HHS_2024_ACF_OCS_EE_0152.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due July 2, 2024

Office of Community Services (OCS)

Community Economic Development (CED) Planning Projects Opportunity number: HHS-2024-ACF-OCS-EE-0152

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 10

Get registered 11

Find the application package 11

Learn more 11

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 13

Application contents and format 14

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 29

Application review 30

Award notices 38

Step 5: Submit Your Application 39

Application submission and deadlines 40

Application checklist 43

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 44

Post-award requirements and administration 45

Contacts and Support 46

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 2, 2024 Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 2, 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)

Office of Community Services (OCS)

This program builds administrative capacity to stimulate new Community Economic Development (CED) projects in persistent high-poverty areas with struggling economies that have been unable to put forth a viable CED project in the past.

Have questions?

See Contacts and Support.

Key facts

Opportunity Name:

Community Economic Development (CED) Planning Projects

Opportunity Number:

HHS-2024-ACF-OCS-

EE-0152

Federal Assistance Listing:

93.570

Statutory authority number:

42 U.S.C. 9921(a)(2)

Key dates

Application deadline:

July 2, 2024

Expected award date:

August 30, 2024

Expected start date:

September 30, 2024

See deadlines.

Summary This program provides funding to stimulate new Community Economic Development (CED) project development through administrative capacity building. OCS will make awards to up to 10 Community Development Corporations (CDCs) to plan and develop CED projects in underserved communities.

CED Planning grants direct resources to persistent high-poverty areas with struggling economies that have been unable to put forth a viable CED project in the past. The goal is to provide CDCs with financial assistance for administrative capacity building. With increased administrative capacity, CDCs will be better equipped to design a sustainable business project and package a viable competitive application to be submitted in a CED grant competition within 12 months after the end of the project period.

This program is authorized by section 680(a)(2) of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 9921(a)(2).

Funding details Type: Grant

Estimated total program funding: $1.5 million

Total expected awards: 10

Minimum award amount (award floor): $75,000

Maximum award amount (award ceiling): $150,000

Funding periods: 24-month period of performance with one 24-month budget period.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 5

Eligibility Who can apply

Eligible applicants Entities that meet all three of the following criteria may apply:

• Private, nonprofit CDC with 501(c)(3) status.

• Articles of incorporation or bylaws demonstrate that the CDC has a principal purpose of planning, developing, or managing low-income housing or CED activities.

• The CDC’s Board of Directors has representation from each of the following:

community residents, business leaders, and civic leaders.

Individuals, including sole proprietorships, and foreign entities may not apply.

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

Cost sharing This program has no cost-sharing requirement. If you choose to include cost-sharing funds, we will consider it during review. 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 CED Planning grants direct resources to persistent high-poverty areas with struggling economies that have been unable to put forth a viable CED project in the past. The goal is to provide CDCs with financial assistance for administrative capacity building. With increased administrative capacity, CDCs will be better equipped to design a sustainable business project and package a viable competitive application to be submitted in a CED grant competition within 12 months after the end of the project period.

About CED job creation The CED program seeks to address barriers to economic self-sufficiency in communities with high unemployment and low incomes by awarding funds to CDCs to implement CED projects. These projects create business development and job opportunities for individuals with low incomes. Learn more about the CED program on the CED website.

Purpose of the CED planning grant Many areas of the country need a CED award but do not have adequate time or resources to plan for the CED application. These potential applicants are in some of the highest persistent poverty areas throughout the country. We are committed to ensuring that communities in greatest need are supported in their efforts to compete for CED funding and ultimately create new job opportunities for individuals with low incomes.

We made this planning grant funding available to support a variety of administrative capacity-building activities that will ultimately allow recipients adequate time and resources to put together a viable CED application.

We seek to fund projects that align with OCS priorities and will award bonus points for projects that meet the following criteria. For more details, see the merit review section.

• Upholding Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad and the Justice40 Initiative, which underscore funding support for energy communities. This funding opportunity will prioritize efforts to revitalize energy communities and communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution.

• Increasing equity in the geographic distribution of CED funds. This funding opportunity will prioritize funding CDCs serving geographically underserved communities, including communities in states and territories that are without an active CED project and/or have never been awarded a CED project in the past, rural communities, persistent poverty counties, and Native American communities.

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

• Breaking down service silos across OCS programs and leveraging existing partnerships. This funding opportunity will prioritize funding CDCs that are partnering with the following OCS programs:

◦ Affordable Housing and Supportive Services Demonstration (AHSSD)

◦ Community Services Block Grant Program (CSBG)

◦ Diaper Distribution Demonstration & Research Pilot (DDDRP)

◦ Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

◦ Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)

◦ Medical-Legal Partnerships Plus (MLP+)

◦ Rural Community Development Program (RCD)

◦ Social Services Block Grant Program (SSBG)

Eligible activities CED Planning funds may be used to implement activities that will lead to a viable CED project concept and a competitive CED application. These activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Convene and organize stakeholders within the target community to strategize on shared economic development efforts, visions, and desired paths forward.

• Develop, update, or expand existing CED visioning statements and planning documents.

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

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

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

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

• Develop a business plan for an identified business development or economic development opportunity. Business plans created through this funding should identify the following:

◦ Sources and uses of funding.

◦ Market analysis and strategy.

◦ Products, services, and target customer base.

◦ Marketing and sales plan.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 8

◦ Management plan.

◦ Operations plan.

• Fund travel for key project staff to attend ACF-sponsored workshops, conferences, and recipient orientations.

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

• Construction.

• Purchase of real property.

• Major renovation.

• Subawards/pass-throughs.

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.

To charge indirect costs, you can select one of the following 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.

Learn more at 45 CFR 75.414, Indirect Costs.

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

9921(a)(2).

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 9 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/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-75.414

Step 2:

Get Ready to Apply

In this step

Get registered 11

Find the application package 11

Learn more 11

Get registered SAM.gov Your entity must have an active registration 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-OCS- EE-0152. Then, click the “Package” tab.

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 exemptions for paper submissions.

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

Resources for prospective applicants will be available on the OCS website.

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

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 11 https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration http://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 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/ced-information-prospective-applicants

Pre-application presentation You can view a pre-application presentation on the OCS website. The presentation will be posted no later than 10 days after this NOFO’s publication, until the closing of this NOFO. The goal of the pre-application presentation is to outline the CED program’s purpose and strategies, provide key dates for submitting an application for CED, and review key application criteria and requirements, as outlined in the NOFO.

Viewing the pre-application presentation is voluntary. Only the information provided in this NOFO will be presented. Opting to not view the presentation will not affect eligibility, application scoring, or the selection process.

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

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 12 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/ced-information-prospective-applicants

Step 3:

Prepare Your Application

In this step

Application contents and format 14

Application contents and format Application components You will submit two files plus the standard 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.

Other required forms Includes other required forms.

Required format Page limit for File One and File Two combined: 200 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 – Portable Document Format (.pdf)

• Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)

• Microsoft Excel (.xls or .xlsx)

• Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt)

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

Paper Size: 8 ½ inches x 11 inches

Margins: 1 inch all around

Language: English

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 14

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

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

Attachments: Can be single-spaced

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 planning 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 planning project, including the needs and population you will address and your proposed services.

Project narrative The project narrative is where you address all your proposed planning 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.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 15

In it, you must:

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

• 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.

Geographic location Provide the precise physical location of your project and boundaries of the area you will serve.

Need for assistance Identify the problems you plan to solve. These problems could be physical, economic, social, financial, institutional, etc. To do so:

• Demonstrate the need, including the nature and scope of the problem.

• You may provide supporting documentation, such as letters of support and testimonials, in an application appendix.

• Include any relevant data based on planning studies or needs assessments. You may refer to them in the endnotes or footnotes.

• Use demographic data and participant or beneficiary information where you can.

Objectives State your main objectives and any sub-objectives. Address how the objectives stated relate to the overall purpose of this program and describe how you will achieve the objectives.

Demonstrate an understanding of the CED program’s objective to create a viable business development or expansion and job creation project that employs individuals with low incomes and provides the social supports and wraparound services they need to succeed in those jobs.

Describe how the proposed CED Planning project will build administrative capacity that will directly lead to a fundable application for a successful CED job creation project.

This can include, but is not limited to:

• Convening community stakeholders.

• Developing a community vision for CED.

• Obtaining community buy-in for economic development activities.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 16

• Assessing local economic assets.

• Identifying viable markets for business development.

• Identifying existing federal, state, local, and private funding opportunities.

• Developing and formalizing community partnerships.

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.

Describe how the proposed CED Planning project will build administrative capacity that will directly lead to a fundable application for a successful CED job creation project.

Explain potential obstacles and challenges to accomplishing your project goals. Explain the strategies you will use to address them. This can include, but is not limited to:

• How you will implement proposed activities related to securing community partnerships.

• How you will implement proposed activities related to economic development visioning.

• The type, audience, frequency, and objectives of community outreach and engagement activities that you will implement.

• The approach you will use to document and evaluate local assets.

• How you will perform studies to understand the local business climate and market for products and services.

• How you will perform research to inventory and identify local, state, regional, national, and private opportunities to obtain additional funding for CED project conceptualization and implementation.

• How you will prioritize equity in activities related to the project.

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.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 17

• Provide monthly or quarterly quantitative projections for what you plan to accomplish and by when. For example, provide the activities you plan to complete in order to put together a viable CED project.

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

• Cover the full period of performance in your timeline.

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

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

• Describe your team’s experience with administering, developing, implementing, managing, and evaluating similar projects.

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

You will provide some supporting information in the attachments section.

Demonstrate that the Board of Directors has granted board approval for the proposed project.

Board approval – A document authorizing the approval of the proposed project by the Board of Directors to ensure the goals and objectives of projects are community-driven and in accordance with community-prioritized needs for job creation. This could be demonstrated through a board resolution, meeting notes, or other written documentation that records the decisions or actions of a CDC Board of Directors.

If you cannot demonstrate substantial experience with economic development projects similar in size and scope to those you propose in your application, provide evidence of a viable partnership with a more experienced partner. Describe how the more experienced partner will provide the administrative, technical, and/or financial technical assistance needed to ensure the success of the project. Demonstrate such a partnership through a third-party agreement that includes a description of roles and the relationship between you and the project partner. See attachments, third-party agreements.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 18

More experienced partner – A project partner that successfully meets all of the following requirements: is a CDC, has completed two or more CED projects, has completed one or more projects involving activities similar to the proposed project, and has experience with collaborative programming.

Provide biographical sketches, degree information, and descriptions of previous project experience demonstrating that the identified staff are qualified for their designated roles in the project. Identify the percent of time each individual has available for the project.

State whether all key project staff positions are filled with identified staff who have available time to fill the appropriate time commitments. Demonstrate that key project staff have experience in supervision, financial management, business development and management, and working with the target population.

Describe each individual’s skills and experience in enough detail to demonstrate an ability to fulfill the tasks assigned to them. In cases where a key staff person has not yet been hired, demonstrate that an appropriate position description, recruitment strategy, and estimated hiring timeline have been developed.

Federal evaluation As a condition of acceptance of an award, all funded recipients are required to agree to participate fully in federal evaluations, if selected, and to follow all evaluation protocols established by ACF or its designee contractor. Your participation may include (but is not limited to):

• Supporting and complying with special data collection requirements.

• Providing additional administrative data on program participation or service receipt.

• Facilitating on-site meetings and observations, including interviews with program and partner managers and staff as well as participants.

• Incorporating planned variation into program strategies.

Recipients selected to be in a federal evaluation will receive technical assistance and other support in meeting evaluation requirements. Recipients included in a federal evaluation must also meet regular award reporting requirements.

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 19

You must include a statement confirming that you agree to participate in a federal evaluation, if selected.

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 non-compliance

• Prior written approval

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.

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.

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 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.303(e)

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 other required forms.

They justify the costs you ask for and include added detail, including detailed calculations for the “object class categories” in the Budget Information Standard Form.

You will provide this information for the period of performance. See 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.

• How funds are restricted. See funding policies and limitations.

We encourage you also to review the Standard Form instructions.

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

In general, you must:

• Indicate the method you will use for your indirect cost rate. See 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.

Use the following guidelines for preparing the project budget and budget justification.

Only include allowable costs in accordance with 45 CFR Part 75 Subpart E.

Personnel Description: Costs of employee salaries and wages. See 45 CFR 75.430 for more information on allowable personnel costs. Do not include the personnel costs of consultants, contractors and subrecipients under this category.

Justification: For each position, provide:

• The name of the individual (if known).

• Their title.

• Time commitment to the project in months.

• Time commitment to the project as a percentage of full-time equivalent.

• Annual salary.

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 21 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/prepare-budget

• Grant salary.

• Wage rates.

Identify the Project Director, if known at the time of application.

Fringe benefits Description: Costs of employee fringe benefits are allowances and services provided by employers to their employees in addition to regular salaries and wages. For more information on fringe benefits please refer to 45 CFR 75.431. Do not include the fringe benefits of consultants, contractors, and subrecipients.

Typically, fringe benefit amounts are determined by applying a calculated rate for a particular class of employee (full-time or part-time) to the salary and wages requested.

Fringe rates are often specified in the approved indirect cost rate agreement. Fringe benefits may be treated as a direct cost or indirect cost in accordance with your accounting practices. Only fringe benefits as a direct cost should be entered under this category.

Justification: Provide a breakdown of the amounts and percentages that comprise fringe benefit costs such as health insurance, Federal Insurance Contributions Act taxes, retirement, taxes, etc.

Travel Description: Costs of project-related travel (for example, transportation, lodging, and food) by employees of the applicant organization who are traveling on official business.

Travel by non-employees such as consultants, contractors, or subrecipients should be included under the Contractual line item. Local travel for employees in non-travel status should be listed on the Other line. Travel costs should be developed in accordance with your travel policies and 45 CFR 75.474.

Justification: For each trip, show:

• Total number of travelers.

• Travel destination.

• Duration of trip.

• Per diem.

• Mileage allowances, if privately owned vehicles will be used to travel out of town.

• Other transportation costs and subsistence allowances.

If appropriate for this project, you should detail travel costs for key project staff to attend one ACF-sponsored workshop/conference/recipient orientation in the budget justification.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 22

Equipment Description: “Equipment” means an article of non-expendable, tangible personal property (including information technology systems) having a useful life of more than one year and a per unit acquisition cost that equals or exceeds the lesser of the following two options:

• The capitalization level established by the organization for the financial statement purposes

• $5,000

Acquisition cost – The net invoice unit price of an item of equipment, including the cost of any modifications, attachments, accessories, or auxiliary apparatus necessary to make it usable for the purpose for which it is acquired. Ancillary charges, such as taxes, duty, protective in-transit insurance, freight, and installation, shall be included in, or excluded from, acquisition cost in accordance with the organization’s regular written accounting practices. See 45 CFR 75.439 for more information.

Justification: For each type of equipment requested, provide:

• A description of the equipment.

• The cost per unit.

• The number of units.

• The total cost.

• A plan for use on the project.

• A plan for use or disposition of the equipment after the project ends.

Supplies Description: Costs of all tangible personal property, other than included under the Equipment category. This includes office and other consumable supplies with a per-unit cost of less than $5,000. See 45 CFR 75.453 for more information.

Justification: Specify general categories of supplies and their costs. Show computations and provide other information that supports the amount requested.

Contractual Description: Cost of all contracts except for those that belong under other categories such as equipment, supplies, construction, etc. Costs related to individual consultants should be listed on the Other line. Recipients are required to use 45 CFR 75.326-.340 procurement procedures, and subawards are subject to the requirements at 45 CFR 75.351-.353.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 23

Justification: Demonstrate that all procurement transactions will provide open, free competition as much as possible. You must justify any anticipated procurement action that is expected to be awarded without competition and exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold stated in 48 CFR 2.101(b). Recipients may be required to make pre-award review and procurement documents, such as requests for proposals or invitations for bids, independent cost estimates, etc., available to ACF.

For each contract, provide the following:

• The name of the contractor (if known).

• A description of anticipated services.

• A justification for why they are necessary.

• A breakdown of estimated costs.

• An explanation of the selection process.

Other Description: Enter the total of all other costs. Such costs may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Consultant costs.

• Local travel.

• Insurance.

• Food (when allowable).

• Medical and dental costs (non-personnel).

• Professional service costs (including audit charges).

• Space and equipment rentals.

• Printing and publications.

• Computer use.

• Training costs (such as tuition and stipends).

• Staff development costs.

• Administrative costs.

Please note that costs must be allowable per 45 CFR part 75 subpart E.

Justification: Provide a breakdown of costs, computations, a narrative description, and a justification for each cost under this category.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 24

Indirect charges Description: Total amount of indirect costs. This category has one of two methods you can select. You may only select one.

Method 1 — As described under funding policies and limitations, indirect costs.

Justification: Enclose a copy of the current approved rate agreement. If you are requesting a rate that is less than what is allowed under the program, the authorized representative of the applicant organization must submit a signed acknowledgement that the applicant is accepting a lower rate than allowed. Choosing to charge a lower rate will not be considered during the objective review or award selection process.

Method 2 — As described above under funding policies and limitations, indirect costs, and per 45 CFR 75.414(f) Indirect costs.

Justification: This method only applies if you have never received an approved negotiated indirect cost rate from HHS or another cognizant federal agency. Applicants awaiting approval of their indirect cost proposal may request the 10% de minimis rate.

When you choose this method, costs included in the indirect cost pool must not be charged as direct costs to the grant.

Commitment of non-federal resources Description: Amounts of non-federal resources that will be used to support the project as identified in Block 18 of the SF-424. This line should be used to indicate required and/or voluntary committed cost sharing or matching, if applicable.

You are not required to provide cost sharing or matching. However, you are allowed to voluntarily propose a commitment of non-federal resources. If you decide to voluntarily contribute non-federal resources towards project costs and the costs are accepted by ACF, the non-federal resources will be included in the approved project budget. You will be held accountable for all proposed non-federal resources as shown in the Notice of Award (NoA).

Failure to meet the voluntary amount of non-federal resources that was accepted by ACF as part of the approved project costs and that was identified in the approved budget in the NoA may result in the disallowance of federal funds. You will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

Justification: You must provide detailed budget information for every funding source identified in Item 18, “Estimated Funding ($),” on the SF-424.

You must identify and document the specific costs or contributions you propose in order to meet a matching requirement. You are also required to document the sources of funding or contributions.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 25

In-kind contributions must be accompanied by a justification of how the stated valuation was determined. Matching or cost sharing must be documented by budget period (or by project period for fully funded awards).

Applications that lack the required supporting documentation will not be disqualified from competitive review; however, it may impact an application’s scoring under the evaluation criteria in criteria.

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 below.

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 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 Internal Revenue Services’ (IRS) 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.

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 26 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.2(Cognizant%20agency%20for%20indirect%20costs)

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

Additional eligibility documentation Qualified CDCs are eligible to apply. In accordance with section 680(a)(2) of the CSBG Act, 42 U.S.C. 9921(a)(2), to be a qualified CDC, an organization must meet all of the following three conditions:

• The organization must be a private nonprofit with 501(c)(3) status.

• The organization must have articles of incorporation or bylaws demonstrating that the CDC has a principal purpose of planning, developing, or managing low-income housing or community development projects.

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

Attach proof that your organization meets these three conditions.

Note: The CDC designation does not need to be specified on any official documents as long as the three requirements stated earlier in this definition are met. However, the board membership should be assigned to the appropriate tripartite designation.

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

• Resumes or Curricula Vitae for all key personnel.

• Job descriptions for each vacant key position.

• List of your Board of Directors.

• Financial statements adhering to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, if available, for up to the two most recently completed fiscal years (this requirement does not apply to start-up organizations).

• Evidence that your organization and partnering organizations have relevant experience and expertise with administration, development, implementation, management, and evaluation of programs similar to that offered under this funding opportunity.

• Evidence that each participating organization, including partners, contractors and/or subrecipients, possess the organizational capability to fulfill their role(s) and function(s) 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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 27 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.

Letters of support Attach statements from community, public, or commercial leaders that support your project. At minimum, each letter of support must identify the person writing the letter, the organization they represent, the date, and their reasons for supporting the project.

Other required forms You will need to complete some required forms. Upload the forms listed here 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)

If applicable, with the application

Assurances – Non-Construction Programs

(SF-424B)

If applicable, 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

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 28 https://www.grants.gov/forms

Step 4:

Learn About Review and Award

In this step

Application review 30

Award notices 38

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 from an applicant that is not a CDC.

• 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 fails 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 do so, we will send you a letter after we make awards to notify you that we amended your application.

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

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

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 30

Criterion Total number of points = 100, plus 12 bonus points

1. Need for assistance 10 points

2. Objective and expected outcomes 15 points

3. Approach 30 points

4. Organizational capacity 25 points

5. Letters of support 5 points

6. Project budget and budget justification information 15 points

7. Bonus points 12 points

Criteria In reviewing each criterion, reviewers will consider the extent to which it addresses the program requirements:

Need for assistance (maximum points: 10) See the need for assistance section of the project narrative.

• The project is needed to build administrative capacity to expand community infrastructure and prepare the underserved community to implement an economic development project. The economic development project will ultimately:

◦ Create or expand participating businesses and create new jobs.

◦ Provide jobs in the community that individuals with low incomes can get and keep, that are not being created by other organizations.

• You provide recently published (within the past five years) and relevant evidence that both the unemployment rate and the poverty rate within the census tract(s) or zip code in which the project is located are equal to, or greater than, the state or national level.

Objective and expected outcomes (maximum points: 15) See the objectives and expected outcomes sections of the project narrative.

• You demonstrate an understanding of the CED program’s objectives to create a viable business development or expansion and job creation project that employs individuals with low incomes and provides the social supports and wraparound services they need to succeed in those jobs.

• You describe how the proposed administrative capacity building will directly lead to a fundable application for a successful CED job creation project.

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 31

• The project will be implemented in a community that needs additional administrative capacity building to conceptualize a viable CED project and develop an application that will allow them to compete for future CED funding.

• You describe the current state of community infrastructure with respect to one or more of the following:

◦ Convening community stakeholders.

◦ Developing a community vision for CED.

◦ Obtaining community buy-in for economic development activities.

◦ Assessing local economic assets.

◦ Identifying viable markets for business development.

◦ Identifying existing federal, state, local, and private funding opportunities.

◦ Developing and formalizing community partnerships.

• You clearly articulate the gaps, where they exist, with respect to one or more of the following:

◦ Convening community stakeholders.

◦ Developing a community vision for CED.

◦ Obtaining community buy-in for economic development activities.

◦ Assessing local economic assets.

◦ Identifying viable markets for business development.

◦ Identifying existing federal, state, local, and private funding opportunities.

◦ Developing and formalizing community partnerships.

Approach (maximum points: 30) See the approach section of the project narrative.

The approach to the project is clear and well-conceived. It:

• Demonstrates the planned activities that will result in the community infrastructure needed to develop a viable, equitable CED project and application that can compete for future CED funding.

• Describes one or more of the following:

◦ How proposed activities related to securing community partnerships will be implemented.

◦ How proposed activities related to economic development visioning will be implemented.

◦ The type, audience, frequency, and objectives of community outreach and engagement activities that will be implemented.

◦ The approach by which local assets will be documented and evaluated.

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 32

◦ How studies will be performed to understand the local business climate and market for products and services.

◦ How research will be performed to inventory and identify local, state, regional, national, and private opportunities to obtain additional funding for CED project conceptualization and implementation.

◦ How activities related to the project will prioritize equity.

Organizational capacity (maximum points: 25) See the organizational capacity section of the project narrative.

• The organization, staff, and/or project partners have sufficient overall experience to carry out the project.

• A resolution, meeting minutes, or other documentation demonstrate that the Board of Directors has granted approval for the proposed project.

• You identify staff that will be responsible for maintaining oversight for each program activity, staff, and partner(s), and you describe procedures and policies used to oversee staff and/or partners/contractors.

• If you cannot demonstrate substantial experience with economic development projects similar to those proposed in the application, you include evidence of a viable partnership with a more experienced partner, including evidence of a strategy for the more experienced partner to provide the…