hhs-2025-acf-ana-nb-0115 Revised Full Annoucement.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due April 14, 2025

Administration for Native Americans

Native American Language Preservation and Maintenance—Esther Martinez Immersion (EMI) Opportunity number: HHS-2025-ACF-ANA-NB-0115

Contents

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4

Basic information 5

Eligibility 7

Program description 11

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 16

Get registered 17

Find the application package 17

Learn more 18

Join the webinar 18

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 19

Application contents and format 20

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 36

Application review 37

Award notices 44

Step 5: Submit Your Application 45

Application submission and deadlines 46

Application checklist 48

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 50

Post-award requirements and administration 51

Contacts and Support 54

Before you begin 3

Modifications 58

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 registrations are 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 the application due date

Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 14, 2025.

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 11

Basic information Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Administration for Native Americans

The EMI program provides funding for community-based projects that ensure continuing vitality of Native languages through immersion-based instruction.

Have questions?

See Contacts and Support.

Key facts

Opportunity name: Native American Language Preservation and Maintenance—Esther Martinez Immersion (EMI)

Opportunity number:

HHS-2025-ACF-ANA-

NB-0115

Announcement type:

Initial

Federal assistance listing:

93.587

Statutory authority number: 42 U.S.C.

2991b-3(b)(7) and Pub. L.

109-394

Key dates

Application submission deadline: April 14, 2025

Expected project start date: July 1, 2025

See other submissions for other time frames that may apply to this NOFO.

Summary The Esther Martinez Immersion (EMI) program provides funding for community-based projects that ensure continuing vitality of Native languages through immersion-based instruction.

EMI projects must meet the requirements for either a Native American language nest or a Native American language survival school, both of which are immersive, site-based educational programs for children. For more details about these requirements, see the program description.

To receive funding under this opportunity, you must submit an official document that certifies your organization has at least three years of experience operating and administering a Native American language survival school, a Native American language nest, or an educational program in which instruction is through Native American language immersion. ANA will not fund applicants that do not provide the certification as required by 42 USC 2991b-3(c)(7).

You must ensure that your program is providing 500 hours of language immersion instruction to school-age children each year of the project.

If you do not meet the certification requirements or the requirement for minimum hours of immersion instruction, consider applying under ANA’s Preservation and Maintenance Funding Opportunity (HHS-2025-ACF-ANA-NL-0112).

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/ana/grants/funding-opportunities https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ana/grants/funding-opportunities

Funding details Type: Grant

Expected total program funding: $3,000,000.

Total expected awards: 4

Minimum award amount for the first budget period (award floor): 100,000

Maximum award amount for the first budget period (award ceiling): 900,000

Project periods can be 36 months, 48 months, or 60 months.

For projects that are 36 months, the project period and budget period are the same.

ANA will award all federal funds at the start of the award.

For project periods of 48 or 60 months, ANA will award the first 36-month budget period at the start of the award. The remaining periods of performance will be awarded as follows:

• 48-month projects have a $300,000 ceiling for the remaining period of performance.

• 60-month projects have a $600,000 ceiling for the remaining period of performance.

The maximum amount of federal funding you can spend each year is $300,000 but you are not required to spend the same amount each year. For example, you could spend $300,000 in year 1, $250,000 in year 2, and $150,000 in year 3.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 6

Eligibility Eligible applicants

• These types of organizations may apply based on 42 USC2991b(a) and 45 CFR 1336.33:

◦ Federally recognized Indian tribes, as recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).

◦ Incorporated non-federally recognized tribes.

◦ Incorporated state-recognized Indian tribes.

◦ Consortia of Indian tribes.

◦ Incorporated, nonprofit multipurpose, community-based Indian organizations (including Urban Indian Organizations as defined by 25 USC 1603(29)); Urban Indian Centers.

◦ Native Community Development Financial Institutions (Native CDFIs).

◦ Alaska Native villages as defined in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) and/or nonprofit village consortia.

◦ Nonprofit Native organizations in Alaska with village-specific projects.

◦ Incorporated nonprofit Alaska Native multipurpose, community-based organizations.

◦ Nonprofit Alaska Native Regional Corporations/Associations in Alaska with village-specific projects.

◦ Nonprofit Alaska Native community entities or tribal governing bodies (Indian Reorganization Act or Traditional Councils) as recognized by the BIA.

◦ Public and nonprofit private agencies serving Native Hawaiians.

◦ National or regional incorporated nonprofit Native American organizations with Native American community-specific objectives.

◦ Public and nonprofit private agencies serving Native peoples from Guam, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

◦ Tribal Colleges and Universities; and colleges and universities located in Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands that serve Native American Pacific Islanders.

Individuals, including sole proprietorships, and foreign entities are not eligible.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 7 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title42/chapter34/subchapter8&edition=prelim https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-B/chapter-XIII/subchapter-D/part-1336/subpart-C/section-1336.33 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-B/chapter-XIII/subchapter-D/part-1336/subpart-C/section-1336.33 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=1999&req=granuleid%3AUSC-1999-title25-section1603&num=0&saved=%7CZ3JhbnVsZWlkOlVTQy0xOTk5LXRpdGxlMjUtc2VjdGlvbjE2MDM%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7C1999 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=1999&req=granuleid%3AUSC-1999-title25-section1603&num=0&saved=%7CZ3JhbnVsZWlkOlVTQy0xOTk5LXRpdGxlMjUtc2VjdGlvbjE2MDM%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7C1999

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

Assurance of Community Representation on Board of Directors If you are not a federally or state-recognized tribe, Alaska Native village government, or public government agency in the US territories, you must provide documentation that a majority of your board members are representative of the Native American communities that ANA serves.

For more information about this documentation, see the attachments section.

If you do not include this documentation in your application, your application will be disqualified and your application will not be considered for competition.

Only one active award per assistance listing To be eligible under this NOFO, you can’t have a current active ANA award under the Assistance Listing Number 93.587.

Organizations with an ANA award that will continue beyond the start date of a possible new award and has the same Assistance Listing number as this NOFO are ineligible to apply for a new award and will be disqualified.

This disqualification factor does not impact organizations that have an ANA award under a different Assistance Listing number.

See initial review for disqualification factors.

Disqualification factors We will review your application to make sure it meets these responsiveness 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.

• Is from an applicant organization that has an active ANA award with the same Assistance Listing number as this NOFO that will go beyond the start date of a possible new award.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 8

• Is from an applicant organization that failed to meet or document the Assurance of Community Representation on Board of Directors.

Application limits If you submit an application for the same NOFO more than once, we will only acknowledge the last on-time submission.

Cost sharing This program requires you to contribute 20% of the project’s total cost per 42 USC 2991b–3(e)(1).

You can calculate this cost-sharing requirement in one of two ways:

Method 1: Start with the federal share Calculation: Multiply the federal share (in dollars) by 20 and divide that product by 80.

For example: Multiple $100,000 by 20 and divide that product by 80. This equals a match of $25,000.

Method 2: Start with the total project cost Calculation: Multiply the total project costs by 20%.

For example: Multiple $125,000 by 20%. This equals a match of $25,000.

Types of cost sharing You can meet your match requirement through any combination of:

• Cash contributed by your organization.

• Cash contributed by partners or other third parties.

• In-kind (non-cash) contributions from third parties.

Please view ANA’s applicant resource page for additional ways to meet your cost-sharing requirements.

Cost-sharing commitments You must follow through on your promise of cost-sharing funds, even if you promise more than the required minimum. We put these commitments in the Notice of Award.

You’ll have to include your funds when you fill out your federal financial reports.

If you don’t provide your promised amount, we may have to decrease your award amount or use other enforcement actions.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 9 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=2007&req=granuleid%3AUSC-2007-title42-section2991b-3&num=0&saved=%7CZ3JhbnVsZWlkOlVTQy0yMDA3LXRpdGxlNDItc2VjdGlvbjI5OTFiLTE%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7C2007 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=2007&req=granuleid%3AUSC-2007-title42-section2991b-3&num=0&saved=%7CZ3JhbnVsZWlkOlVTQy0yMDA3LXRpdGxlNDItc2VjdGlvbjI5OTFiLTE%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7C2007 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ana/toolkit/ana-application-toolkit

Cost-sharing waiver We waive cost sharing up to $199,999 for awards to the governments of American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands (except for the consolidated awards under 45 CFR Part 97). You must meet any amount of cost sharing over $199,999. See 48 USC 1469a(d) Congressional declaration of policy respecting “Insular Areas.”

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 10 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-97 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:48%20section:1469a%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title48-section1469a)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:48%20section:1469a%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title48-section1469a)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true

Program description Statutory authority This program is authorized by 42 U.S.C. 2991b-3(a) and (b)(7) (Sections 803C(a) and (b)(7) of the NAPA, as amended).

Overview The purpose of the EMI program is to help Native Americans ensure the survival and vitality of Native American languages through immersion language instruction.

EMI projects must meet the requirements for either a Native American language nest or a Native American language survival school, as defined by the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Act (42 U.S.C. 2991b-3(b)(7)). These requirements are as follows:

• Language nests are site-based educational programs that must do all of the following:

◦ Provide instruction and child care in a Native American language for at least five children under the age of seven, for an average of at least 500 hours per year per child.

◦ Provide classes in such languages for parents or legal guardians of children enrolled in the language nest.

◦ Ensure that a Native American language is the dominant medium of instruction in the Native American language nest.

• Native American language survival schools are site-based educational programs for school-age students that must do all of the following:

◦ Provide an average of at least 500 hours of instruction using one or more Native American languages for at least 10 students for whom a Native American language survival school is their principal place of instruction.

◦ Develop instructional courses and materials.

◦ Provide teacher training.

◦ Work toward a goal of all students achieving fluency in a Native American language.

◦ Promote academic proficiency in mathematics, reading, and sciences.

◦ Be located in an area that has a high number or percentage of Native American students.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 11 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title%3A42%20section%3A2991b-3%20edition%3Aprelim) https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/house-bill/4766 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title%3A42%20section%3A2991b-3%20edition%3Aprelim)

You must submit certification of your experience operating a language nest or language survival school in your attachments.

For the purpose of this NOFO, ANA defines school-age students as students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

ANA encourages survival schools to also provide Native American language classes or training for parents or legal guardians of enrolled students.

EMI projects often replicate and modify successful language preservation projects so that other tribes and organizations can carry out those same projects.

EMI projects that focus on promoting use of a Native American language in community members’ daily lives may also include efforts to preserve that language for the benefit of future generations.

You can find a list of currently funded projects on ANA’s recipient website, but this list is only a limited selection of the kinds of programs we are interested in funding.

Successful applications vary widely. As you consider whether your project may be a good fit for this opportunity, we encourage you to interpret our program’s goals broadly. To learn more about the Program Areas of Interest for this NOFO, see ANA’s Program Areas page.

Program-specific terms and concepts in this NOFO can be found on ANA’s applicant resource page.

EMI projects can be up to five years long. All EMI awards have a start date of July 1, 2025.

Federal evaluation Under section 811 of NAPA, ANA must provide an evaluation of funded projects, including evaluations that describe and measure their success, their effectiveness in achieving stated goals, and their structure and mechanism for delivery of services. We will complete this evaluation in a manner that is respectful of cultural protocols and community-based evaluation, using participant observations and interviews.

As much as possible, the evaluation will include community interviews with project staff and beneficiaries, and review of documentation including, but not limited to, the Objective Progress Reports (OPR), which is approved under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 0970-0452 (current expiration date September 30, 2026).

You must agree to participate fully in the federal evaluation and to follow evaluation protocols we establish.

Federal project evaluations are completed when evaluators use a structured information collection tool approved under OMB control number 0970-0379 (current expiration date 6/30/25) during end-of-project site visits from ANA. The site visit

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 12 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ana/fact-sheet/active-grants-native-languages-esther-martinez-immersion https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ana/programs/native-languages https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ana/programs/native-languages https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ana/toolkit/ana-application-toolkit https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title42/chapter34/subchapter8&edition=prelim includes first-hand accounts of project outcomes and community benefits as well as reviews information provided through the recipient’s initial application and OPRs to evaluate the progress toward achieving the project’s goal and objectives by project staff throughout the project period.

Required attendance at events You must have the project director and a financial management staff person working on the project attend post-award training during the first year of your award.

At least two project staff must attend an annual ANA recipient meeting during each year of your ANA award. You must budget for all expenses associated with this required attendance.

An example of a budget for training and meetings can be found on ANA’s Applicant Resource page.

Funding policies and limitations General policies We will only make awards if this program receives funding. If Congress appropriates funds for this purpose, we will move forward with the review and award process.

Support beyond the first budget period will depend on:

• Appropriation of funds.

• Satisfactory progress in meeting your project’s objectives.

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

If we receive more funding for this program, we will consider:

• Funding more applicants.

• Extending the period of performance.

For guidance on some types of costs that we restrict or do not allow, see General Provisions for Selected Items of Costs of the Uniform Guidance, 45 CFR part 75 (or, starting October 1, 2025, 2 CFR part 200).

Program-specific limitations and policies We do not allow the following costs under this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO):

• Construction.

• Purchase of real property.

• Major renovation.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 13 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ana/toolkit/ana-application-toolkit https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ana/toolkit/ana-application-toolkit https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75/subject-group-ECFR5d90ba314caea08 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72

Additionally, 45 CFR 1336.33(b) has the effect of making the following projects ineligible for funding under this NOFO:

• Providing third-party training and technical assistance to other tribes or Native American organizations or to non-members of the recipient organization.

• Feasibility studies, business plans, marketing plans, or written materials such as manuals that are not an essential part of the applicant’s long-range development plan.

• Ongoing administration functions that are not related to the proposed project.

• Ongoing social service delivery programs or the expansion, or continuation, of existing social service delivery programs.

• Projects that do not further the three interrelated ANA goals of economic development, social development, and cultural preservation.

• Projects from consortia of tribes that do not include documentation from each participating consortium member specifying their role and support.

• Projects from consortia must have goals and objectives that will encompass the participating communities. ANA will not fund projects by a consortium of tribes that duplicate activities for which participating member tribes also receive funding from ANA.

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

Indirect costs Indirect costs are costs you charge across more than one project and cannot be easily separated by project.

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

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

Method 2—De minimis rate. Per 2 CFR 200.414(f), if you do not have a current federal negotiated indirect cost rate (including a provisional rate), you may elect to charge a 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 15% of modified total direct costs (MTDC). See 2 CFR 200.1 for the definition of MTDC. You can use this rate indefinitely.

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-B/chapter-XIII/subchapter-D/part-1336/subpart-C/section-1336.33#p-1336.33(b) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFR5d90ba314caea08 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.414 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Modified%20Total%20Direct%20Cost%20(MTDC))

Subawards As the prime recipient, you must maintain a substantive role in the project. We define a substantive role as conducting funded activities and providing services that are necessary and integral to completing the project. Monitoring your subrecipient’s activities alone as described in 45 CFR 75.352 (or, starting October 1, 2025, 2 CFR 200.332) is not a substantive role.

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

If they do not have one, all subrecipients must obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) through the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).

Subrecipients must meet the eligibility requirements of this NOFO.

Salary rate limitation The salary rate limitation in the current appropriations act applies to this program. You may not use awarded funds to pay a salary at a higher rate than the rate for Executive Level II. For the Executive Level II salary, please see guidance from the Office of Personnel Management on executive and senior level employee pay.

The salary limitation reflects a person’s base salary (including any portion of the salary that is paid for with indirect costs). It does not include fringe benefits or any income the person is allowed to earn outside of the duties of the applicant organization. This salary limitation also applies to subawards, contracts, and subcontracts under an ACF grant or cooperative agreement.

Program income Program income is money earned as a result of your award-supported project activities. You must use any program income you generate from awarded funds for approved project-related activities. Find more about program income at 45 CFR 75.307 (or, starting October 1, 2025, 2 CFR 200.307).

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 15 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/section-75.352 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.332 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.332 https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/ https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/ https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR911e5e1a30bfbcb/section-75.307 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.307

Step 2:

Get Ready to Apply

In this step

Get registered 17

Find the application package 17

Learn more 18

Join the webinar 18

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 select Get Started. From the same page, you can also select the Entity Registration Checklist for the information you will need to register.

When you register or update your SAM.gov registration, you must agree to the financial assistance general certifications and representations. You must agree to those for financial assistance specifically, as opposed to contracts, because the two sets of agreements are different. You will have to maintain your registration throughout the life of any award.

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 Grants Search at Grants.gov and search for opportunity number HHS-2025-ACF-ANA- NB-0115. Then select the Package tab.

After you select the opportunity, we recommend that you select the Subscribe button to get updates.

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

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

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

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 17 https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/financial-assistance-general-certification-representations.pdf https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/financial-assistance-general-certification-representations.pdf https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration http://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants https://www.grants.gov/search-grants

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

Join the webinar ANA has an on-demand, pre-application webinar about the NOFOs. The pre-application webinar and materials are accessible on ACF’s ANA events website.

The pre-application webinar is available throughout the duration of the open application period. Viewing the webinar is voluntary. The webinar is available on demand on the website. The presentation will only include information provided in this NOFO. Opting not to view the webinar will not affect eligibility, application scoring, or the selection process.

In the event of a discrepancy between the information in the webinar and the NOFO, the NOFO takes precedence.

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

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 18 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ana/event https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ana/event https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ana/event

Step 3:

Prepare Your Application

In this step

Application contents and format 20

Application contents and format Application components You will submit all application components, including attachments and the standard forms in the application package.

See requirements for other submissions.

Your organization’s authorized official must certify your application.

Standard forms The Grants.gov application package for this NOFO includes forms. Complete all of these forms and submit through Grants.gov.

See the list of standard forms.

Required format Page limit: 100 pages. We have clearly marked in the application checklist all components that are not included in this page limit.

File format: Portable Document Format (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:

Accepted file formats

• Adobe PDF (.pdf)

• Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)

• Microsoft Excel (.xls or .xlsx)

• Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt)

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

Document formats Paper size: 8 ½ inches x 11 inches

Margins: 1 inch all around

Language: English

If possible, include page numbers.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 20

Do not include external links to information you want reviewers to assess because reviewers will score the application solely on information provided in the application.

Fonts Font: Times New Roman

Color: Black

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

Other project narrative items

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

Attachments: Can be single-spaced

Tables and footnotes throughout: Can be single-spaced

See disqualification factors to understand what may disqualify your application from consideration.

Table of contents At the beginning of your application, insert a table of contents that guides a reader through the contents of files in your application.

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

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

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 21

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

In it, you must:

• Explain how the project will meet the purpose of the NOFO, as described in the program description 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. If you will include any subrecipients in your project that will serve the geographic areas include their locations as well.

Past ANA project performance ANA provides project-specific funding and not ongoing program funding. If you are proposing a project that is similar, in whole or in part, to previously funded activities, please provide a detailed description of what was achieved by the earlier project. In addition, provide explicit details and an explanation of how the proposed project is different and not a duplicate of the previously funded project.

Current community condition Identify one current community condition the proposed project will address. While ANA understands that communities face many conditions at the same time, you should identify only one current community condition statement that the proposed project will address.

Fully describe the current status of the Native language, including the following:

• The current number of fluent and emerging speakers with details to indicate fluency levels.

• The current language-learning resources available for use within the community.

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• A description of the existing language programs.

• The participation in language preservation by current and emerging language speakers.

Include recent qualitative or quantitative data to describe the status of the current community condition and its relevance to your proposed project.

An example of a current community condition is: “While we currently have three Native language instructors teaching kindergarten through third grade at the Tribal School, a survey revealed that parents want instruction to continue up to eighth grade. We do not have certified teachers to fill these roles.”

Project goal In a single sentence, state a project goal that will be achieved by the end of the project.

The project goal should describe an improvement to the current community condition.

Additionally, describe how the project goal is relevant to this opportunity and explain how the project goal is achievable by the end of the project period.

An example of a project goal is: “The Tribal School will build its capacity to provide quality Native language instruction and expand to include grades four through eight.”

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.

Describe the results your project will achieve and how it will achieve them.

Identify up to three objectives for the entire project period.

Well-written objectives help set program priorities and targets for progress and accountability. We recommend that you avoid verbs that may have vague meanings to describe the intended outcomes, like “understand” or “know,” because it may prove difficult to measure them. Instead, write objectives that document action, such as: “By the end of 36 months, there will be an increase in language fluency by four levels to a beginner-high level, for at least 10 immersion language nest students, 18 months to 5 years old.”

Each objective can include:

• A timeline describing when the objective will be completed. This should be expressed in project years (for example, “by the end of 36 months”)

• A description of what will be completed through the objective (for example, “Participants will successfully complete trainings”)

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• A measure of the amount of change expected by the end of the project (for example, “75% of program participants will have completed the training program”)

An example of how to write an objective can be found on ANA’s applicant resource page.

Project implementation plan Tell us the story of who you are and what you want to accomplish with your project, including the following:

• What your timeline will be.

• How will you achieve your goals and objectives.

• Who will be involved.

• What resources you will need to be successful.

Describe your plan to implement the project. Describe the scope of your proposed project and explain in detail how you will accomplish it. Account for all functions or activities you identify in your application.

Discuss all the steps that must be taken in order to implement each objective and to achieve the expected outcomes. You will also submit your plan using the objective work plan (OWP) form.

Present this plan as a narrative that provides more information on the objectives, activities, and outputs presented in the OWP. Outputs are the direct, tangible results of activities. This is often expressed as a target number of activities completed and/or people served. Include all necessary steps and realistic timeframes to achieve each objective. Do not copy the OWP directly into the narrative to complete this section.

If a license or permit is needed for any of the activities in your proposed project, your implementation plan should describe how and when it will be obtained.

Explain potential obstacles, barriers, or challenges that could delay the project or hinder you from accomplishing the project goals. Identify strategies you will use to address them. Challenges you might address include partnerships falling through, weather, and low participant recruitment.

Identify the measures you will take to ensure that the positive changes achieved by the project will be sustained beyond the end of the project. These can include resources, staff, or partners that are needed to sustain positive changes from the project.

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 24 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ana/toolkit/ana-application-toolkit https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ana/toolkit/ana-application-toolkit https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ana/training-technical-assistance/objective-work-plan https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ana/training-technical-assistance/objective-work-plan

Community-based strategy Community involvement in project design and implementation is one of the key factors in determining if a project will be successful.

• Describe your experience working on projects within the community.

• Describe the community’s participation and engagement in past projects.

Describe how the community was involved in identifying the need for the project and how their feedback was incorporated into the project design. Explain who or what members of the community, including the tribal council or board, were involved to identify the need for the project.

You can also include optional supporting documentation such as stakeholder meeting agendas, sign-in sheets, surveys, and focus group notes. If you include this documentation, submit it in the attachments section.

Population to be served Describe the participants or beneficiaries who will take part in the project’s activities.

Explain how they will benefit from participating.

• Identify how participants will be recruited for the project, including any outreach activities related to recruitment, if applicable.

• Identify outreach activities that will be used to maintain community awareness, involvement, or participation in the project. Examples of outreach activities include community meetings, news media, social media, events, and publications.

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.

Outcomes are measurable changes that will result from achievement of the implementation plan.

Outcomes can include, but are not limited to, increases in capacity and changes in knowledge, awareness, attitudes, skills, or behaviors. Outcomes can be the same or different for each objective.

• Identify an outcome for each objective.

• Show clear connections between the outcomes, the current community condition, the project goal, and the objectives.

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Each EMI objective must include a primary outcome that aligns to one of the following categories:

• Increased language fluency.

• Increased community member use of language learning resources.

• Increased ability to deliver immersion instruction by certifying language teachers.

• Increased capacity to implement a language program.

An example outcome is: “Increase in language fluency for immersion language nest students aged 18 months to 5 years.”

Objective work plan (OWP) You must submit an objective work plan (OWP). Please refer to Standard Forms for the OWP form that you must use.

The OWP is a blueprint for achieving project objectives. It arranges major steps based on the implementation plan and includes details like:

• Key activities: The “how” of the project.

• Timeframes: “When” these activities should be accomplished.

• Responsible staff: “Who” will carry out each activity.

• Outcomes: Outcomes describe the most significant change the objective will produce. Include the primary outcome for each objective as stated in the project narrative.

• Outputs: Outputs are the direct, tangible results of activities. This is often expressed as a target number of activities completed or people served. The outputs are logical results of the successful completion of activities within the proposed timeframe.

The OWP should be a work plan for each objective and each year.

• The OWP should have no more than three objectives, as stated in the project narrative.

• The OWP should include all activities needed to successfully achieve each objective. Each objective can have up to 25 activities per year. The project year for this NOFO begins July 1 and ends June 30 for each year of the project.

• If an objective spans more than one year, the OWP should provide details about which activities will occur in each year.

We strongly encourage you to review the OWP form and instructions available at Grants.gov.

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

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

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

Data management plan Describe a data management plan that you will use to collect information that can improve the project over time. This plan must include:

• A description of which staff will be responsible for data collection, tracking, and reporting.

• How you will monitor ongoing activities to measure progress toward the project’s objectives.

• The data collection tools and processes that will measure each objective.

◦ Examples of tools include Excel spreadsheets, logic models, surveys, assessments, participant observations or interviews, and outcome trackers.

• If data collection tools need to be developed, explain how you will develop them.

• A timeline for how you will review and use data collected to make adjustments to the project.

Staffing plan You may provide your staffing plan in a narrative format or by attaching project-specific job descriptions.

• Identify all staff, partners, and consultants (filled and unfilled) supporting the project. Each person’s role and responsibilities should be explained. If known, please include the names of staff members who will fill key roles.

• Explain recruitment and hiring process for positions (staff, partners, and consultants) that need to be filled.

• Identify the principal investigator/project director (PI/PD) and authorized organizational representative (AOR) for the project. (See definitions in the application toolkit.) The AOR and PI/PD cannot be the same person, and the separation of these duties must be identified.

• PI/PD responsibilities include monitoring progress and maintaining oversight of program reporting, staff, and partners.

• AOR will have official signing responsibility for the award.

• If a permanent PI/PD or AOR is unknown, identify who will take on the role until the position is filled and provide a timeline for filling the role with permanent personnel.

• Describe how the project will continue if positions become vacant at any time during the project period.

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 27

Partnerships and consultants

• Identify each partner, consultant, or subrecipient and explain how they will support project activities. Include scopes of work, memoranda of understanding (MOU), or letters of commitment.

• If the project does not plan on including these entities, please indicate so by stating: “Our project will not include the support of partners, consultants, or subrecipients.”

• Describe plans to finalize partnership agreements if not completed and contingency plans for partnerships or consultant agreements if they fall through.

• Identify processes for communicating with partners or consultants and explain how agreements will be managed and maintained.

Oversight plan Recipients are required to ensure proper oversight in accordance with 45 CFR part 75, subpart D (or, starting October 1, 2025, 2 CFR part 200). Oversight is the process by which an entity’s senior management ensures projects are performed in compliance with award requirements.

Provide a plan for oversight that includes the following:

• Describe key oversight staff who will be responsible for overseeing project staff and, if applicable, partners, consultants, or subrecipients.

• Describe key oversight staff who will be responsible for complying with applicable tribal policies and procedures, as well as state and federal laws and regulations.

These responsibilities will include drawing down funds and ensuring internal controls are in place when authorizing expenditures. There should be a clear separation of duties between the financial staff and the program staff.

• Identify systems for record-keeping, financial management, and reporting to oversight bodies.

• Explain procedures to avoid conflicts of interest.

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

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.

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 28 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75/subpart-D https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75/subpart-D https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#subpart-D

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

• For more information, see 45 CFR 75.303(e) (or, starting October 1, 2025, 2 CFR 200.303(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-424A.

HHS now uses the definitions for equipment and supplies in 2 CFR 200.1. The new definitions change the threshold for equipment to the lesser of the recipient’s capitalization level or $10,000 and the threshold for supplies to below that amount.

Justify the costs you ask for and provide detail, including calculations for the “object class categories” in the Budget Information Standard Form. You will provide this information for the full period of performance. See information on funding periods.

As you develop your budget, consider:

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

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

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

Please also review the Standard Form instructions.

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

In general, you must:

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

• Include estimation methods, quantities, unit costs, and other similar quantitative detail necessary 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.

• For applicants planning to use subawards, if your subaward budget is more than 50% of total direct costs, justify why you are subawarding that portion of the project. Explain:

◦ How you plan to maintain a substantive role in the project.

◦ Why you cannot achieve your goals without the subrecipients’ participation.

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 29 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.303(e) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.303 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.303 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Equipment) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#p-200.1(Supply) https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/prepare-budget

Budgets should include a column for each of the following and should be organized in this order:

• Object class categories (sections of cost types for the line items).

• Federal share (or costs that will be covered by the federal award).

• Match (cost share). This can be cash or in-kind and is the required 20% total project cost to be contributed by the applicant.

• Total-the total of the federal share and the cost share.

Provide a budget that reflects expenditures in 12-month increments. The budget narrative provides the cost calculations and breakdown for each line item for each year of the project. The budget justification also provides a brief statement of the need for or benefit of this line-item expenditure relating to the accomplishment of the project.

• For example, personnel wage rate per hour multiplied by the number of hours to equal the annual salary listed for personnel, or vendor quotes for equipment over $10,000.

Cost sharing For awards that require the 20% matching or cost sharing by statute, we must hold you accountable for projected commitments of non-federal resources (at or above the statutory requirement) in your application budgets and budget justifications. This includes commitments by budget period or by project period for fully funded awards.

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