hhs-2026-acf-acyf-ca-0037 MODIFICATION 6.12.26.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due Monday, July 13, 2026

Administration for Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF) Children’s Bureau

Predictive Analytics in Child Welfare Demonstration Grants Opportunity number: HHS-2026-ACF-ACYF-CA-0037

Contents

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4

Basic information 5

Eligibility 6

Agency priorities 8

Program description 10

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 18

Find the application package 19

Get registered 19

Learn more 20

Step 3: Build Your Application 21

Application checklist 22

Application contents and format 23

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 37

Application review 38

Award notices 45

Step 5: Submit Your Application 46

Application submission and deadlines 47

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 49

Post-award requirements and administration 50

Contacts and Support 51

Before you begin 3

Modifications 54

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 Monday, July 13, 2026.

To help you find what you need, this NOFO uses internal links. In Adobe Reader, you can go back to where you were by pressing Alt + Left Arrow (Windows) or Command + Left Arrow (Mac) on your keyboard.

Before you begin 3 https://sam.gov/ https://grants.gov/

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

Step 1:

Review the Opportunity

In this step

Basic information 5

Eligibility 6

Agency priorities 8

Program description 10

Basic information Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Administration for Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF)

Children’s Bureau

Using predictive analytics in child welfare to improve outcomes for children and families.

Have questions?

See Contacts and Support.

Key facts

Opportunity name:

Predictive Analytics in Child Welfare Demonstration Grants

Opportunity number:

HHS-2026-ACF-ACYF-

CA-0037

Federal assistance listing:

93.670

NOFO version: Original

Key dates

Application submission deadline:

• July 13, 2026

• June 30, 2027

• June 30, 2028

Expected project start date: September 30, 2026

See intergovernmental review for other submission processes that may apply to this NOFO.

Summary As child welfare agencies expand their use of data, they may need targeted implementation, analytic assistance, and information sharing to use predictive analytics responsibly. The Predictive Analytics in Child Welfare Demonstration Grants funding opportunity will use child welfare jurisdictions as demonstration sites for the successful use and future replication of predictive analytics in child welfare nationally.

If awarded, you will focus on the following activities within a public child welfare agency:

• Designing, implementing, and testing predictive analytics strategies

• Building and sustaining agency capacity for predictive analytics

• Participating in collaboration and shared learning

• Evaluating predictive analytics projects

Funding details Type: Cooperative agreement Expected total program funding: $6,000,000 Total expected awards: 10 Minimum award amount (award floor): $400,000 Maximum award amount (award ceiling): $600,000

This is full funding. We plan to fund a three-year project period with one budget period.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 5

Eligibility Eligible applicants Eligibility is limited to state, territorial, or tribal child welfare agencies.

Public child welfare agencies can achieve the greatest impact from predictive analytics in supporting families and protecting children by enhancing decision-making. Limiting competition to these agencies maximizes this impact and aligns with:

• Executive Order 13930: “Strengthening the Child Welfare System for America’s Children”

• Executive Order 13960: “Promoting the Use of Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence in the Federal Government”

• Executive Order 14359: “Fostering the Future”

This approach leverages existing resources within child welfare agencies to develop and implement technological solutions for historically challenging problems, with the goal of achieving a 1:1 ratio of available foster homes to children in need.

Other eligibility criteria Individuals (including sole proprietorships), federal entities, and foreign entities are not eligible to apply.

Disqualifying 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), a federal entity, 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.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 6

Cost sharing This program has no cost-sharing requirement, meaning you do not need to contribute to the costs of this project.

If you choose to include cost-sharing funds, we won’t consider it during review. If you receive an award, we will include your voluntary commitment in the award, and you must report on the funds. If you don’t provide your promised amount, we may have to decrease your award amount or use other enforcement actions.

Post-award requirements

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

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

Statutory authority Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) 42 U.S.C. 5106(b)(5)

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 7 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:42%20section:5106a%20edition:prelim)

Agency priorities Required alignment with ACF Vision, Mission, Values, Priorities, and Guiding Principles The recipient of this award must implement any funds awarded under this NOFO to effectuate program goals or agency priorities in accordance with ACF’s vision, mission, values, priorities, & guiding principles when authorized. Funded activities must advance ACF’s vision of resilient, safe, healthy, and economically secure children, youth, families, and communities, and support ACF’s mission to foster health and well-being through effective, accountable, and compassionate human services when awarded in any programs that authorize these priorities.

Consistent with ACF’s values, in carrying out any project that is funded under this NOFO, the recipient is required to adhere to the following principle:

1. Program integrity and fiscal stewardship: Administer funds in accordance with all applicable federal statutes, regulations, and award conditions; maintain strong internal controls; and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse.

The recipient is also required to adhere to the following principles when consistent with the authority and scope of the award and its activities:

2. Evidence-based and outcome-focused practices: Design and deliver services using evidence-based or evidence-informed approaches, establish measurable performance goals, and use data to monitor outcomes and drive continuous improvement.

3. Partnership and local leadership: Coordinate with state, tribal, territorial, local, and community partners, as appropriate, and tailor services to meet community-identified needs while respecting local decision-making authority.

In addition, in keeping with ACF’s priorities, the recipient must administer any project that is awarded under this NOFO in accordance with the following objectives when consistent with the scope of the award and its activities in programs that are authorized to advance them:

4. Family stability and child well-being: Strengthen families, promote safe and stable home environments, and improve outcomes for children and youth through prevention-focused and developmentally appropriate services.

5. Work, self-sufficiency, and economic mobility: Support pathways to employment, job retention, and economic independence for individuals and

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 8 https://acf.gov/about/acf-vision-mission-values https://acf.gov/about/acf-vision-mission-values families, including through workforce development, education, and supportive services.

6. High-quality early care and learning: Where applicable, invest in high-quality early childhood programs that support school readiness, healthy development, and long-term success.

The recipient must demonstrate ongoing compliance with these values and priorities, in all programs that are authorized to advance them, through program design, implementation, reporting, and evaluation. Failure to meaningfully align funded activities with the applicable requirements may result in corrective action, additional reporting requirements, or other enforcement actions consistent with federal grant regulations found at 2 CFR Part 200 and the terms and conditions of this award.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 9 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200

Program description Purpose Recipients will serve as a proving ground for implementation and future replication of predictive analytics in child welfare nationally. Each demonstration project will rely upon teams of experts in the areas of child welfare practice, implementation of science, and predictive analytics to successfully execute predictive analytics projects within child welfare jurisdictions. These projects will vary depending on each agency’s level of readiness. Projects will focus on designing, testing, and evaluating predictive analytics development and implementation within child welfare agencies. To ensure successful implementation during the project period, recipients should have demonstrated agency commitment, readiness, and sufficient infrastructure within the child welfare agency and/or through partnerships to carry out the proposed work. ACF is particularly interested in projects in the following areas:

• Using predictive analytics to strengthen decision-making across child welfare agencies

• Using predictive analytics to identify and prioritize risk and allocate resources

• Integrating predictive analytics into agency practice and operations to improve coordination and efficiency

• Supporting the workforce by integrating predictive analytics with existing risk and safety tools and professional judgment

• Using predictive analytics strategies ethically and with appropriate safeguards

• Contributing to the evidence base and sharing lessons learned to support national learning and replication opportunities

Background Child welfare agencies intersect with families during periods of high vulnerability to protect children from abuse or neglect. As a result, decision-making in child welfare systems is often high stakes, with limited time, resources, and information. In response, many child welfare jurisdictions are increasingly turning to predictive analytics to support their existing practices. In doing so, child welfare agencies can develop a clearer picture of children most at risk while enabling agencies to proactively allocate resources to families most at risk, improve decision-making, and prevent child maltreatment.

Historically, state child welfare agencies relied on a combination of manual risk assessment tools and professional judgement. The purpose of conducting risk

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 10 assessments in child welfare is to facilitate an accurate, bias-free decision-making process for identifying families that need early intervention, assess risk of re-referral or reentry into foster care, and help caseworkers make decisions about child safety.

However, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests that many of these manual tools have poor predictive power, and there is not enough evidence about their effectiveness. While professional judgment is critical, it is also prone to error when used on its own, particularly at child welfare agencies with high turnover rates and large caseloads.

Predictive analytics has increasingly been identified as a way to increase the accuracy and reliability of judgments in child welfare systems. Using statistical methods, predictive analytics can provide insights into previously intractable problems across the agency continuum. These methods use data that already exists within child welfare information systems. Using predictive analytics in child welfare has shown the potential to support:

• Assessing risk of maltreatment

• Targeting resources

• Reducing the risk of foster care reentry or risk of removal

• Prioritizing cases

• Improving operational efficiency

• Making placement matches

• Recruiting and retaining foster homes

Project requirements Program objectives The following are the objectives of the Predictive Analytics in Child Welfare Demonstration Grants:

• Enhance decision-making in child welfare practice

• Strengthen data integration and quality

• Build sustainable analytics capacity within the child welfare agency

• Promote transparency and community trust

• Support workforce adoption and utilization of predictive analytics

To carry out the program objectives, recipients will focus on the following activities in the following subsections.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 11

1. Design, implement, and test predictive analytics strategies You must design, implement, and test predictive analytics strategies in child welfare.

We expect this activity to include:

• Developing or strengthening data integration, infrastructure, and governance including integrating data between the agency’s Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS)/ Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS) and other relevant data

• Developing, testing, validating, and implementing predictive analytics models to improve outcomes for children and families

• Engaging families and community stakeholders in design and oversight with a focus on transparency and community engagement

• Integrating predictive analytics into agency practice and human decision-making

Projects can include a wide range of topics tailored to your agency’s individual needs, readiness, and goals. We are particularly interested in projects in the following areas:

• Developing and implementing predictive analytics strategies to help make decisions consistently and accurately during hotline intake

• Developing systems to flag high-risk cases during investigations

• Improving real-time quality assurance by generating risk scores, forecasting maltreatment, and better allocating resources

• Using predictive analytics to manage staff workload and balance work assignments

• Integrating predictive analytic strategies to identify eligible candidates for foster care under the agency’s Title IV-E Prevention Program

• Using predictive analytics strategies to identify, target, and retain foster and adoptive placements

• Improving placement stability and long-term matches by analyzing and aligning children’s strengths and needs with family characteristics and environmental factors

2. Build and sustain agency capacity You must build and sustain agency capacity to sustainably use predictive analytics. We expect this activity to include:

• Describing agency readiness for predictive analytics to include access to data, community partnerships, training infrastructure, and familiarity with the agency’s IT system and child welfare data

• Establishing or strengthening data, staffing, and governance structures

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 12

• Integrating predictive analytics into agency operations and workflows to improve operational efficiency

• Supporting workforce use of predictive analytics in coordination with professional judgment and oversight

• Creating scalable infrastructure that can be replicated across jurisdictions

3. Participate in collaboration and shared learning You must participate in collaboration and shared learning with the Children’s Bureau’s (CB’s) technical assistance network and other award recipients. We expect this activity to include:

• Participating in communication, training, and learning activities

• Coordinating with the CB’s technical assistance network to receive technical assistance to help you implement, test, evaluate, and disseminate your project

• Contributing to lessons learned and promising practices to support broader learning across child welfare agencies

4. Monitor Predictive Analytics Projects All projects must include an approach to monitor the agency’s predictive analytics model. We expect this to include how you will continuously monitor the predictive analytics model over time to include but not limited to:

• Details regarding how the agency will recalibrate the model by re-examining the relative weights of the variables in the model

• How the agency will establish and evaluate risk thresholds and whether the threshold is appropriate for the jurisdiction including opportunities for clinical overrides

• How the state will proactively integrate predictive analytics information within current practice structures and processes to enhance work with youth and family’s integration into current practice structures

Mandatory meetings You are expected to join a cohort of other award recipients and federal staff. You must attend yearly in-person meetings and monthly virtual meetings throughout the award period. During these meetings, you will work with the award cohort and federal staff to share updates and takeaways from projects.

Disseminating findings and best practices You are expected to share findings and best practices from your project to strengthen the use of predictive analytics in child welfare nationally. This includes addressing

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 13 knowledge gaps, identifying best practices for transparency and accountability, and contributing to best practices for replication.

You must work with our technical assistance network to create different types of materials and use appropriate channels to reach audiences. Your national audiences include policymakers, researchers, social service administrators, and practitioners.

Materials can include policy briefs, journal articles, or other tailored products.

This award is subject to the requirements of the Stevens Amendment. Recipients must clearly state the percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the program or project that will be financed with federal funds, as well as the percentage and dollar amount financed by non-governmental sources, in all public communications and materials describing the program or project.

This program primarily supports the following ACF priorities:

• Program Integrity and Fiscal Stewardship

• Evidence-Based and Outcome-Focused Practices

• Partnership and Local Leadership

In addition, ACF prioritizes projects from entities that have joined or submit a letter expressing their intent to join A Home For Every Child initiative.

Cooperative agreement—Description of ACF’s involvement A cooperative agreement is a specific method of awarding federal assistance in which substantial federal involvement is anticipated. A cooperative agreement clearly defines the respective responsibilities of the Children’s Bureau and the award recipient. CB anticipates that agency involvement will produce programmatic benefits to the award recipient that would not otherwise be available. For this project, CB involvement and collaboration will include:

• Reviewing and approving the planning stages of the activities before you begin implementation

• Coordinating on key programmatic activities, like strategic planning, implementation, information technology enhancements, training and technical assistance, publication or product development, and evaluation

• Providing close oversight of project requirements that may restrict the award recipient’s flexibility in determining the scope of services

• Monitoring to make sure your project aligns with the intent of this funding

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 14 https://acf.gov/grants/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#book_content_7

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

300. These regulations replace those in 45 CFR 75.

General policies

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

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

◦ Funding more applicants

◦ Extending the period of performance

◦ Awarding supplemental funding

• To the extent permitted by law, including any relevant court orders, you may not use funds from this NOFO for any diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEI and DEIA) activities. This includes:

◦ DEI- or DEIA-related research

◦ Activities that discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or other protected traits.

◦ Any efforts that promote a “discriminatory equity ideology”

• To the extent permitted by law, including any relevant court rulings, ACF will also not allow funds awarded under this NOFO to support any services or activities that inculcate or promote gender ideology

For guidance on other types of costs that we restrict or do not allow, see General Provisions for Selected Items of Costs of the Uniform Guidance, 2 CFR part 200.

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

• Construction

• Purchase of real property

• Major renovation

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 15 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-III/part-300 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-III/part-300 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Subrecipients must meet the eligibility requirements of this NOFO.

If a State selects to partner with a subrecipient to support this work, States must submit a letter to ACF outlining subrecipient entity details, qualification and experience related to predictive risk modeling and require subrecipient, to the extent consistent with applicable law including the relevant appropriations, to attest that it will carry out the funded activities covered in this NOFO in a manner consistent with ACF priorities or to indicate what funded activities under this NOFO the subrecipient cannot carry out in a manner consistent with ACF priorities.

Salary rate limitation The salary rate limitation in the current appropriations act applies to this program. You may not use awarded funds to pay a salary at a higher rate than the rate for Executive Level II.

For the Executive Level II salary, please see the Office of Personnel Management information on executive and senior level employee pay.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 16 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.414#p-200.414(f) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Modified%20Total%20Direct%20Cost%20(MTDC)) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.332 https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/ https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/

The salary limitation reflects a person’s base salary (including any portion of the salary that is paid with indirect costs). It does not include fringe benefits or any income the person is allowed to earn outside of the duties of the applicant organization.

This salary limitation also applies to subawards, contracts, and subcontracts under an ACF grant or cooperative agreement.

Program income If you earn any money from your award-supported project activities (known as program income), you must use it for the purposes and under the conditions of the award. Find more about program income at 2 CFR 200.307.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 17 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.307

Step 2:

Get Ready to Apply

In this step

Find the application package 19

Get registered 19

Learn more 20

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

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

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

Get registered SAM.gov You must have an active account with SAM.gov to apply. SAM.gov registration can take several weeks. Begin that process today.

To register:

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

• You must agree to the financial assistance general certifications and representations [PDF] specifically. Those for contracts are different.

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

Once you register:

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

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

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

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 19 https://www.grants.gov/support https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/financial-assistance-general-certification-representations.pdf https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/financial-assistance-general-certification-representations.pdf

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.

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

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

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 20 https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration http://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant

Step 3:

Build Your Application

In this step

Application checklist 22

Application contents and format 23

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

File one: Narratives Use the Project Narrative Attachment form.

Component Included in page limit?

Table of contents Yes

Project summary Yes

Project narrative Yes

Line-item budget and budget narrative Yes

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

Component Included in page limit?

ACF Priorities Alignment Attestation No

Indirect cost agreement Yes

Additional eligibility documentation No

Organizational capacity supporting information (including organization chart)

Yes

Third-party agreements Yes

Maintenance of effort certification No

Protection of human subjects certification No

Optional: Letter of intent to join A Home for Every Child No

Standard forms Use each required form in Grants.gov.

Step 3: Build Your Application 22

Component Included in page limit?

Project Abstract Summary No

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) No

Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs

(SF-424A)

No

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

Key Contacts No

Grants.gov Lobbying Form No

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) No

Project/Performance Site Location(s) (SF-P/PSL) No

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

Your organization’s authorized official must certify your application.

See intergovernmental review to find out if you need to make any other submissions.

Required format

Page limit for file one and file two combined: 90 pages.

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

Accepted file formats

• Adobe PDF (.pdf)

• Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)

• Microsoft Excel (.xls or .xlsx)

• Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt)

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

Step 3: Build Your Application 23

Document formats Paper size: 8 ½ inches x 11 inches Margins: 1 inch all around Language: English

If possible, include page numbers.

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

Fonts Font: Times New Roman Color: Black Size: 12-point font

Footnotes and text in tables and graphics may be 10-point.

Spacing Table of contents: Must be single-spaced Project summary: Must be single-spaced Project narrative: Must be double-spaced Line-item budget and budget narrative: Can be single-spaced Attachments: Can be single-spaced Tables and footnotes throughout: Can be single-spaced

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

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

Step 3: Build Your Application 24

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

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

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

• A brief description of the project, including the needs and population you will address, 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

Purpose and need

Objectives

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

• Outline how your proposed predictive analytics project will enhance decision-making in the agency’s established practice

Step 3: Build Your Application 25

• Describe how the agency’s proposed predictive analytics project will ensure and enhance data quality during integration

• Explain how the agency’s proposed predictive analytics project will ensure sustainable analytics capacity within the child welfare agency

• Illustrate how the agency’s predictive analytics project promote transparency and community trust as a component of the on-going project

• Outline how the agency’s predictive analytics project will support workforce adoption and utilization of predictive analytics in practice and decision-making

Response

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.

You must respond to the objectives discussed in the project requirements and describe how you will carry them out. Include each of the following sections:

1. Design, implement, and test predictive analytics strategies

a. Describe the predictive analytics work that you will design, implement, and test in your child welfare agency and how it will support agency operations and/or decision-making. Your response should:

i. Clearly explain the scope, focus, and intended use of the project

ii. Show how proposed activities align with your agency’s development, implementation, and/or evaluation of predictive analytics

iii. Demonstrate how your agency is prepared for the project, including evaluation, testing, validation, and performance measurement

2. Build and sustain agency capacity

a. Describe your current agency capacity as well as how your agency will build and sustain capacity to use and monitor predictive analytics in practice. Your response should:

i. Explain how predictive analytics will be integrated into agency operations and workflows with professional judgment and oversight to improve operational efficiency

ii. Describe the development of scalable infrastructure that can be replicated across jurisdictions

Step 3: Build Your Application 26

iii. Show how the project builds on the existing knowledge base about predictive analytics in child welfare

3. Participate in collaboration and shared learning

a. Describe how your agency will participate in training, technical assistance, and shared learning coordinated by our technical assistance network, and how you will share lessons learned. Your response should:

i. Demonstrate your focus on transparency and community engagement

ii. Describe your participation in training, technical assistance, and shared learning with CB’s technical assistance network and other award recipients

iii. Explain how you will share achievements and lessons learned with others in child welfare

4. Monitor Predictive Analytics Projects

a. Describe your approach to monitor the agency’s predictive analytics model, including how you will continuously monitor the model over time. Your response should:

i. Include details about testing, assessments, metrics, and other useful data from the project’s everyday operations

ii. Address model recalibration, establishing and evaluating risk thresholds, and integration into current practice structures and processes to enhance work with youth and families

5. Project timeline and milestones

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

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

ii. 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

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

iv. Cover the full period of performance in your timeline

6. Organizational Capacity

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

i. Provide experience and expertise administering, developing, implementing, managing, and evaluating similar projects; designing, Step 3: Build Your Application 27 developing, testing, or implementing predictive analytics using child welfare data through SACWIS/CCWIS or comparable systems; and integrating data or predictive modeling into caseworker practice, supervision, or agency workflows with demonstrated use in policy, practice, or resource allocation

ii. Provide experience and expertise collaborating with child welfare practitioners, leadership, and policy staff; engaging communities or stakeholders with transparency; providing training or technical assistance to public child welfare agencies; and developing guidance, tools, or resources for implementing new programs, policies, or practice strategies

iii. Provide experience and expertise of working across key child welfare practice areas (intake/screening, investigations, ongoing services, foster care, permanency, and prevention) and understanding how risk, safety, and service decisions are made and documented through actuarial tools, consensus, and professional judgment

iv. Provide experience and expertise of addressing ethical and equity considerations in predictive analytics, including transparency, accountability, bias mitigation, explainability, and understanding the limits of tools and analytic output alongside professional judgment

Impact

Project performance evaluation plan

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

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

2. 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

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

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

5. Any processes that support overall data quality

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

7. 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

Step 3: Build Your Application 28

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

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

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.

Resources and capabilities

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.

Plan for oversight of federal award funds and activities

You must ensure proper award oversight. The regulation that governs this oversight is 2 CFR part 200. It includes standards for:

• Financial and program management

• Property management

• Procurement

• Performance and financial monitoring and reporting

• Subrecipient monitoring and management

• Record retention and access

• Remedies for noncompliance

• Prior written approval

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

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

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

Step 3: Build Your Application 29 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#subpart-D https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#subpart-D

• 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.

Project sustainability plan

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

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

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

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

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

Protection of sensitive or confidential information

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

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

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

For more information, see 2 CFR 200.303(e).

Dissemination plan

Propose a plan to disseminate reports, products, and project outputs to key target audiences. Include:

• Dissemination goals and objectives

• Strategies to identify and engage with target audiences

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

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

• The dissemination timeline

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

Step 3: Build Your Application 30 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.303

Line-item budget and budget narrative The line-item budget and budget justification support the information you provide in the Budget Information Standard Form SF-424A.

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

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

As you develop your budget, consider:

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

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

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

• Include the percentage of grant funds dedicated to evaluation and costs for required two staff to attend travel to in person meetings in Washington, DC

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.

• Review the budget section of the merit review for additional information to include in your narrative.

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

Step 3: Build Your Application 31 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Equipment) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Supply) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.1 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/prepare-budget https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/prepare-budget

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

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

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

This file includes all attachments.

ACF Priorities Alignment Attestation

Not included in the page limit. This should be submitted with the application or before award.

You must self-certify that you will align with the ACF priorities that are relevant to this funding opportunity, as identified in both the Program description and Step 4, under Merit review process, Scoring criteria, Alignment with ACF Vision, Mission, Values, Priorities, and Guiding Principles, elements 2 and 3. You must provide the following on your organization’s letterhead.

I hereby attest and certify that:

_____________________ (Applicant Name) affirms its commitment to supporting and advancing ACF’s published Vision, Mission, Values, Priorities, and Guiding Principles of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), consistent with applicable federal statutes, regulations, and Administration priorities.

Insert Date of Signature:

Print Name and Title of the AOR:

Signature of AOR

Step 3: Build Your Application 32

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

• If a State selects to partner with a subrecipient to support this work, States must submit a letter to ACF outlining subrecipient entity details, qualification and experience related to predictive risk modeling and require subrecipient, to the extent consistent with applicable law including the relevant appropriations, to attest that it will carry out the funded activities covered in this NOFO in a manner consistent with ACF priorities or to indicate what funded activities under this NOFO the subrecipient cannot carry out in a manner consistent with ACF priorities

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

• Job descriptions for each vacant key position

• List of your board of directors

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

• Copy or description of your organization’s personnel policies

• Child-care licenses and other documentation of professional accreditation

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

Third-party agreements You must submit agreements with all…