hhs-2024-acf-orr-rb-0060_rev2.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due July 9, 2024

Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)

National Refugee Leadership and Lived Experience Council (NRLLEC) Program Opportunity number: HHS-2024-ACF-ORR-RB-0060

Contents Before you begin 3

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4

Basic information 5

Eligibility 7

Program description 8

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 18

Get registered 19

Find the application package 19

Learn more 19

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 20

Application contents and format 21

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 31

Application review 32

Award notices 37

Step 5: Submit Your Application 38

Application submission and deadlines 39

Application checklist 41

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 42

Post-award requirements and administration 43

Contacts and Support 45

Endnotes 48

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 9, 2024 Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 9, 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 7

Program description 8

Basic information Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)

Empowering refugee leaders and integrating their voices into ORR-funded programs and services.

Have questions?

See Contacts and Support.

Key facts

Opportunity name:

National Refugee Leadership and Lived Experience Council (NRLLEC) Program

Opportunity number:

HHS-2024-ACF-ORR-

RB-0060

Federal assistance listing:

93.576

Statutory authority number:

8 U.S.C. 1522(c)(1)(A), section 412(c)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act

Key dates

Application deadline:

July 9, 2024

Expected award date:

September 30, 2024

Expected start date:

September 30, 2024

See deadlines.

Summary The National Refugee Leadership and Lived Experience Council (NRLLEC) Program is a new program funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) that designs, implements, evaluates, and promotes national-level councils consisting of refugees and other ORR-eligible populations who have resettled into communities throughout the United States within the last five years. The NRLLEC Program will facilitate a National Young Adult Leadership Council comprised of members ages 18 to 24 every year for three years, as well as two additional councils with thematic focus to be determined in consultation with ORR. The NRLLEC Program will design, implement, evaluate, and promote five councils during the three-year project period.

The program’s primary goal is to positively impact the lives of council members and their refugee and larger communities by building council members’ capacity to serve as leaders. In addition, ORR recognizes that its engagement with these groups will enhance its ability to gather information from individual members firsthand about their lived experiences integrating into the United States. This will help inform ORR and its recipient network about how to best meet refugee needs through enhancing or changing ORR guidance, programming, and future councils.

The NRLLEC Program will foster inclusivity, with council members attuned to the diversity, demographics, needs, and viewpoints of the populations eligible for ORR Refugee Resettlement Program benefits and services. The NRLLEC Program will not seek consensus advice from council members.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 5 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/programs/refugees/factsheets https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/programs/refugees/factsheets https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title8-section1522&num=0&edition=prelim

Funding details Type: Cooperative agreement

Estimated total program funding: $1.5 million

Total expected awards: 1

Minimum award amount for the first budget period (award floor): $1 million

Maximum award amount for the first budget period (award ceiling): $1.5 million

Funding periods: 36-month period of performance with three 12-month budget periods

ORR will continue to fund the project for the second and third budget periods based upon:

• Satisfactory progress in the project.

• Approval of the noncompetitive application for continuation.

• A determination that continued funding is in the federal government’s best interest.

• Availability of federal funds.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 6

Eligibility Who can apply

Eligible applicants Public and private nonprofit organizations may apply.

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

Other eligibility criteria See the initial review section for disqualification factors.

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

Cost sharing This program has no cost-sharing requirement. If you choose to include cost-sharing funds, we won’t consider it during review. However, we will hold you accountable for any funds you add, including through reporting.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 7

Program description Background ORR, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF), supports the resettlement and integration of refugees, asylees, and other eligible populations, including certain humanitarian parolees (hereafter “refugees”), once they arrive in U.S. communities. ORR provides funding to state governments and national and local nonprofit agencies to implement integration services for refugees for up to five years after their arrival in the United States.

In 2020 and 2021, several Presidential Executive Orders—Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans, and Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government—encouraged the federal government to request feedback directly from clients so that their voices can be represented at the highest levels of government.

ORR recognizes the importance of engaging the populations we serve and is committed to incorporating their lived experience into decision-making about programs and services. Lived experience refers to “representation and understanding of an individual’s human experiences, choices, and options and how those factors influence one’s perception of knowledge” based on one’s own life.[1] In the context of ORR, people with lived experience include beneficiaries of ORR-funded programs or services.

Program scope Goal The RLLEC’s goal is to positively impact the lives of council members and their refugee and larger communities by building council members’ capacity to serve as leaders. In addition, ORR recognizes that its engagement with these groups will enhance its ability to gather information from individual members firsthand about their personal lived experiences integrating into the United States. This will help inform ORR and its award recipient network about how to best meet refugee needs through enhancing or changing ORR guidance, programming, and future councils.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 8 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/2021/02/02/executive-order-restoring-faith-in-our-legal-immigration-systems-and-strengthening-integration-and-inclusion-efforts-for-new-americans/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/02/executive-order-restoring-faith-in-our-legal-immigration-systems-and-strengthening-integration-and-inclusion-efforts-for-new-americans/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/02/executive-order-restoring-faith-in-our-legal-immigration-systems-and-strengthening-integration-and-inclusion-efforts-for-new-americans/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/12/13/executive-order-on-transforming-federal-customer-experience-and-service-delivery-to-rebuild-trust-in-government/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/12/13/executive-order-on-transforming-federal-customer-experience-and-service-delivery-to-rebuild-trust-in-government/

Objectives The NRLLEC’s objective is to establish, develop, and maintain a program that will design, implement, evaluate, and promote five national-level councils of refugees with lived experience over three years. This includes:

• A National Young Adult Leadership Council comprised of members ages 18 to 24, every year for three years.

• Two additional councils with a thematic focus to be determined in consultation with ORR—for example, women; elderly people; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, or two-spirit (LGBTQIA2S+) people; or single heads of household.

The NRLLEC Program will foster inclusivity, with council members reflecting the diversity, demographics, needs, and viewpoints of the populations eligible for ORR Refugee Resettlement Program benefits and services. The NRLLEC Program will include refugee members who reside in communities throughout the United States and will not seek consensus advice from the council members.

Providing equitable services To ensure that the program is fully and equally accessible to all refugees described in the eligible participants section of this document, the recipient will:

• Implement activities that are culturally and linguistically appropriate and include input from individuals with lived experience.

• Provide flexible scheduling for participants, who may be working full-time or during nontraditional work hours.

• Serve refugees with varying levels of education and experience.

• Provide direct training and support, or connect participants with external training and support, that fit each participant’s background and need for leadership training.

• Help refugees overcome potential barriers to participation, such as lack of transportation or child care responsibilities.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 9

Program activities The award recipient will be required to do the following to meet the NRLLEC Program’s goals.

Design council program The recipient must develop a plan for creating the NRLLEC Program that outlines how they will develop and run the council program each year. The recipient will:

• Propose topics for leadership training sessions and meetings. The recipient will base these on their knowledge of strengths and challenges that ORR-eligible populations face. Topics should be rooted in integration best practices. They may include leadership, empowerment, civic engagement, well-being, and professional development, among others.

• Focus on best practices in refugee resettlement and integration and use research-based evidence to support their method of providing leadership training for council members.

• Identify the best way to cover costs for NRLLEC members to alleviate barriers that would prevent them from fully participating in the council. Barriers could include, but are not limited to, needing to take time off work, taking a break from seeking employment, or needing to secure child care.

• Include an annual three-day, in-person meeting for each council in Washington, DC, to meet with government officials and other relevant stakeholders. Council members will use their leadership and communications skills to share their lived experiences and explain the needs of their communities.

• Address marketing and dissemination activities.

Launch and implement council program The recipient must launch and implement a National Young Adult Leadership Council each year of this award, as well as two more councils within the three-year project period. To launch the councils, the recipient will need to:

• Develop eligibility criteria, an application, interview questions, and public guidance about the requirements.

◦ Requirements include intermediate English-language skills, an eligible immigration classification, and having been in the United States for less than five years.

• Recruit, interview, and select 10 to 15 young adult members each year for three years, and 15 to 20 members each for the two additional councils.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 10

• Ensure a wide array of lived experiences, which may include, but is not limited to, age, race, ethnicity, religious background, gender, country of origin, location within the United States, LGBTQIA2S+ identity, and time in the United States.

• Each year, conduct an orientation and training session to introduce members to the NRLLEC’s purpose and expectations.

• Each year, incorporate council members’ input on the guidelines for council meetings, agenda topics, meeting schedules, and expectations for their participation.

• Provide a laptop and portable Wi-Fi device to each NRLLEC member to make sure they can participate in NRLLEC tasks such as email communication, writing documents, and video conferencing.

To implement the council program, the recipient will need to:

• Develop content for the NRLLEC that is age-appropriate and sensitive to the demographics of its members. Such content could include, but is not limited to, handouts at meetings, information provided to NRLLEC members to foster continued community leadership, and NRLLEC promotional materials.

• Book guest speakers or facilitators to address planned session topics. The speakers or facilitators should be experts in their fields and have either of the following:

◦ Lived experience as a forced migrant, refugee, or newcomer.

◦ A strong understanding of cross-cultural communication techniques and how to identify and convey subject matter relevant to the participants.

• Facilitate 10 virtual NRLLEC sessions and three to five ad-hoc subgroup meetings with specific NRLLEC members for each council each year. Determine subgroup topics with ORR approval, drawing on major themes from larger sessions.

• Provide interpretation, as needed, for all virtual and in-person meetings, including the Washington, DC, meeting. Accommodate both special needs and different languages.

• Translate materials used to facilitate NRLLEC meetings into the primary language of council members, as needed.

• Translate materials used to market and promote the NRLLEC.

• Provide opportunities for mentorship, coaching, professional development, or leadership training for NRLLEC members during their time in the council.

• Use partnerships with national organizations to help members develop leadership skills.

• Plan an annual three-day, in-person meeting in Washington, DC, between NRLLEC members and government officials and other relevant stakeholders.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 11

• Cover costs for NRLLEC members to alleviate barriers that would prevent them from fully participating in the council. Barriers could include, but are not limited to, needing to take time off work, taking a break from seeking employment, or needing to secure child care.

• Foster an alumni network for NRLLEC members during years 2 and 3 of this project. ORR may request the names, email addresses, and phone numbers of alumni who want to stay involved.

Evaluate council program The recipient will conduct the following evaluation activities:

• Evaluate how well the NRLLEC positively impacts the lives of council members and their refugee and larger communities by building council members’ capacity to serve as leaders.

• Develop an evaluation plan addressing the goals and each objective explained in the program scope section of this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO).

• Provide monthly insights to ORR on the fulfillment of program objectives, including qualitative and quantitative data, lessons learned, and best practices relevant to ORR. The presentations must focus on insights gathered from members as individuals, based on their lived experiences.

• Produce an annual report describing the most important outcomes of the NRLLEC Program, including outcomes affecting the NRLLEC members and, if possible, their communities.

• Regularly evaluate the NRLLEC’s processes and structure by asking members and ORR for feedback.

Promote council program and disseminate results The recipient will conduct the following activities to promote the council and disseminate the results of the council’s activities:

• Create marketing tools such as a website and social media platforms to:

◦ Recruit NRLLEC Program council members.

◦ Highlight NRLLEC Program activities.

◦ Share insights with ORR’s recipient network.

◦ Amplify the professional and civic profile of NRLLEC members to advance their leadership opportunities.

• Partner with national resettlement-focused entities to widely share NRLLEC lessons learned with ORR’s recipient network and local, state, and national stakeholders.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 12

• Prepare and facilitate at least two webinars per year for the broader ORR recipient network and local, state, and national stakeholders. The webinars should center the voices of NRLLEC members, providing them the opportunity to be presenters.

They should highlight the most significant challenges related to integration and the most useful services and make recommendations for improved support from ORR and its network.

NRLLEC eligible participants NRLLEC members must be eligible for ORR Refugee Resettlement Program benefits and services through their immigration status or category as one of the following:

• Refugee

• Asylee

• Cuban or Haitian entrant

• Iraqi or Afghan Special Immigrant

• Amerasian

• Victim of human trafficking

• Another individual made eligible by law, such as a humanitarian parolee from Afghanistan or Ukraine who arrived under specific circumstances during a defined period

Eligible people must also meet these criteria:

• They are not U.S. citizens.

• They have been eligible for ORR services for five years or less when they become a member of a council.

More information on eligibility for ORR-funded refugee resettlement program benefits and services can be found at 45 CFR § 400.43, and in ORR Policy Letters 16-01, 22-01, and 22-13.

ORR will issue a policy letter and inform recipients if other populations are made eligible by law and can be enrolled in program services.

It is the recipient’s responsibility to verify the eligibility of each participant upon enrollment. If they are unsure whether a candidate is eligible, they should contact refugeeeligibility@acf.hhs.gov.

ORR will consider exceptions for otherwise eligible persons who have more than five years of ORR eligibility on a case-by-case basis. To request an exception, the recipient should contact their program officer with an explanation of why the individual should be considered a priority for inclusion. They should not include immigration documents or personal details in the message.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 13 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-B/chapter-IV/part-400/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFRa2e11c136e10eba/section-400.43 http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/resource/policy-letters mailto:refugeeeligibility@acf.hhs.gov

The recipient must comply with applicable civil rights laws to ensure that ORR-eligible populations receive fair treatment, access, and opportunity to participate in ORR-funded programs without discrimination on the basis of age, disability, ethnicity, race, color, religion, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or political opinion.

ORR notes that in implementing its nondiscrimination provisions for the Refugee Resettlement Program, it operates in compliance with the requirements of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and other applicable federal conscience protections, as well as other applicable federal civil rights laws and applicable HHS regulations. For additional detail, please see 45 CFR § 87.3.

For each participant, the recipient must keep a record of eligibility documentation that ORR staff can review on request. Options for keeping records include:

• Keeping a copy of eligibility documents in the participant’s case file.

• Recording the following information:

◦ Details of the exact document that the participant presented to confirm eligibility, along with any codes or markings that show eligibility.

◦ The participant’s date of arrival to the United States or initial date of ORR eligibility.

◦ The name of the staff member who reviewed the documents.

Case file requirements The recipient must make a case file for each participant and keep it updated. These files must include:

• Documentation of their eligibility for the program.

• Documentation of payments made on behalf of the participant (for example, receipts for laptop and Wi-Fi equipment).

• Invoices and receipts for these payments.

• Record of attendance in council meetings, community engagements, training, and other leadership opportunities.

• Case notes highlighting council members’ active participation in council meetings, including success stories about how NRLLEC Program activities have positively impacted their personal or professional life.

Case notes should be documented within five business days of any formal NRLLEC Program activity.

The recipient must allow ORR staff to review case files upon request.

Programs must comply with 45 CFR § 75.303(e) to take reasonable measures to safeguard protected personally identifiable information. When the recipient is not using the files, they must be secured so that only appropriate staff can access them. If

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 14 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-87/section-87.3 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR911e5e1a30bfbcb/section-75.303 the recipient uses an electronic system, they must limit access to the data and use encryption to protect participants’ information. If the recipient uses a paper system, they must keep files secure—ideally in a file cabinet that is kept locked and can only be accessed by authorized staff.

Data reporting requirements Recipients are required to report semiannually on the following data points to ORR:

• Number of participants enrolled in the program, by council type.

• Number of participants who attended virtual meetings or other formal NRLLEC activities.

• Number and type of guest speakers (subject-matter experts) who presented at virtual meetings or other formal NRLLEC activities.

• Number of participants who attended the three-day Washington, DC, meeting.

• Detailed schedule for Washington, DC, meeting.

• Number of participants engaging in the program alumni network.

• Number and type of topic areas planned for the upcoming year.

• Number of training hours the program provided to participants in orientation sessions to introduce the NRLLEC’s purpose and expectations.

• Number of training hours the program provided to participants in developing leadership skills.

• Major lived experience trends and themes shared by NRLLEC members in virtual meetings or other formal NRLLEC activities, including successes and challenges related to resettlement and integration.

• Description of major activities and accomplishments during the reporting period related to the project goals and objectives.

• Description of project problems, such as deviations or departures from the original project plan.

• Description of equity-related activities conducted during the reporting period.

Other reporting requirements will be determined in consultation with ORR after the launch of the program during year 1.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 15

Cooperative agreement—description of ACF’s involvement A cooperative agreement is a method of awarding federal assistance in which substantial federal involvement is anticipated. The agreement clearly defines the responsibilities of ORR and the expected recipient prior to the award. ORR anticipates that its involvement will benefit the recipient in their ability to carry out the project.

ORR’s substantial involvement with the project will include:

• Reviewing and approving the resumes of all key positions prior to their beginning to work on the program.

• Consulting with the recipient and reviewing the NRLLEC implementation plan;

suggesting revisions and updates, as necessary; and approving the plan.

• Consulting on the recipient’s evaluation plan and reporting measures, as necessary.

• Providing substantial and regular input on the plan’s implementation and activities after it is approved.

• Reviewing and approving the resources the recipient develops, including, but not limited to, NRLLEC application materials, outreach, training materials, and website content.

• Collaborating with the recipient in creating a network of experts.

• Facilitating collaboration and coordination with national entities, ORR recipients, and other refugee-serving agencies, when needed.

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

• Construction

• Purchase of real property

• Major renovation

• Pre-award costs

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

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 16 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFR5d90ba314caea08

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 two following 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.

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

We do not fund awards where the role of the applicant is primarily to serve as a conduit for passing funds to other organizations unless that arrangement is authorized by statute.

Subrecipients must meet the eligibility requirements of this NOFO.

Statutory authority 8 U.S.C. 1522(c)(1)(A), section 412(c)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 17 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 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/section-75.352 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title8-section1522&num=0&edition=prelim

Step 2:

Get Ready to Apply

In this step

Get registered 19

Find the application package 19

Learn more 19

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

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

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

Need help? See Contacts and Support.

Find the application package The application package has all the forms you need to apply. You can find it online. Go to Search Grants at Grants.gov and search for opportunity number HHS-2024-ACF-ORR- RB-0060. Then select 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 information on exemptions for paper submissions.

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

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

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 19 https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration http://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants https://grants.gov/search-grants https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant

Step 3:

Prepare Your Application

In this step

Application contents and format 21

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: 85 pages

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

• Adobe PDF (.pdf)

• Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)

• Microsoft Excel (.xls or .xlsx)

• Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt)

• Image formats (.jpg, .gif, .tiff, or .bmp only)

Paper size: 8 ½ inches x 11 inches

Margins: 1 inch all around

Language: English

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 21

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: As needed

Tables and footnotes throughout: Can be single-spaced

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

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

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

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

Project narrative The project narrative is where you address all your proposed activities. It is a critical section of your application that 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 22

In it, you must:

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

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

• Use cross-referencing rather than repetition.

• Include any required supporting documents noted. You generally provide these in your attachments.

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

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

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.

Approach Outline your action plan. Describe the scope and detail of how you will accomplish your proposed project. Explain potential obstacles and challenges to accomplishing your project goals. Explain the strategies you will use to address them.

At the beginning of the approach section, demonstrate your organization’s thorough and specialized understanding of refugee resettlement challenges and working with people with lived experience.

Make sure to address all required activities mentioned in the section on providing equitable services and the program activities section in the program description.

Note: Your response to the program description section on evaluating the program should appear in the application section on project performance and activities evaluation.

Your response to the program description section on promoting and disseminating the program should appear in the application section on promotion and dissemination.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 23

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

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

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

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

• Cover the full period of performance in your timeline.

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.

• Include an organizational chart and management plan that describes how all staff will manage and coordinate activities.

• Include a description of roles, responsibilities, and time commitments of each proposed staff position, including any subrecipients and consultants (through resumes and job descriptions).

• Include information on existing partnerships with national organizations that you will use during the program.

• Include information on any plans to enter subaward agreements and describe the work the subrecipient will perform.

• You will provide some supporting information in the attachments section.

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.

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 24 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75/subpart-D

• Subrecipient monitoring and management.

• Record retention and access.

• Remedies for noncompliance.

• 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.

Project performance and activities evaluation plan Describe a plan for how you will evaluate your project’s performance and how it will contribute to continuous quality improvement. Refer and respond to all items mentioned in the evaluation section of the program description. This plan must describe:

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

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

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

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

• Any processes that support the overall data quality.

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

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

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

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 25

• How you will collect the specific metrics discussed in the data reporting requirements section of the program description.

Promotion of council and dissemination of results Propose a plan to promote the program and disseminate reports, products, and project outputs to key target audiences. The plan should cover the activities discussed in the program description section on promoting the council program and disseminating results.

Include:

• Dissemination goals.

• Strategies to identify and engage with target audiences.

• How you will allocate sufficient staff time and budget for dissemination.

• A preliminary plan to evaluate the extent to which target audiences receive project information and use it as intended.

• The dissemination timeline.

• A description of your experience writing and publicizing formal reports on integration best practices, as well as plans to produce similar products to publicly provide project information to target audiences.

Engagement and collaboration (bonus section) You may receive bonus points if your application shows one or more of the following:

• Your experience carrying out a national-level refugee advisory board, ethnic community-based group, or similar initiative aimed at developing leaders and leveraging members’ lived experience to facilitate integration and increase support for newcomer populations in the United States.

• How your organization’s leadership or staff has personal experience with refugee resettlement or experience of themselves or their family being forcibly displaced from their home country.

• How your organization’s leadership or staff demonstrates a commitment to centering the voices of those with lived experience in their organizational culture.

• How you will use existing partnerships with U.S. universities and refugee-related international organizations, like the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to help NRLLEC members in their personal and professional development.

• Experience writing and publicizing formal reports on integration best practices in the United States.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 26

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 and any subrecipients or contractors will use to ensure that you properly handle confidential and sensitive information.

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

See 45 CFR 75.303(e) for more information.

Line-item budget and budget narrative The line-item budget and budget justification support the information you provide in the Budget Information Standard Form SF-424-A. See the other required forms. It justifies the costs you ask for and includes added detail, including detailed calculations for the “object class categories” in the Budget Information Standard Form. You will provide this information for the initial budget period only. See information on funding periods.

As you develop your budget, consider:

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

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

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

• The requirement to include funds to provide each NRLLEC member a laptop and a portable Wi-Fi device to participate in NRLLEC activities.

• The requirement for key staff and each NRLLEC member to travel to the annual program meeting in Washington, DC.

• The requirement to cover costs for NRLLEC members to alleviate barriers that would prevent them from fully participating in the council. Barriers could include, but are not limited to, needing to take time off work, taking a break from seeking employment, or needing to secure child care.

• Payments for presenters at meetings.

We encourage you to also review the Standard Form instructions.

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

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 27 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.303(e) https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/prepare-budget https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/prepare-budget

In general, you must:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See the indirect costs section 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 as proof:

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

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

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

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

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Step 3: Prepare Your Application 28 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.2(Cognizant%20agency%20for%20indirect%20costs)

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

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

• Organizational charts, including all partners.

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

• Biographical sketches for all key personnel.

• A job description for each vacant key position.

• List of your Board of Directors.

• Audit summary report including auditor’s opinion, if applicable.

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

• Copy or description of the applicant organization’s personnel policies.

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

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

Any such agreement must:

• Describe the roles and responsibilities in project activities.

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

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

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

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 29

Other required forms You will need to complete some other forms. Upload the following forms at Grants.gov.

You can find them in the NOFO application package or review them and their instructions at Grants.gov Forms.

Forms Submission requirement

Application for Federal Assistance

(SF-424)

With the application.

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

With the application.

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

With the application.

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

(SF-LLL)

If applicable, with the application or before award.

Key Contacts With the application.

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

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

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

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 30 https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family

Step 4:

Learn About Review and Award

In this step

Application review 32

Award notices 37

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

• Requests funding above the award ceiling.

• Is submitted after the deadline.

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

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

ACF.

We will let you know within 30 days of the application deadline if your application is disqualified. You won’t receive 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 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 information on proprietary and personally identifiable information.

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 32

Criteria During the review, your application will be judged on the following criteria. The points indicate the importance of each criterion. Points will be given based on how well your application—particularly the project narrative and budget justification—addresses the criteria.

Criterion Total number…