in Times New Roman 12-point font, except for footnotes, which may be 10-point font.