hhs-2025-acf-opre-ph-0017 Instructions Final.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due December 1, 2025

Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation

Tribal Early Childhood and Family Economic Well- Being Research Center

(TRC)

Opportunity number: HHS-2025-ACF-OPRE-PH-0017

Contents

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4

Basic information 5

Eligibility 7

Program description 8

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 17

Get registered 18

Find the application package 18

Learn more 19

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 20

Application contents and format 21

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 32

Application review 33

Award notices 38

Step 5: Submit Your Application 39

Application submission and deadlines 40

Application checklist 43

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 44

Post-award requirements and administration 45

Contacts and Support 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 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

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 Planning, Research, and Evaluation

A research center that serves Native American communities by focusing on relevant and actionable research, evaluation, and measurement for child care, Head Start/Early Head Start center and home-based programs, and family economic well-being programs.

Have questions?

See Contacts and Support.

Key facts

Opportunity name:

Tribal Early Childhood and Family Economic Well-Being Research Center (TRC)

Opportunity number:

HHS-2025-ACF-OPRE-

PH-0017

Announcement type:

Initial

Federal assistance listing:

93.600, 93.575, 93.647

Statutory authority number:

42 U.S.C. 9858m(a)(5), 42 U.S.C. 9843, 42 U.S.C.

9844, and 42 U.S.C. 1310

Key dates

Application submission deadline:

December 1, 2025

Optional notice of intent deadline:

October 23, 2025

Expected project start date:

January 26, 2026

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

Summary OPRE is seeking applications for the Tribal Early Childhood and Family Economic Well- Being Research Center (TRC).

The TRC will conduct relevant and actionable research, evaluation, and measurement of ACF-funded programs for Native American communities.

The program focuses on child care, Head Start/Early Head Start center and home-based programs and family economic well-being programs. The TRC will bring together a team of experts in each of these areas. It will also engage tribal program administrators and providers, tribal leaders, researchers, and federal staff.

Funding details Type: Cooperative agreement

Expected total program funding: $1,000,000

Total expected awards: One

Minimum award amount for the first budget period (award floor): $750,000

Maximum award amount for the first budget period (award ceiling): $1,000,000

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

You’ll be required to submit semi-annual progress reports. Progress reports help us understand how the project is progressing toward the proposed goals, objectives, and activities, within the stated timeline.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 5

Projects will be eligible for non-competing continuation awards if projects are likely to meet the proposed project goals, objectives, and activities within the stated timeline.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 6

Eligibility Eligibility is unrestricted.

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

Other eligibility criteria Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements may apply for this funding opportunity.

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 The legislative authorities for this program are the following: (1) Section 658O(a)(5) of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act, codified at 42 U.S.C.

9858m(a)(5); (2) Section 648 of the Head Start Act, as amended by the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007, codified at 42 U.S.C. 9843 and sections 649, 42 U.S.C. 9844; and (3) Social Security Act, section 1110, codified at 42 U.S.C. 1310.

Background The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) works with tribal governments and Native American communities in the United States to support the well-being of children and families.

By Native American communities, we refer to individuals and groups with ancestral ties to the lands within the United States, including members of federally recognized tribes and others who maintain cultural or community connections. ACF is committed to respecting sovereignty, upholding the government-to-government relationship with federally recognized tribes, and supporting programs that reflect the unique traditions, languages, and cultural heritage of Native American communities.

Relevant research, evaluation, and measurement benefits the communities implementing these programs, other Indigenous communities, and the federal government.

The Tribal Early Childhood and Family Economic Well-Being Research Center (TRC) is a collaborative effort that supports the following three service programs:

• Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)

• Head Start

• Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Despite their separate origins, these programs all serve similar populations, and many tribal communities operate two or more of these programs.

Both tribal leaders and the federal government are working on better collaboration across Tribal early childhood and family economic well-being programs.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 8

Recently, ACF has engaged in cross-cutting early childhood policy work such as:

• Providing funding for tribal early childhood systems development

• Engaging in joint consultation

• Offering joint policy guidance from ACF’s Office of Child Care (OCC), Office of Head Start (OHS), and Office of Early Childhood Development (ECD)

Similarly, research in one program area often helps others, and many early childhood and family economic topics may be cross-cutting.

The Tribal Early Childhood Research Center was first funded in 2011 to provide leadership and support excellence in community-based participatory research and evaluations of Tribal Home Visiting, Head Start, and Early Head Start programs that serve American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) children and families.

In 2016, the TRC 2 was funded following the model of the TRC, adding funding for child care. Then, in 2020, TRC 3 began, with a focus on family economic well-being added in 2021. This award (the TRC 4) builds on past efforts to support relevant and actionable research evaluation, and measurement. It also continues the focus on ACF early childhood and family economic well-being programs.

Programs Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) CCDF is a federal block grant program administered by OCC that funds states, territories, and tribes for child care services for families with low incomes with children under the age of 13.

Each CCDF Lead Agency must follow the CCDBG Act and ACF-issued rules and regulations found at 45 CFR Parts 98 and Parts 99. States, territories, and tribal governments can set their own CCDF policies, as long as they meet federal requirements.

Tribal Lead Agencies, however, have different rules based on their annual funding. They can tailor their programs to meet child care needs in their communities, focusing on language and culture, and can set aside funds for construction and major renovation.

To learn more about the goals and initiatives of the CCDF program and OCC, you can visit the OCC website.

Every year, part of the CCDF budget goes to research and evaluation projects on Child Care and Early Education policy aimed at improving the CCDF program. To learn more about projects funded with CCDF research set-aside funds, you can visit the OPRE website. CCDF research funds amount to $250,000, or about 33.33% of the Center’s total budget.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 9

Head Start Head Start programs support children from birth to age five and pregnant women through center and home-based services centered around early learning and development, health, and family well-being. Early Head Start serves children from birth to younger than three years old and pregnant women. Head Start Preschool serves children aged three to no older than the age required to attend school.

Head Start staff actively engage parents, recognizing family participation throughout the program as key to strong child outcomes. Head Start provides awards to local public and private non-profit and for-profit agencies across 12 regions, five of which are geographically based.

Region XI serves children and families in programs operated by federally recognized AIAN tribes or tribal associations. It includes both AIAN and non-AIAN children and families. Region XII serves migrant and seasonal workers and their families.

OHS honors the rich cultural heritage of AIAN communities. Consistent with the Head Start Act, programs strive to offer high quality services that are linguistically and culturally appropriate and tailored to local needs. For more information on AIAN Head Start, see American Indian and Alaska Native Programs | ECLKC.

Research funds for Head Start total $250,000, or about 33.33% of the Center’s budget.

Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) ACF’s Office of Family Assistance (OFA) administers federal programs that foster family economic security and stability. This includes the TANF and Tribal TANF programs.

Tribal TANF gives federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia flexibility in the design of welfare programs that promote work and responsibility and strengthen families.

Tribes receive block grants to design and run TANF programs that are focused on achieving the four statutory purposes of TANF.

You can read more about the statutory purposes of TANF here at the following link:

TANF’s four goals.

The Social Services Research and Demonstration (SSRD) funds research and demonstration projects such as those which will help improve the administration and effectiveness of programs carried on or assisted under the Social Security Act and related programs.

SSRD research funds contribute $250,000, or about 33.33% of the Center’s budget.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 10

Goals and activities The TRC will support relevant and actionable research, evaluation, and measurement of ACF-funded early childhood and family economic well-being programs that serve Native American communities.

By “relevant” and “actionable,” we mean they align with community practices, honor tribal data sovereignty, and are useful for decision-making and improvement.

For examples of this kind of research, see OPRE Research and Evaluation with Tribal Communities.

The primary goals of the TRC are to:

• Conduct relevant and actionable research, evaluation, and measurement of relevance across ACF-funded early childhood and family economic well-being programs.

• Serve as a hub for information and peer exchange, to promote this research, evaluation, and measurement.

To achieve this, the TRC will:

• Further explore and increase the usefulness of community grounded or adapted measures relevant to TRC program areas.

• Engage in and facilitate secondary analyses of data from across TRC program areas (e.g., administrative data, accessible national datasets) to better understand community characteristics, program design, implementation processes, and outcomes.

• Conduct other research responsive to the needs of tribal program administrators, policy makers and providers, tribal leaders, and researchers from the three TRC program areas.

• Summarize information on existing measures of meaningful inputs, processes, and outcomes across TRC program areas.

• Summarize promising practices and provide research-backed frameworks for programs wishing to adapt, enhance, or develop:

◦ Curricula

◦ Child assessments

◦ Staffing qualifications/credentialing that align with the needs of their communities

• Organize forums (e.g., trainings) to share Native American research methodologies, research planning tools (e.g., logic models), and approaches to honoring tribal data sovereignty.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 11

• Honor tribal data sovereignty and ethically disseminate findings to practitioners, policymakers, and the public.

The TRC’s information sharing and research activities will be constructed with input from tribal program administrators and providers, tribal leaders, researchers, and federal staff from OPRE, OCC, OHS, ECD, and OFA.

Project requirements Projects funded through these awards are required to meet the following criteria:

Principal investigator The Center must have one Project Director. The Project Director must:

• Have research expertise and a doctorate or equivalent.

• Represent the TRC and ensure its activities are aligned.

• Commit enough time and effort, so the project is managed well.

• Be supported by a Project Manager or Project Coordinator to ensure efficiency, timely implementation, and coordination.

If the Project Director changes during the project period, it counts as a major project revision and would require ACF approval.

Research team The Center’s research team must consist of:

• Research leads skilled in the three TRC program areas. The leads must:

◦ be experts in relevant and actionable research, evaluation, and measurement.

◦ commit enough time and effort to manage individual activities, and cross-cutting projects.

• A Dissemination Lead. This person must:

◦ Ensure timely, targeted information and peer exchange across TRC program areas.

◦ Develop and maintain an accessible website.

◦ Develop resources for relevant and actionable research, evaluation, and measurement of relevance across program areas.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 12

Meetings The Project Director or a Research Team member will be required to attend and present at the following meetings:

• Child Care and Early Education Policy Research Consortium (in Washington DC, biennially)

• Annual OCC–sponsored Tribal Child Care Conference (in Washington DC)

• OHS Region XI Grantee Meeting (various locations, annually)

• Research and Evaluation Conference on Self-Sufficiency (in Washington DC, biennially)

• National Research Conference on Early Childhood (in Washington DC, biennially)

• National Tribal TANF and Native Employment Works Meeting (various locations, annually)

Collaboration with federal staff TRC representatives, including Project Directors, Co-Directors, and other selected TRC research leads, will meet biweekly online with the Federal Project Officer (FPO) (from OPRE), and with other representatives from OPRE, OCC, ECD, OHS, and OFA. These meetings will help OPRE stay informed about and provide input on project activities.

During these meetings, the TRC team and OPRE staff will:

• Review research plans, progress, and products.

• Assess efforts to become a hub of information and peer exchange.

• Identify and prioritize dissemination opportunities.

• Discuss challenges and find solutions.

The TRC will also share products or presentations with the FPO for feedback.

Active engagement The TRC’s plans should be formed after engaging with groups, including tribal program administrators and providers, tribal leaders, researchers, and federal staff from the three TRC program areas.

The TRC will bring together a Steering Committee that reflects a wide range of Native American communities, perspectives, research disciplines, and a balance across the three TRC program areas. This committee will rotate members to allow for new voices.

They will help identify key research and practice questions. The TRC will also consult with federal staff, either through this committee or another, to understand emerging questions related to its programs, and broader federal efforts with Native American communities.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 13

Cooperative agreement—Description of ACF’s involvement When funding is awarded in a cooperative agreement, you can expect substantial involvement of federal staff in the performance of the funded activities. In this cooperative agreement, OPRE will:

• Negotiate roles and responsibilities with the recipient before finalizing the cooperative agreement.

• Address review panel concerns, such as areas in which additional expertise or support might be needed and will work with the grant recipient to address significant gaps or weaknesses.

• Facilitate collaboration among other ACF-sponsored recipients and projects, such as with:

◦ Research projects.

◦ Training and technical assistance providers.

◦ Federal staff representing OCC, ECD, OHS, and OFA.

• Join biweekly calls with the recipient to provide support and remain informed about the project.

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.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 14 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.

• Pre-award

According to statutory authority, the Center can only use funds for specific ACF programs. Award recipients must ensure each program’s funds only cover its costs. This can be done in two ways:

• Keep funds for each program in separate accounts and use each account only for that program’s costs.

• Combine all award funds in one account and allocate funds to each program, while ensuring no program’s costs exceed its funding. The cost cap/percentage on money being used from each funding source is 33.33%.

Most of the Center’s costs will likely be cross-cutting (i.e., fall within the scope of multiple program areas). In these instances, the recipient generally can choose which program to charge. For questions about this, contact the grants management specialist.

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.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 15

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.

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.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 16

Step 2:

Get Ready to Apply

In this step

Get registered 18

Find the application package 18

Learn more 19

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

To register, go to SAM.gov Entity Registration and 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 Search Grants | Grants.gov and search for opportunity number HHS-2025-ACF-OPRE- PH-0017. 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.

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 18

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

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 19

Step 3:

Prepare Your Application

In this step

Application contents and format 21

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

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 them through Grants.gov.

See the list of standard forms.

Required format Page limit for file one and file two combined: 100 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)

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 21

• 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.

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:

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 22

• 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.

• 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.

Applications must contain the following sections:

Background and significance Include a brief literature review on your most recent and relevant research priorities.

Your literature review should do the following:

• Discuss past and ongoing studies on early childhood or family economic well-being programs implemented within Native American communities, as well as identifying gaps in the knowledge base.

• Discuss cross-cutting programmatic and policy issues relevant to Tribal Child Care, Head Start/ Early Head Start, Tribal TANF and related family economic programs.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 23

• Identify the gaps or needs that motivate your proposed research and information sharing activities.

The background and significance section should also describe the proposal’s significance. It must explain how it will advance relevant and actionable research, evaluation, and measurement of interest to tribal program administrators and providers, tribal leaders, researchers, and federal staff from the three TRC program areas.

Research Plan A plan to conduct relevant and actionable research, evaluation, and measurement of relevance across ACF-funded early childhood and family economic well-being programs.

You must propose a five-year research plan outlining themes you will investigate, as well as specific activities you will address related to those themes, and your approaches to honoring tribal data sovereignty

Your action plan should do the following:

• Outline research themes and activities to:

◦ Further explore and increase the usefulness of community grounded or adapted measures.

◦ Engage in and facilitate secondary analyses of data across TRC program areas.

◦ Conduct other research relevant to emerging needs.

• Describe how you will seek and integrate input from tribal program administrators and providers, tribal leaders, researchers, and federal staff from the three TRC program areas into the research plan.

• Develop a plan for quality assurance for all Center research activities.

Information Sharing Plan You must propose a five-year plan to share information and provide forums that support relevant and actionable research, evaluation, and measurement in the TRC program areas.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 24

Your plan should:

• Discuss how you will be a hub for information and peer exchange, fostering relevant and actionable research, evaluation, and measurement in the TRC program areas.

• Provide detailed plans to:

◦ Summarize information on existing meaningful measures across TRC program areas.

◦ Summarize promising practices and provide research-backed frameworks for programs wishing to adapt, enhance, or develop:

▪ Curricula

▪ Child assessments

▪ Staffing qualifications/credentialing tailored to their communities

◦ Provide forums (e.g., trainings) for sharing about Native American research methodologies, research planning tools (e.g., logic models), and approaches to honoring tribal data sovereignty.

◦ Honor tribal data sovereignty and ethically disseminate TRC findings to practitioners, policymakers, and the public

• Describe how you will seek and integrate input from tribal program administrators and providers, tribal leaders, researchers, and federal staff from the three TRC program areas, and any other groups identified as important to engage.

• Discuss potential challenges to carrying out the work as designed, and your solutions.

• Provide a project timeline with specific milestones showing how you will meet the goals.

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.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 25

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

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

• Describe your team’s experience (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.

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

• Provide evidence that key team members have the available time to fulfill the associated project duties.

• Provide an appropriate management plan for achieving project objectives on time and on budget.

• Provide an appropriate plan for developing and engaging a Steering Committee, which includes, but is not limited to, tribal program administrators and providers, tribal leaders, researchers, and federal staff from the three TRC program areas.

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

Current and pending funding support Provide a list of your current and pending funding for ongoing projects and proposals.

Include all sources, such as federal, state, and local governments, public or private foundations, and for-profit organizations.

Indicate which projects and proposals require committed time from the project director, principal investigator, or other key personnel of the project you are proposing in this application.

Show the total award amount, awarding entity, and the amount of time each key staff member will devote to each project.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 26

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.

Protection of sensitive or confidential information Describe how you will collect and safeguard protected personally identifiable information and other information that is considered sensitive. Make sure your approach is consistent with applicable federal, state, local, and tribal laws regarding privacy and obligations of confidentiality, and honors tribal data sovereignty. Provide:

• The methods and systems you will use to ensure that you properly handle confidential and sensitive information, including any subrecipients or contractors.

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

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 27

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.

Awards under this NOFO come from multiple funding sources. Applicants must provide additional details in their budget and budget justifications. This detail should reflect the percentages and types of costs and activities by funding source proportionately. In the SF-424A, show the amounts estimated under each Object Class Category, by funding source, under each of the columns. You can find a description of the funding sources in funding details.

As you develop your budget, consider:

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

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

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

• How you will track the funding by program to ensure each program received its share of the benefit from the work

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.

• Account for the cost of required meetings.

• Account for staff time and other costs associated with active engagement throughout the project.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 28

• 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.

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.

Legal proof of nonprofit status If your organization is a nonprofit, you need to attach proof. We will accept any of the following:

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

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

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

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

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

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 29

Legal proof of for-profit status If your organization is a for-profit, including a small business, you need to attach proof.

Include documentation establishing your organization’s power to enter into contractual relationships or accept awards. This might include your articles of incorporation or bylaws.

Legal proof of small businesses In addition to the proof that your organization is for-profit required in the previous section, small businesses must submit a certification signed by the chief executive officer or designee that states that the entity qualifies as a small business under 13 CFR 121.101-121.201.

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.

• College transcripts for graduate student research fellows.

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

Letters of support Attach statements from community, public, or commercial leaders that support your project. At minimum, each letter of support must identify the:

• Person writing the letter.

• Organization they represent.

• Date.

• Reasons for supporting the project.

Protection of human subjects’ certification Not included in the page limit.

You must attach a Protection of Human Subjects: Assurance Identification / Certification / Declaration of Exemption form. You can find this form at the Office of Human Research Protections Forms website.

For more on this topic see the Office of Human Research Protections website. If you have questions, you can email them at OHRP@HHS.gov or call them at 240-453-6900.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 30

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.

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 their money.

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

See instructions and examples.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 31

Step 4:

Learn About Review and Award

In this step

Application review 33

Award notices 38

Application review Initial review We will review your application to make sure that it meets the responsiveness requirements listed in the disqualification factors section. If your application does not meet these criteria, we will disqualify it and we will not move it to the merit review phase.

We will let you know if your application is disqualified within 30 days of the application deadline. You won’t receive any notice from ACF if your application fails Grants.gov validation checks.

If you submit more than two files in addition to your forms, we will remove the extra files. We will let you know if this happens.

We will also remove blurred or illegible pages and any file formats that are not supported.

We will not review any pages that exceed the page limit.

If your application fails to adhere to ACF’s NOFO formatting, font, and page limitation requirements, we will adjust your application by removing page(s) from the application. We will remove the pages before the merit review and will not send them to reviewers.

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

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 33

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

Our reviewers typically are not federal employees. See the section on proprietary and personally identifiable information.

Criteria

Criterion Total number of points = 100

Background and significance 20 points

Research plan 25 points

Information sharing plan 25 points

Organizational capacity 20 points

Budget 10 points

Background and significance Maximum points: 20

The reviewer will assess how well you:

• Demonstrate an understanding of previous and ongoing research and gaps in the knowledge base related to early childhood and family economic well-being programs implemented within Native American communities.

• Discuss cross-cutting programmatic and policy issues relevant to the three TRC program areas.

• Provide a rationale for proposed research and information sharing activities.

• Describe the overall significance of the proposal and how it will advance the goals set forth in the Program Description section.

Research plan Maximum points: 25

The reviewer will assess how well you:

• Describe potential research themes and activities to:

◦ Further explore and increase the usefulness of community grounded or adapted measures relevant to the TRC program areas

◦ Engage in and facilitate secondary analyses of data across TRC program areas

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 34

◦ Conduct other primary research responsive to emerging needs from the Steering Committee or federal staff from the TRC program areas

• Provide a clear and feasible plan to seek and integrate input from tribal program administrators and providers, tribal leaders, researchers, and federal staff from the four TRC program areas, and any other groups identified as important to engage into the research plan.

• Identify challenges to carrying out the proposed activities and your solutions.

• Outline a project timeline with specific milestones that is clear, feasible, and appropriate to address the project goals.

• Describe a clear and detailed research planning and quality assurance plan for all Center research activities over the course of the 5-year project period.

• Demonstrate how you will ensure all research activities are completed and findings are shared within the project period.

Information sharing plan Maximum points: 25

The reviewer will assess how well you:

• Detail how you will serve as a hub for information and peer exchange.

• Clearly identify how proposed activities for the hub will support relevant and actionable research, evaluation, and measurement in the TRC program areas.

• Describe clear and feasible approaches to:

◦ Summarizing information on existing meaningful measures across TRC program areas.

◦ Summarizing promising practices and providing research-backed frameworks for programs that want to adapt, enhance, or develop:

▪ Curricula

▪ Child assessments

▪ Staffing qualifications/credentialing aligned with the needs of their communities

◦ Creating forums to share about Native American research methodologies, research planning tools (e.g., logic models), and approaches to honoring tribal data sovereignty.

◦ Honoring tribal data sovereignty and ethically disseminating TRC findings to practitioners, policymakers, and the public.

• Detail a clear and feasible plan to seek and integrate input from tribal program administrators and providers, tribal leaders, researchers, and federal staff from the three TRC program areas, and any other groups identified as important to engage.

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 35

• Discuss potential challenges to carrying out the proposed information sharing activities and your solutions.

• Outline a project timeline with specific milestones that is clear, feasible, and appropriate to address the project goals.

Organizational capacity Maximum points: 20

The reviewer will assess how well you:

• Demonstrate that your proposed Project Director possesses the necessary qualifications, experience, and available time to lead the project.

• Demonstrate that a Project Manager or Project Coordinator with necessary qualifications, experience, and available time will support the Project Director with efficient project management, timely implementation, and coordination.

• Demonstrate that your Dissemination Lead has necessary qualifications, experience, and available time to support the information sharing plan.

• Demonstrate that your proposed research team and partners possess the necessary qualifications and experience in all three TRC program areas, and available time to accomplish project objectives.

• Propose an appropriate management plan for…