hhs-2025-acf-ofa-fn-0015_rev4.pdf

Family and Economic Stability Demonstration and Innovation Division

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due July 29, 2025

Grants for Coordination of Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Child Welfare Services to Tribal Families at Risk of Child Abuse or Neglect Opportunity number: HHS-2025-ACF-OFA-FN-0015

Contents

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4

Basic information 5

Eligibility 7

Program description 8

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 16

Get registered 17

Find the application package 17

Learn more 18

View the webinar 18

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 19

Application contents and format 20

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 33

Application review 34

Award notices 39

Step 5: Submit Your Application 40

Application submission and deadlines 41

Application checklist 43

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 44

Post-award requirements and administration 45

Contacts and Support 47

Before you begin 3

Modifications 50

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 July 29, 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. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1:

Review the Opportunity

In this step

Basic information 5

Eligibility 7

Program description 8

Basic information Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Office of Family Assistance

Family and Economic Stability Demonstration and Innovation Division

Creating opportunities to strengthen Tribal TANF and Child Welfare systems to foster well-being of tribal children and families.

Have questions?

See Contacts and Support.

Key facts

Opportunity name:

Grants for Coordination of Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Child Welfare Services to Tribal Families at Risk of Child Abuse or Neglect

Opportunity number:

HHS-2025-ACF-OFA-FN-0015

Announcement type:

Initial

Federal assistance listing:

93.086

Statutory authority number:

42 U.S.C. 603(a)(2)

Key dates

Application submission deadline:

July 29, 2025

Expected project start date:

September 30, 2025

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

Summary The purpose of these awards is to learn how tribal governments or consortia can best provide services to tribal families at risk of child abuse and neglect. This will mainly be done through coordination between Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and child welfare agencies.

The award must be used for one or more of these purposes:

• For improved case management for families eligible for assistance from a Tribal TANF program.

• For supportive services and assistance to tribal children in out-of-home placements and the tribal families caring for or adopting such children.

• For prevention services and assistance to tribal families at risk of child abuse and neglect.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 5 https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title04/0400.htm

Funding details Type: Cooperative agreement Expected total program funding: $1,720,000 Total expected awards: 8 Minimum award amount for the first budget period (award floor): $215,000 Maximum award amount for the first budget period (award ceiling): $215,000

We plan to fund a five-year project period. Each project period has five one-year budget periods.

We will award non-competing continuation awards each year if your performance is satisfactory. Non-competitive continuation grants will be offered for years 2 through 5 of the project periods, subject to the availability of funds, satisfactory progress toward performance benchmarks, and a determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the federal government.

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 are eligible for an award:

• Indian tribes and Alaska Native regional nonprofits that are administering a Tribal TANF program on the date of publication of this NOFO.

• Consortia of two or more Indian tribes. The consortium must administer a Tribal TANF program on behalf of and at the direction of these tribes on the date of publication of this NOFO.

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

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.

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 has no cost-sharing requirement. If you choose to include cost-sharing funds, we won’t consider it during review. However, we will hold you accountable for any funds you add, including through reporting. If you don’t provide your promised amount, we may have to decrease your award amount or use other enforcement actions.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 7

Program description Statutory authority Section 403(a)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 603(a)(2))

Purpose This program funds projects to learn how tribal governments or consortia can best provide services to families at risk of child abuse and neglect. This will mainly be done through coordination between Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and child welfare agencies.

The award must be used for one or more of these purposes:

• For improved case management for families eligible for assistance from a Tribal TANF program.

• For supportive services and assistance to tribal children in out-of-home placements and the tribal families caring for or adopting such children.

• For prevention services and assistance to tribal families at risk of child abuse and neglect.

Background The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program focuses on enhancing the economic self-sufficiency of low-income families with children. The child welfare system focuses on ensuring the safety and permanency of children. Both systems share a common mission of ensuring the well-being of vulnerable children and families, and they often serve the same families.

Families benefit from strengthened communication and coordination between TANF, child welfare, and other relevant agencies and programs. By working together more closely and reexamining the ways that the human, financial, and administrative resources of both systems are used, TANF and child welfare agencies can better meet families’ needs. Improved coordination can also help use resources more efficiently and increase participation.

This award is considered a demonstration award. We expect you to share key insights with the wider Tribal TANF and child welfare community.

The overall purpose of the Tribal TANF and Child Welfare (TT-CW) program is to fund projects to coordinate existing child welfare and Tribal TANF services, and other

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 8 https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title04/0400.htm relevant programs. Tribal governments and consortia operate these projects, which serve families at risk of child abuse and neglect.

This award focuses on better coordinating existing services, rather than adding new ones. It will also create a small learning group where participants can share their experiences and insights with the larger TANF, child welfare, and human services communities.

Please see ACF’s Tribal TANF—Child Welfare Coordination Grants webpage for more background information.

Uses of TT-CW funding Principle uses of funding TT-CW awards can be used in three ways, which we have listed here along with examples of activities and services.

• To improve case management for families eligible for TANF, coordinating across TANF programs and child welfare agencies. You could:

◦ Update standard operating procedures to reflect how referrals are made between programs.

◦ Develop procedures for joint case management when a family is served by both TANF and child welfare programs.

◦ Change how services are delivered to reduce redundancies between the TANF and child welfare systems.

◦ Cross-train TANF and child welfare staff so they better understand how the programs operate.

• To provide support services and assistance to tribal children in out-of-home placements and the tribal families caring for or adopting such children.

Providing these support services may require coordination among agencies. For example, you could:

◦ Look for supportive services provided by programs beyond TANF or the child welfare system. Partners could include home visiting programs, childcare programs, or programs providing employment-related activities and services.

You would likely need to establish a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to formalize the connection and outline the roles and responsibilities of the partners.

◦ Carry out a human-centered design process to increase participation, pain points, and bottlenecks that families experience when they try to access services offered by multiple programs.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 9 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/programs/tribal/tribal-tanf-child-welfare-coordination

• To provide prevention services and assistance to tribal families at risk of child abuse and neglect. Providing prevention services may require coordination across agencies. You could:

◦ Develop a tool to gauge a child’s immediate safety and risk of future maltreatment. You can find background on safety and risk assessments, the importance of appropriateness of assessments, and examples of adaptations in the ACF report “Child Safety and Risk Assessments in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities.”

◦ Redesign your intake forms so that a family only needs to complete one form to access both TANF and child welfare services. This streamlines the process, enables the family to access services more quickly, and increases the likelihood of maintaining family stability.

You may also coordinate with employment programs, such as Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act-funded programs or Native Employment Works programs.

Additionally, you can partner with home-visiting programs, childhood development programs, or childcare programs.

To build more effective partnerships, you can establish business processes, protocols, partnership agreements, referrals, implementation strategies, or MOUs with these programs. You can also commit staff and TT-CW funds to coordinate services with these partners to fulfill TT-CW program objectives.

Other related uses of funding You may also find other related ways to improve internal processes and programming to strengthen the coordination of TANF and child welfare programs.

For example, you might improve mechanisms for sharing information.

• This might require legal consultation to make sure that informed-consent documents and data-sharing agreements adequately protect personal information and the people being served.

• It might also require enhancing information technology resources, such as by hiring additional staff or investing in infrastructure to improve data systems.

Funds may also be used for community/family engagement. For example, you could propose to conduct specific activities that nurture tribal customs and practices. You would need to hold these activities to accomplish the goals of the program. You would need OFA approval to hold these, unless it’s in your approved application.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 10 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/child-safety-and-risk-assessments-american-indian-and-alaska-native-communities https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/child-safety-and-risk-assessments-american-indian-and-alaska-native-communities

You may also use funds for tangible support services. However, note that:

• This use of funds should be limited.

• The assistance should be sustainable beyond this grant.

• OFA must approve the plan before it is implemented.

For example, you might provide one-time emergency assistance to a family to promote children’s safety, permanency, and well-being. You would need to accompany this assistance with actions to make it sustainable, such as proposing a change in the tribe’s plan for using TANF funds. You would need OFA approval before providing the assistance.

General program requirements Program support and technical assistance ACF will provide a staff member to directly support you and your program. ACF will also hire a contractor to deliver technical assistance to help you make changes to your programs or systems. You are required to work cooperatively with ACF’s staff and technical assistance providers.

Assistance from the staff member and technical provider will be available in person and virtually. In-person activities may include annual meetings and site visits, which may involve observations and interviews with program and partner agencies. Virtual activities may include phone calls, webinars, and videoconferences.

Data tools You are required to fulfill special data collection requirements or provide additional administrative data on program participants. You will use these tools at least annually:

• Collaboration Assessment Tool (CAT) to assess coordination between Tribal TANF and child welfare programs.

◦ See the Tribal TANF—Child Welfare Coordination: Collaboration Assessment Tool [PDF] for a description of the tool.

◦ See this interactive Excel version of the tool.

• Logic model.

◦ See the TT_CW Sample Logic Model [PDF].

◦ See the logic model section in this NOFO.

Consistent with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. §§ 3501-3521), OFA will not conduct or sponsor—and a person is not required to respond to—a collection of information covered by such Act, unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. If activities under this cooperative

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 11 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/opre/collaboration_assessment_tool_march_2020_508.pdf https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/opre/collaboration_assessment_tool_march_2020_508.pdf https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/opre/ttcw_collaboration_assessment_tool_interactive_0.xls https://acf.gov/sites/default/files/documents/opre/tttcf_sample_logic_model_feb_2020.pdf agreement are subject to PRA, OFA will work with the funding recipient to obtain OMB approval.

Reports You must ensure that your partners comply with the CAT and logic model requirements.

You will need to submit ongoing assessments and narratives annually as part of regular progress reports.

Annual meetings You must attend annual TT-CW meetings, which will be held in Washington, DC, or regional locations.

Sustainability Projects should improve the coordination of Tribal TANF and Child Welfare programs after the federal funding ends. To achieve project sustainability, you may be encouraged to:

• Revise intake and assessment procedures.

• Develop informed-consent documents that will let staff share information across program lines.

• Provide cross-training for TANF and child welfare staff.

• Develop joint case management procedures.

• Develop information technology systems to enhance coordination.

You can find more information in the Sustainability Planning Workbook for Tribal TANF- Child Welfare Coordination.

Consistent with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. §§ 3501-3521), OFA will not conduct or sponsor – and a person is not required to respond to—a collection of information covered by such Act, unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. If activities under this cooperative agreement are subject to PRA, OFA will work with the funding recipient to obtain OMB approval.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 12 https://acf.gov/opre/report/sustainability-planning-workbook-tribal-tanf-child-welfare-coordination https://acf.gov/opre/report/sustainability-planning-workbook-tribal-tanf-child-welfare-coordination

Cooperative agreement—Description of ACF’s involvement Cooperative agreements require substantial ACF and OFA project involvement after an award is made. There are specific roles for both the recipient and ACF/OFA. Our responsibilities include:

• Assigning a Family Assistance Program Specialist to monitor and collaborate with you to help you achieve project objectives and ensure that you manage federal funds properly.

• Providing significant guidance, consultation, and timely review on all project-related materials and deliverables.

• Reviewing, providing feedback on, and approving the project scope, activities, and work plan, including any changes to key personnel.

• Keeping you informed about expectations for successful performance. This includes discussing noncompliance as soon as possible and providing clear feedback on the conditions necessary for compliance.

• Organizing frequent consultations, meetings, briefings, teleconferences, and webinars to review current and planned activities, share information, and promote national coordination.

• Keeping you informed about OFA, ACF, and HHS priorities.

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.

◦ Awarding supplemental funding.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 13

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

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, 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.

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.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-02-03/pdf/2025-02232.pdf 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 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.

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/

Step 2:

Get Ready to Apply

In this step

Get registered 17

Find the application package 17

Learn more 18

View 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-OFA- FN-0015. 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://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration http://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants https://grants.gov/search-grants

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

View the webinar For more information about this opportunity, a prerecorded webinar will be posted on the ACF Tribal TANF–Child Welfare Coordination Grants site.

The goals of this session are to describe the funding opportunity and how to apply.

Viewing is voluntary and does not affect eligibility, application scoring, or award selection.

If there is a discrepancy between the NOFO and the presentation and/or presentation materials, 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://acf.gov/ofa/programs/tribal/tribal-tanf-child-welfare-coordination https://acf.gov/ofa/programs/tribal/tribal-tanf-child-welfare-coordination

Step 3:

Prepare Your Application

In this step

Application contents and format 20

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

See requirements for other submissions.

Your organization’s authorized official must certify your application.

File one 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.

File two 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.

Standard forms The Grants.gov application package for this NOFO includes forms beyond those required for file one and file two. Complete all of these forms and submit through Grants.gov.

See the list of standard forms.

Required format Page limit for file one and file two combined: 50 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:

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 20

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

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.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 21

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.

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 the 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 specific geographic areas include their locations as well.

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

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

• Provide, as appropriate, supporting documentation, such as letters of support and testimonials, in your attachments.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 22

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

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

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

Link these objectives to the principle uses of funding.

Expected outcomes Identify the outcomes you plan to achieve from the project. Outcomes should relate to the overall program as described in the program description section. If research is part of the proposed work, outcomes must include hypothesized results and implications of the proposed research.

Approach Outline your action plan. Describe the scope 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.

Describe your current Tribal TANF and child welfare programs, and the service population’s involvement with these systems.

Identify problems faced by these systems, and by the populations that interact with them. Highlight challenges that could be addressed through better collaboration.

Collaboration Assessment Tool (CAT) Complete the Collaboration Assessment Tool (CAT). The tool assesses progress in eight areas:

• Relationships and communication.

• Information sharing.

• Staff training.

• Screening and assessment.

• Case planning and case management.

• Coordinated delivery of services.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 23

• Information systems.

• Additional indicators.

Each category includes a series of statements related to the area of collaboration. You can use these statements to calculate a numeric score representing the level of collaboration. The higher the score, the greater the collaboration. In addition to providing the numeric scores for each category, you should provide a few sentences of narrative that justify the score. You can use the tool to identify areas for improvement and to track your progress over time.

We expect tribes to have a variety of levels of collaboration, so your current level of collaboration is not as important as how thoroughly you assess and analyze the collaboration.

Specifically, complete tabs “Time 1” and “T1-Scoring” in the CAT Excel workbook, and use the report on the TT-CW CAT webpage for reference. In your application, reproduce the T1-Scoring table, and add a narrative explaining how you arrived at these scores.

After completing the CAT, identify areas that require more attention to strengthen collaboration.

Detailed project description

• Describe the specific activities you will carry out to foster collaboration and coordination between the Tribal TANF and child welfare programs.

• If you are proposing activities to strengthen coordination among other agencies, show how these proposed activities will serve the principle uses of funding.

• Justify the priority areas that your project will focus on, including specific areas within Tribal TANF and/or child welfare. This justification should relate to the findings of the assessment tool and the historical practices of the tribe.

• Address all the program requirements described in the uses of TT-CW funding and general program requirements section and subsections.

• Describe how stakeholders—including Tribal TANF, child welfare, and other programs—will be involved in the project.

• Describe how your activities will change service provision and strengthen the collaboration of Tribal TANF and child welfare programs.

• Identify outputs anticipated from your project, including at least three concrete numerical outputs. These may be outputs from the entire grant, not annual outputs. Outputs could include:

◦ Number of meetings held to better coordinate services.

◦ Number of families receiving TANF that also receive assistance with child welfare case management.

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 24 https://acf.gov/sites/default/files/documents/opre/ttcw_collaboration_assessment_tool_interactive_0.xls https://acf.gov/opre/report/tribal-tanf-child-welfare-coordination-collaboration-assessment-tool

◦ Number of children who avoid out-of-home placements.

◦ Number of trainings for staff.

◦ Number of community events held.

General program requirements Write a short statement explicitly affirming your commitment to adhere to the general program requirements related to program support and technical assistance, data tools, reports, annual meetings, and sustainability.

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

Capacity to carry out activities

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

• Describe your team’s experience (including any partnering organizations) 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.

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

• Provide some supporting information in the organizational capacity supporting information section of your Attachments.

Project management and staffing

• Provide evidence that your team has the relevant capacity, experience, and expertise to adequately develop, oversee, manage, and staff this project.

• Describe the leadership structure, including identifying the project director, and the experience and qualifications of leadership.

◦ The project director should have the expertise and authority to facilitate the coordination of all aspects of the project.

• Identify other staff that will be responsible for:

◦ Facilitating staff interaction.

◦ Drafting or aligning written procedures with project goals and objectives.

◦ Developing and implementing assessment procedures, if applicable.

◦ Aligning information technology systems with project goals and objectives.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 25

◦ Leading the completion of the Collaboration Assessment Tool.

◦ Updating the logic model.

◦ Submitting annual program reports.

• As outlined in the line-item budget and budget narrative, describe FTE allocations for all staff assigned to the project, including key project positions.

• Describe your approach to providing staff support, including training plans and refresher training.

• Provide job descriptions for each vacant key position. You will provide some supporting information in the Attachments section.

• Describe how you will manage the project and how you will make decisions.

• Link the project management and staffing approach to the activities of the logic model and justify how the staffing approach will enable you to achieve your project’s objectives and outcomes.

Plan for oversight of federal award funds and activities You must ensure proper award oversight. The regulation that governs this oversight is 45 CFR part 75 (or, starting October 1, 2025, 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 you use 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.

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 26 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75/subpart-D https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#subpart-D

Project performance evaluation plan Describe a plan for how you will evaluate your project’s performance and how it will contribute to continuous quality improvement. This plan must describe:

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

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

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

• How you will use the resulting information to improve your funded activities.

• Any processes that support overall data quality.

• The organizational systems and processes you will use to track performance outcomes.

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

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

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

• How you will support the necessary data systems to collect and monitor data over time.

• Which Collaboration Assessment Tool indicators you will track most closely over time.

• A plan for how Collaboration Assessment Tool data will be collected over time, including the frequency, respondents, and how data across individuals and organizations will be combined or considered together.

Logic model You must submit a logic model for designing, managing, and evaluating the project. A logic model is a diagram that:

• Presents how inputs drive activities to produce outputs, outcomes, and the ultimate goals of the proposed project.

• Explains the links among project elements.

• Targets the identified objectives and goals of the project.

While there are many versions of logic models, for the purposes of this funding opportunity, the logic model may include the connections between:

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 27

• Inputs such as additional resources, organizational profile, collaborative partners, key staff, and budget.

• Service population, such as the people to be served or identified needs.

• Activities, mechanisms, and processes such as evidence-based practices, best practices, approach, key intervention and evaluation components, and continuous quality improvement efforts.

• Outputs, which include the immediate and direct results of program activities.

• Outcomes, which include the expected short- and long-term results of the project you expect to achieve. These are typically described as changes in people or systems.

• Project goals, such as overarching objectives and reasons for proposing the project.

We encourage you to review a TT-CW report related to logic models.

Dissemination plan Propose a plan to disseminate reports, products, and project outputs to audiences.

Include:

• Dissemination goals and objectives.

• Strategies to identify and engage with service population and related audiences.

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

• A preliminary plan to evaluate whether service population and audiences receive project information and use it as intended.

• The dissemination timeline.

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 initial budget period only. See information on funding periods.

As you develop your budget, consider:

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

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 28 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/tribal-tanf-child-welfare-coordination-theory-change-and-logic-models 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)

• 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.

Make sure to include the following in your budget:

• If needed, include the purchase of equipment that will enable you to participate in video conferences.

• For the annual meetings, you should budget sufficient funds to cover travel, accommodation, and per diem expenses for two individuals for a one-and-a-half-day meeting. To estimate your travel expenses, use the Washington, DC, area as the location for the regional annual meeting. If OFA approves, you may use funds that would have supported travel to the annual TT-CW meeting for another grant-related meeting.

• You may budget for up to two staff members to attend one additional grant-related meeting per year. This trip must be approved by OFA.

• Include expenses for general program requirements and technical assistance activities.

• Include costs for any specific activities that nurture tribal customs and practices, with a goal of promoting family and tribal self-sufficiency.

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 29 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/prepare-budget https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/prepare-budget

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

If you have an exemption for 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.

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

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

See the indirect costs section for more information.

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

• Organizational charts, including all partners.

• Resumes, biographical sketches, or curricula vitae for all key personnel.

• Job descriptions for each vacant key position.

• Copy or description of your organization’s fiscal controls and accountability procedures.

• A brief description of proposed roles and responsibilities under this grant that clearly shows necessary experience and qualifications.

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

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 30 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.2(Cognizant%20agency%20for%20indirect%20costs)

Any such agreement must:

• Describe each party’s roles and responsibilities for project activities.

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

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

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

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

Intended third-party agreements You must submit letters from third parties with whom you intend to partner. Third parties include subrecipients, contractors, and other cooperating entities.

These letters do not need to be formal executed agreements, but they should be signed.

Standard forms You will need to complete some other required standard forms. Upload the following forms at Grants.gov. You can find them in the NOFO application package or review them and their instructions at Grants.gov Forms.

Forms Submission requirement

Application for Federal Assistance

(SF-424)

With the application.

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

With the application.

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

With the application.

Key Contacts With the application.

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

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

(SF-LLL)

If applicable based on instructions, with the application or before award.

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

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

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 31 https://grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family

Important: Public information When filling out your SF-424 form, pay attention to Box 15: Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project.

We share what you put there with USAspending. This is where the public goes to learn how the federal government spends its money.

Instead of just a title, insert a short description of your project and what it will do.

See instructions and examples.

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 32 https://www.usaspending.gov/ https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hhs-writing-award-descriptions.pdf

Step 4:

Learn About Review and Award

In this step

Application review 34

Award notices 39

Application review Initial review…