hhs-2025-acf-ecd-tp-0016_FINAL.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due December 1, 2025

Office of Early Childhood Development

Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) Systems- Building Grant Opportunity number: HHS-2025-ACF-ECD-TP-0016

Contents

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4

Basic information 5

Eligibility 7

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 19

Find the application package 20

Get registered 20

Learn more 21

Step 3: Build Your Application 22

Application checklist 23

Application contents and format 25

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 37

Application review 38

Award notices 45

Step 5: Submit Your Application 46

Application submission and deadlines 47

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 49

Post-award requirements and administration 50

Contacts and Support 51

Before you begin 3

Modifications 55

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 December 1, 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/

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

Step 1:

Review the Opportunity

In this step

Basic information 5

Eligibility 7

Basic information Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Office of Early Childhood Development

Funding states to strengthen early childhood systems and promote parent choice.

Have questions?

See Contacts and Support.

Key facts

Opportunity name:

Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) Systems- Building Grant

Opportunity number:

HHS-2025-ACF-ECD-

TP-0016

Federal assistance listing:

93.434—Every Student Succeeds Act/Preschool Development Grants

NOFO version: Original

Key dates

Application submission deadline:

December 1, 2025

Expected project start date: December 31, 2025

Summary The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is soliciting applications from states and territories that were not awarded a new Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) Renewal Grant in 2024. This PDG B-5 Systems-Building Award provides funding to help states and territories to:

• Develop a coherent, unified state ECE system that reconciles ECE policies, initiatives, and funding streams, including by integrating Head Start grantees.

• Create seamless early learning experiences for young children and their families.

• Efficiently and strategically layer federal, state, local, and nongovernmental resources for early care and education.

• Maximize family choice across the range of ECE program options to give working families more opportunities that match their needs and preferences.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 5

Funding details Type: Grant

Expected total program funding: $222 million

Total expected awards: Up to 25

Minimum award amount (award floor): $500,000

Maximum award amount (award ceiling): $15 million

We plan to fund a one-year project period with one budget period from December 31, 2025, through December 30, 2026.

You may not request more funding than $15 million, and you may request less funding.

When deciding how much funding to request, consider the needs of your state or territory, your ability to match funds, and your ability to carry out the proposed project over the course of one year.

Awards made under this funding opportunity are subject to federal funds availability. If additional funds become available, you could receive more funding.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 6

Eligibility Eligible applicants The 45 states and territories that were not awarded a PDG B-5 Renewal Grant in September 2024 are eligible to apply.

These states and territories are:

• Alabama

• Alaska

• American Samoa

• Arizona

• Arkansas

• California

• Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

• Colorado

• Connecticut

• Delaware

• Florida

• Georgia

• Guam

• Hawaii

• Idaho

• Illinois

• Indiana

• Iowa

• Kentucky

• Louisiana

• Maine

• Maryland

• Massachusetts

• Mississippi

• Missouri

• Montana

• Nebraska

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 7

• Nevada

• New Hampshire

• New Jersey

• New Mexico

• North Dakota

• Ohio

• Oklahoma

• Oregon

• Pennsylvania

• Puerto Rico

• South Dakota

• Texas

• U.S. Virgin Islands

• Utah

• Vermont

• West Virginia

• Wisconsin

• Wyoming

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

Other eligibility criteria The governor of the state must identify or function as the state entity that will apply for funding and administer the grant. See more information in the additional eligibility documentation section.

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 did not have a previously approved exemption from ACF.

• Is not from the state entity that the governor has designated as being responsible for administering and carrying out this award.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 8

Application limits If you submit the same application more than once under this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), we will only acknowledge the last on-time submission.

Cost sharing This program requires you to contribute 30% of the ACF federal share of the award, in accordance with section 9212(g)(4) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 note).

You can calculate this cost-sharing requirement as follows:

Calculation: Multiply the federal share (in dollars) by 0.3.

For example: Multiple $2 million by 0.3. This equals a match of $600,000.

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

• Cash contributed by your organization, partners, or other third parties.

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

Cost-sharing commitments If awarded, you must provide the amount of cost-sharing funds you promised, even if you promised more than the required minimum. We put these commitments in the Notice of Award.

If you don’t provide your promised amount, we decrease the amount of funding we give you or use other enforcement actions.

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

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. Build 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 9 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

Post-award requirements

Before you apply, make sure you understand the requirements that come with an award.

See Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award for information on regulations that apply, reporting, and more.

Statutory authority Section 9212 of the ESSA, Public Law 114-95 (December 10, 2015), 42 U.S.C. 9831 note.

Program purpose PDG B-5 is a systems integration grant. Currently, states, ECE programs, and families must grapple with fragmented ECE policies, initiatives, and funding streams that are administered through different systems and governed by different standards. PDG B-5 is designed to help states reconcile this disjointed environment. Through this funding opportunity, states can create a comprehensive birth-to-five strategy that governs a unified statewide ECE system and aligns with a cohesive funding model that uses all available resources, regardless of funding stream.

The PDG B-5 grant helps states develop and implement a broader state birth-through-five early childhood vision. As such, all activities, tasks, and strategies should contribute to fulfilling that statewide vision. This grant is intended to help the state build its overall early childhood system with a governance model that ensures sustainable and durable change.

States are required to align public and private childhood funds and must follow the specific rules for each funding entity. This includes tracking and reporting for each funding policy.

Program priorities You must use PDG B-5 funds to make tangible progress toward three core program priorities, outlined in this section. The core program priorities are intentionally designed to align with and complement your other ECE policies, initiatives, and funding streams. Work completed under PDG B-5 should align with your state’s overall vision for ECE.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 10 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title42/chapter105/subchapter2&edition=prelim

Develop a shared, comprehensive statewide vision for early care and education Your project should lead to these results:

• One shared vision for early care and education drives all state decisions related to ECE policies, initiatives, and funding streams, including Head Start.

• A system-wide state entity, such as the State Advisory Council, Governor’s Office, or governor’s designee, leads implementation and decision making for the state’s vision for ECE to ensure alignment across all ECE policies, initiatives, and funding streams.

• All agencies and state coordinating bodies that administer or are connected to ECE policies, initiatives, or funding streams actively drive implementation of the state’s vision for ECE and share accountability for results.

• Activities conducted through all ECE policies, initiatives, and funding streams, including PDG B-5, are in service of, contribute to, and align with the state’s vision for ECE.

Build a unified, coherent statewide early care and education system Your project should lead to these results:

• The state governance structure integrates the currently fragmented landscape of ECE policies, initiatives, and funding streams into one unified, coherent statewide ECE system.

• The system is overseen by a cohesive system-wide state entity, such as the State Advisory Council or Governor’s Office, and includes Head Start representation.

• Families with young children have a seamless experience accessing early care and education and related services. They use a single entry point to secure all services for which they are eligible regardless of funding stream or delivery mechanism.

• Operations of ECE policies, initiatives, and funding streams are aligned to remove duplication, increase efficiency, and streamline processes. This reduces administrative complexity and ensures that maximum resources are dedicated to services for young children and their families.

• The state has a cohesive financing strategy for ECE that is built on the sum of public dollars for ECE – regardless of funding stream. The state deploys resources in a way that contributes to the total cost of meeting the needs of young children and families.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 11

• There is shared accountability for results, with clear metrics for progress and improvements for all previously disparate policies, initiatives, and funding streams now administered under the statewide ECE system.

• ECE programs across all mixed delivery settings, regardless of funding stream, are integrated into state-level initiatives. This includes professional development, career lattices, program quality improvement, workforce initiatives, data systems, and technology.

Maximize family choice for early care and education options Your project should lead to these results:

• Your state’s vision for ECE prioritizes maximizing family choice for ECE opportunities for children birth to age five, building supply of ECE program options, and ensuring that families with young children have a seamless experience accessing ECE opportunities. This is true regardless of funding stream or program setting.

• The state’s unified ECE system leads and governs strategies to increase family choice for ECE opportunities. These strategies align with the state’s vision for ECE.

Critical elements Critical element 1: Statewide ECE needs assessment and strategic plan You must have a statewide ECE needs assessment and related strategic plan. These will produce the information and action map necessary for you to design strategies that advance the program priorities and measure the project impact. The needs assessment and strategic plan should not be exclusive to PDG B-5 but should instead advance the state’s vision for ECE.

While states may conduct multiple needs assessments across various sectors and age groups, the ECE needs assessment must be clearly positioned as a state-level assessment—focused on the full early childhood system, not limited to early education.

Leading the assessment A system-wide state entity, such as the State Advisory Council or Governor’s Office, must ensure that the statewide ECE needs assessment and strategic plan meet the requirements of this element. Agencies and state coordinating bodies that administer or are connected to ECE policies, initiatives, or funding streams must contribute to the needs assessment and strategic plan and share accountability for results.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 12

Using existing assessments To maximize PDG B-5 funding and leverage funding recipients’ past work in this area, you should not develop a new statewide ECE needs assessment or strategic plan.

Instead, you should review and revise, if necessary, existing needs assessments and strategic plans conducted by any ECE agency or coordinating body within the state. The needs assessment and strategic plan must:

• Reflect the state’s unified vision for ECE.

• Meet the requirements outlined in this section.

• Perform the activities in critical elements 2 (outcome strategies) and 3 (impact tracking).

Instead of creating a new needs assessment or strategic plan, you can:

• Consolidate existing needs assessments and strategic plans into one statewide ECE needs assessment and strategic plan.

• Update the statewide ECE needs assessment with more recent data and information. You might also include data you need to inform or justify the strategic plan and/or the activities proposed in critical element 2 (outcome strategies). You will also need baseline data to track project impact.

Align the strategies and outcomes in the strategic plan with the state’s vision for ECE by removing strategies that do not support the state’s vision and adding or building out strategies that will lead to tangible progress on the state’s vision.

Identifying gaps and needs The statewide ECE needs assessment must be designed such that you can efficiently identify and analyze gaps in all ECE services and unmet need, including Head Start.

These gaps should be differentiated by program, family, and child characteristics (such as geography, age, hours of care, setting type, or income). You must also identify obstacles in state governance structure and systems that prevent you from making tangible progress toward the state’s vision for ECE and PDG B-5 program priorities.

Additionally, statute requires that the needs assessment produce this information:

• Availability and quality of existing ECE programs in the state, including programs serving the most vulnerable or underserved populations and children in rural areas.

• Estimates of the unduplicated number of children being served in existing ECE programs.

• Estimates of the unduplicated number of children awaiting services for ECE programs.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 13

Creating a map The strategic plan must directly address the gaps and challenges identified in the needs assessment. It will also provide an actionable map to guide the state in designing and implementing strategies to advance core program priorities. The strategic plan must reflect the state’s vision for ECE and must:

• Align with the statewide strategic plan.

• Be shared across all agencies and state coordinating bodies that administer or are connected to ECE polices, initiatives, or funding streams, including Head Start.

• Define specific, measurable outputs and outcomes. These outcomes will be used to track project impact and must reflect tangible progress on the PDG B-5 program priorities.

Critical element 2: Outcome strategies to advance program priorities You must design and implement outcome strategies that make tangible progress toward the core program priorities. You may implement outcome strategies in one, two, or all three of the categories identified here.

Category 1: Reconcile fragmented elements into a unified system Reconcile fragmented ECE policies, initiatives, and funding streams, including Head Start, into a unified, statewide ECE system. The goal is to create seamless early learning experiences for children, clear and robust ECE opportunities for families, and aligned professional pathways for the ECE workforce.

Consider activities such as:

• Establishing a state governance structure that brings all ECE policies, initiatives, and funding streams under one unified, coherent, statewide ECE system. This structure would be guided by a shared vision for ECE, strategic plan, and performance metrics.

• Integrating Head Start grantees, funding, and services into all ECE initiatives, supports, accountability frameworks, processes, technologies, and data systems.

• Developing a cohesive financing strategy for ECE that is built on the sum of public investments in ECE, regardless of funding stream.

• Aligning operations across ECE policies, initiatives, and funding streams to reduce duplication, administrative burden, and inefficiencies.

• Deploying technologies that unify disjointed systems and data to:

◦ Provide families a seamless experience accessing ECE opportunities regardless of funding stream, including Head Start.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 14

◦ Streamline verification of ECE workforce credentials, regulatory status, employment history, career roles, and compensation.

Category 2: Expand program availability and sustainability Develop ECE business operation supports and shared services infrastructure to increase the supply of slots, improve long-term sustainability, and enhance the overall ecosystem of early childhood education.

This strategy focuses on strengthening the operational backbone of ECE programs, particularly those serving vulnerable populations, by reducing administrative burden, increasing efficiency, and improving access to essential business supports.

Consider activities such as:

• Partnering with business operations organizations to build business supports (budget coaching) for ECE programs and make supports available at low or no cost.

• Providing high-need services such as bulk purchasing, substitute teacher pools, payroll, and benefits administration, through a shared services organization to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

• Implementing tools or technologies that streamline and increase efficiency of ECE program operations such as compliance, enrollment, and payroll.

• Identifying and addressing systems-level sources of administrative burden and barriers to business efficiencies, like conflicting regulatory requirements, disconnected technology, or duplicative compliance reporting and monitoring.

Category 3: Align or share information and data systems Build and/or align information system technologies to maximize efficiencies, reduce the burden of data submission and collection, and explore the implications of children’s ECE experiences. Ensure that families, ECE programs, and the state have easy access to extensive, up-to-date, accurate data on ECE opportunities and outcomes across all funding streams and settings.

Consider activities such as:

• Integrating Head Start grantees into statewide data collection efforts and systems to ensure comprehensive information on supply, demand, and use of ECE options.

• Enhancing existing data systems or incorporating business management software to eliminate inefficiencies (like duplicative submission requirements) and fill critical information gaps (like workforce wages and benefits or unduplicated child count).

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 15

• Developing private or partner APIs or other automated data-sharing mechanisms to connect disparate systems, reduce administrative burden, increase ease of access, and conduct new types of data analyses.

• Linking real-time ECE program data with coordinated application eligibility enrollment systems to create a single entry point for families to learn about and access ECE opportunities, including Head Start.

• Building longitudinal data systems that connect de-identified child outcome data from birth through third grade across all funding streams and settings.

Critical element 3: Tracking project impact You must track and analyze project results. At a minimum, you must report on the program activities identified in critical element 2, including:

• Project outputs and outcomes outlined in the strategic plan, with comparisons to baseline data where applicable.

• Trends in ECE program supply, demand, and use, disaggregated as needed to reflect student outcomes and access.

• Implementation and process measures, including fidelity to the intended strategy and any necessary adaptations.

• Progress toward PDG B-5 program priorities, using clear metrics that reflect tangible improvements aligned with the state’s vision for ECE.

Funding policies and limitations Changes in HHS regulations As of October 1, 2025, HHS adopted 2 CFR 200, with some exceptions included in 2 CFR

300. These regulations replace those in 45 CFR 75.

General policies

• We will only make awards if this program receives funding.

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

◦ Awarding supplemental funding.

ACF does not allow funds awarded under this NOFO to support any costs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities, including research in support of such initiatives, and any other initiatives that discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin or another protected characteristic. This also includes any diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives, and any discriminatory equity ideology in violation of a Federal anti-discrimination law. The definition of

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 16 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200

“discriminatory equity ideology” is in Section 2(b) of Executive Order 14190 of January 29, 2025, which can be found here: 2025-02232.pdf .

ACF will also not allow funds awarded under this NOFO to support any services or activities that inculcate or promote gender ideology.

For guidance on additional types of costs that we restrict or do not allow, see General Provisions for Selected Items of Costs of the Uniform Guidance, 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.

• Pre-award costs.

Indirect costs Indirect costs are those shared across multiple projects and not easily separated.

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

Method 1—Approved rate. If you currently have an indirect cost rate approved by your cognizant federal agency, you may use that rate.

Method 2—De minimis rate. If you do not have a negotiated indirect cost rate, you may elect to charge a de minimis rate (see 2 CFR 200.414(f)). This rate is 15% of modified total direct costs (MTDC). See the definition of MTDC (2 CFR 200.1). You can use this rate indefinitely.

You may not charge costs included in your indirect cost pool as direct costs.

Subaward As the prime recipient, you must maintain a substantive role in the project. That means that you conduct funded activities and provide services necessary and integral to completing the project.

Monitoring your subrecipient’s activities alone as described in 2 CFR 200.332 is not a substantive role.

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

All subrecipients must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) through the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 17 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-02-03/pdf/2025-02232.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72 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)) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.332

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 the Office of Personnel Management information on executive and senior level employee pay.

The salary limitation reflects a person’s base salary (including any portion of the salary paid 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.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 18 https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/ https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/

Step 2:

Get Ready to Apply

In this step

Find the application package 20

Get registered 20

Learn more 21

Find the application package The application package has all the forms you need to apply. You can find it at this NOFO’s Grants.gov opportunity page. Then select the Package tab.

We recommend that you select the Subscribe button from the View Grant Opportunity page for this NOFO to get updates.

If you can’t use Grants.gov to download application materials or have other technical difficulties, including issues with application submission, contact Grants.gov for assistance.

Get registered SAM.gov You must have an active account with SAM.gov to apply. 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. You must agree to the financial assistance general certifications and representations specifically. Those for contracts are different.

When you register, you will also receive your required Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

Once you register:

• You will have to maintain your registration throughout the life of any award.

• If your organization has multiple UEIs, use the one associated with your physical location.

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.

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

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 20 https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/355578 https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/355578 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

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

You may submit additional questions related to this NOFO after the posting of this funding opportunity, by sending those questions to PDGB5@acf.hhs.gov.

Responses to these questions will be provided in a Q&A document that you are strongly encouraged to check at ACF’s Preschool Development Grants site on a periodic basis.

If there is a discrepancy between the NOFO and the presentation, presentation materials, and/or the FAQ, the NOFO takes precedence.

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

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 21 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant mailto:PDGB5@acf.hhs.gov https://acf.gov/ecd/early-learning/preschool-development-grants

Step 3:

Build Your Application

In this step

Application checklist 23

Application contents and format 25

Application checklist Make sure that you have everything you need to apply. You will find the forms in Grants.gov.

File one: Narratives Use the Project Narrative Attachment form.

Component Included in page limit?

Table of contents Yes

Project summary Yes

Project narrative Yes

Line-item budget and budget narrative Yes

File two: Attachments Insert each in a single Other Attachments form.

Component Included in page limit?

Indirect cost agreement Yes

Additional eligibility documentation Yes

Supplementary budget information No

Organizational capacity supporting information Yes

Step 3: Build Your Application 23

Standard forms Use each required form in Grants.gov.

Component Included in page limit?

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) No

Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs

(SF-424A)

No

(SF-424B) Assurances for Non-Construction Programs No

Key Contacts No

Grants.gov Lobbying Form No

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) No

Step 3: Build Your Application 24

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

Your organization’s authorized official must certify your application.

Step 3: Build Your Application 25

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

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.

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 Line-item budget and budget narrative: Can be single-spaced Attachments: Can be single-spaced Tables and footnotes throughout: Can be single-spaced

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

Step 3: Build Your Application 26

File one: Narratives To submit file one, you will use the Project Narrative Attachment form found in the Grants.gov application package for this NOFO.

This file includes:

• Table of contents.

• Project summary, one page.

• Project narrative.

• Line-item budget and budget narrative.

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 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 or research questions.

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.

Step 3: Build Your Application 27

• 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.

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

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

Respond to the following prompts to describe how the proposed project will meet the requirements of this funding opportunity.

Critical element 1: Statewide ECE needs assessment and strategic plan

• Describe the governance structure you will use to develop and administer this award, including:

◦ The agency or entity that will lead, and ultimately be responsible for the success of, the needs assessment and strategic planning process.

◦ Other ECE agencies and entities that will contribute to the needs assessment and strategic plan and that will be accountable for results. Describe how Head Start expertise is represented.

◦ The decision-making structure and each entity’s role and responsibilities in the needs assessment and strategic planning process.

Note: If you provide this information in the governance structure chart in the organizational capacity section of the application, you do not need to repeat it here.

• Identify the needs assessment(s) and strategic plan(s) that you will update. For each document, provide:

◦ The year that the assessment or plan was published.

◦ The agencies or entities that led or published the assessment or plan.

• Describe the process for updating the needs assessment, including the specific needs assessment(s) you will update and how.

• Describe the process for updating the strategic plan, including the specific strategic plan(s) you will update and how.

• Identify how you will ensure that the revised needs assessment and strategic plan will:

◦ Reflect the state’s vision for ECE.

◦ Advance the core program priorities.

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◦ Be shared across all agencies and entities that administer or are connected to ECE policies, initiatives, and funding streams, including Head Start.

◦ Integrate Head Start grantees, services, and funding into the comprehensive ECE strategy proposed.

If your statewide ECE needs assessment is up-to-date, comprehensive, and meets these requirements, you may provide an assurance that the needs assessment has been reviewed, is complete and current, and does not require updates. You must support this assurance by commenting on the various elements mentioned here.

If applicable, you can provide a similar assurance for your state’s strategic plan.

In addition, you must describe how previous strategic planning efforts, goals, objectives, and strategies have informed the identification and selection of outcome strategies (see critical element 2).

Critical element 2: Outcome strategies to advance program priorities

• For each outcome strategy you propose under this funding opportunity, identify:

◦ The relevant outcome strategy, as described in critical element 2.

◦ One or more PDG B-5 program priorities that the program activity will advance.

• Provide an overview and description of each outcome strategy, including:

◦ What specific activities will you complete during the project year under this strategy?

◦ How does the outcome strategy advance the PDG B-5 program priorities?

◦ How does this outcome strategy address gaps in unmet need for ECE services in the state and/or address pain points in the state governance structure?

◦ How does the strategy incorporate Head Start grantees, services, and funding?

◦ Does this outcome strategy align with the state’s vision for ECE? What evidence or documentation supports that alignment?

◦ Have similar efforts been attempted in the past? If so, how does this strategy build on those efforts and apply lessons learned?

◦ How does this outcome strategy integrate ECE policies, initiatives, and funding streams, including Head Start, into one unified statewide ECE system?

◦ Include any additional context that is critical for reviewers to understand why you selected this outcome strategy.

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Critical element 3: Tracking project impact

Describe your approach to assessing project results, including how you will:

• Quantify and measure progress toward PDG B-5 program priorities.

• Measure outcomes defined in the strategic plan and compare them to baseline data, as applicable.

• Monitor progress and success of outcome or strategy outputs and implementation.

• Track trends in ECE program supply, demand, and use.

• Integrate Head Start grantees, services, and funding when tracking project results.

• Build on, update, and/or or modify existing data sources, information technologies, and analytic systems infrastructure.

• Use the required assessment of project results to foster integration across ECE agencies and entities.

Bonus: Policies supporting child development across systems

If you have existing policies or imminent plans to implement policies that support child development across systems, you may be awarded additional points. Briefly describe any statewide policies that meet the following criteria. As applicable, identify the specific policy that supports each criterion. If there are imminent plans to implement relevant policies, briefly summarize the current status of and next steps for implementation.

• Operational State Advisory Council

◦ A functioning State Advisory Council for early childhood that includes mechanisms for gathering feedback from a wide variety of stakeholders, such as families, providers, Tribal partners, or advocacy groups.

• Governor’s Office leadership

◦ Leadership from the Governor’s Office through cabinet-level expertise and/or operational oversight of early childhood systems.

• Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction

◦ Statewide implementation of evidence-based literacy instruction, including professional development, instructional materials, and policy alignment.

• Support for foster children in ECE

◦ Policies that ensure foster children are considered in ECE system design and access.

• Nutritional services for children and families

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◦ Statewide supports for nutritional services, such as integration with the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) or other initiatives that promote food security and healthy development.

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 tasks you plan to complete 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 by a specific date.

• Provide target dates for activities you can’t quantify.

• Cover the full period of performance in your timeline.

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

• Describe how the PDG B-5 award will operate and be structured within your state agencies. Describe the organizational framework. Explain how the award will support and strengthen those structures. You may include an annotated governance structure chart if it offers a more succinct and straightforward depiction of the state’s organizational capacity.

• Describe your team’s experience and expertise (including any partnering organizations) with administering, developing, implementing, managing, and evaluating similar projects.

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

• Disclose your plan to enter into subaward agreements. If planning subawards, describe the work each subrecipient will complete.

• Describe your organizational capacity to fully expend awarded funds during the project period.

If you currently have an active PDG B-5 award:

• Include your current balance of unobligated PDG B-5 grant funds.

• If the unobligated balance exceeds 25% of your total current-year award (including any carryover), provide a detailed explanation and describe how you will ensure all grant funds are obligated by the end of the grant period.

If you do not have a current PDG B-5 grant or if you have a current PDG B-5 grant that does not have a large unobligated balance:

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• Provide a brief summary of your history of successfully spending down prior PDG B-5 grant awards.

Plan for oversight of federal award funds and activities You must ensure proper award oversight. The regulation that governs this oversight is 2 CFR part 200. It includes standards for:

• Financial and program management.

• Property management.

• Procurement.

• Performance and financial monitoring and reporting.

• Subrecipient monitoring and management.

• Record retention and access.

• Remedies for noncompliance.

• Prior written approval.

Describe your framework to make sure that your federal funds and activities have proper oversight. Include:

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

• A description of the procedures used 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 staff and any partners or subrecipients.

Project sustainability plan You must propose a plan for project sustainability after the period of federal funding ends. We expect you to sustain key elements of your project. These elements can include strategies or services and interventions that have improved practices and outcomes.

Provide an approach to project sustainability that is effective and feasible.

Describe:

• The key people and organizations whose support you will require.

• The types of alternative support you will require to maintain the project.

• If the proposed project involves key project partners, describe how you will maintain their cooperation or collaboration after the federal funding ends.

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

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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 the budget, consider:

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

• How to 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.

• Break out costs by critical element, including:

◦ The costs for the specific tasks and activities that relate to those critical elements.

◦ Why the projected costs are reasonable for each of the critical elements.

• Provide a list of the current and pending funding from other sources used to support and/or enhance proposed PDG B-5 projects, whether from federal, state, or local governments; public or private foundations; or for-profit organizations.

• Include travel costs for at least four people to attend a three-day meeting in Washington, DC.

• Specify any amount you plan to use for technical assistance activities.

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

Step 3: Build Your Application 33 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Equipment) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Supply) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.1 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/prepare-budget https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/prepare-budget

• Describe how the state will meet the 30% cost-sharing requirement by the end of the period of performance.

• Break out any planned procurements or contracts (including those awarded through memoranda of understanding or interagency agreements within the state) in the contractual or other line, and show how they advance the planned project.

Proprietary or personally identifiable information Clearly identify any salary or other proprietary information or personally identifiable information within your application. Identification will ensure this information is not shared with reviewers. Note on page 1 of the attachments file (file two) where the information to be redacted is located.

If you have an exemption for a 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.

File two: Attachments To submit file two, you will use the Other Attachments form found in the Grants.gov application package for this NOFO.

This file includes all attachments.

Indirect cost agreement If you include indirect costs in your budget using an approved rate, include a copy of the 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.

Additional eligibility documentation Include a letter on the governor’s letterhead, signed by the governor or an authorized representative, designating the state entity that will execute and administer this award.

The letter must include a description of why the chosen state entity is best suited to oversee and manage the award.

This letter should also include:

• How the governor’s office will help the selected state entity manage how funds are spent on project activities during the one-year project period.

• What additional state agencies or entities will partner or collaborate with the designated state entity to support execution and impact of the project.

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

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• What governance structures are in place to ensure accountability.

• What state budget, legislative, and procurement requirements are in place to ensure funding is spent during the one-year project period.

Supplementary budget information If additional funds are available, you may have the opportunity to receive a higher award amount.

Please attach a statement that includes:

• How much additional funding you could accept, up to 20% above the identified award ceiling (for a total of $18 million). The required 30% nonfederal match will apply to the whole amount.

• A summary of how you would use the additional funds.

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

• Organizational charts, including all partners. This chart may be the same as the governance structure chart, but should be clearly labeled to meet both requirements.

• Job…