hhs-2026-acf-ofvps-ev-0052.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due Tuesday, September 8, 2026

Immediate Office of the Assistant Secretary Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services (OFVPS)

Specialized Services for Abused Parents and Their Children (Demonstration Projects) Opportunity number: HHS-2026-ACF-OFVPS-EV-0052

Contents

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4

Basic information 5

Eligibility 6

Agency priorities 8

Program description 10

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 21

Find the application package 22

Get registered 22

Learn more 23

Step 3: Build Your Application 24

Application checklist 25

Application contents and format 27

Step 4: Learn About Review and Award 40

Application review 41

Award notices 49

Step 5: Submit Your Application 50

Application submission and deadlines 51

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 54

Post-award requirements and administration 55

Contacts and Support 56

Before you begin 3

Modifications 60

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 Tuesday, September 8, 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)

Immediate Office of the Assistant Secretary

Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services (OFVPS)

The Specialized Services for Abused Parents and Their Children program addresses the needs of children who have been exposed to family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence through services, advocacy, and support for non-abusing parents in their roles as caregivers.

Have questions?

See Contacts and Support.

Key facts

Opportunity name:

Family Violence Prevention and Services Discretionary Grants: Specialized Services for Abused Parents and Their Children (Demonstration Projects)

Opportunity number:

HHS-2026-ACF-OFVPS-

EV-0052

Federal assistance listing:

93.592

NOFO version:

Original

Key dates

Application submission deadline:

September 8, 2026

Expected project start date:

September 30, 2026

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

Summary The purpose of the Specialized Services for Abused Parents and Their Children is to expand the capacity of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence service programs and community-based programs to prevent future domestic violence. This is done by addressing the needs of children who have been exposed to family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence in an appropriate manner.

Funding details Type: Cooperative agreement

Expected total program funding: $21,500,000

Total expected awards: 60

Minimum award amount (award floor): $300,000

Maximum award amount (award ceiling): $350,000

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

Under the authorizing statute, we may only award projects for two years. If successful, there may be an opportunity for an additional continuation project of no more than two more years if approved by the ACF Assistant Secretary.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 5

Eligibility Eligible applicants

• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.

• Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).

• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

• Private institutions of higher education.

Other eligibility criteria An entity shall be a local agency, a nonprofit private organization (including faith-based and charitable organizations, community-based organizations, and voluntary organizations), or a tribal organization, with a demonstrated record of serving victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence and their children (42 U.S.C.

10412(b)).

Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships), federal entities, and foreign entities are not eligible to apply.

Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible for awards under this funding opportunity.

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.

• Does not include documentation that demonstrates the applicant has a record of serving victims of domestic, dating, and family violence.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 6 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title42/chapter110&edition=prelim https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title42/chapter110&edition=prelim

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, 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 Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), 42 U.S.C. 10412.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 7 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2021-title42/html/USCODE-2021-title42-chap110-sec10412.htm

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/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200

Program description Background The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) authorizes discretionary grant programs to provide services, training and technical assistance, and hotline operations to support survivors of domestic violence, family violence, dating violence, and sexual assault.

The purpose of the Specialized Services for Abused Parents and Their Children (SSAPC) grant is to expand the capacity of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence service programs and community-based programs to prevent future domestic violence by addressing, in an appropriate manner, the needs of children exposed to family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence. Under this program, we have awarded three rounds of demonstration projects. The third round will complete their final year of performance and evaluation on September 30, 2026. This new NOFO funds a fourth round of demonstration grants.

Activities We plan to fund 60 programs, build the knowledge base for domestic violence programs, and expand capacity to address the needs of abused parents and their children.

Required activities Required activities include:

• Direct counseling for victims and survivors of family, domestic, or dating violence (and their children).

• Services that are developmentally and age appropriate to the victims and children.

• Advocacy for victims and survivors of family, domestic, or dating violence (and their children). This includes coordinating services with those provided by the child welfare system.

• Services for non-abusing parents to support their roles as caregivers and in responding to the social, emotional, and developmental needs for their children.

• Services that work with the non-abusing parent and child together, where appropriate. Services do not always have to be provided together with both the parent and child physically present.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 10

Optional activities After leveraging the resources of community-based partners, optional activities include:

• Early childhood development and mental health services.

• Coordinating activities with and providing technical assistance to community-based organizations serving victims and survivors of abuse or children and youth exposed to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence.

• Services and referrals for children, including child care, transportation, educational support, respite care, supervised visitation, mobile or offsite services, or other necessary services.

We strongly encourage awardees to rely on the resources offered by their network of community partners before using their award to fund these optional activities.

Service requirements Services must:

• Be shelter-, home-, or community-based and include outreach, home visitation, mobile service delivery, and ongoing contact with families after shelter or non-residential services.

• Be voluntary, resilience focused, developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically appropriate, and responsive to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence concerns, including early childhood development and mental health needs.

• Be accessible to adults, children, or youth with disabilities and provide reasonable modifications.

• Include age-specific services and activities for children, teens, and adolescents.

• Include peer support for either non-abusive parents or children and youth.

• Include advocacy on behalf of the child and, as appropriate, the non-abusive parent.

• Provide structure and support to children and families who are required to, or choose to, remain in contact with a parent who has been abusive when it is either determined to be safe, meaningful, appropriate, or in their best interest as requested by the non-abusive parent and children.

• Consider the victim’s decision-making for keeping children safe within the continuum of domestic violence.

• Not place burdens or demands on the non-abusive parent that the parent cannot comply with due to the coercive control of the offender.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 11

• Take precautions to avoid actions that discourage victims from help-seeking, such as making unnecessary referrals to child protective services when survivors go to community-based organizations for assistance in safety planning to protect children.

• Provide support for non-abusive parents in responding to the social, emotional, financial, and developmental needs of their children, including workforce and career development.

• Make referrals to long-term services, as appropriate, to foster and support the family’s ongoing goals.

• Expand access to legal services necessary to develop structure and arrangements for safe contact, engagement, parenting time, or visitation with the abusive parent.

• Include community-based projects and outreach.

• Develop prevention and awareness programs for children, youth, and families that support healthy relationships; prevent teen dating violence, risky behaviors, sexual coercion, human trafficking, and technology-facilitated abuse; and use integrated multidisciplinary family-support interventions.

• Maintain ongoing contact, including home visitation or mobile service delivery, with the family or child after the family has left the shelter or non-residential services.

• Focus on developing programs and workforce capacity to enhance services for children and youth exposed to domestic violence and their abused parents.

This includes:

◦ Building infrastructure within systems to improve collaboration, decrease barriers to services, and increase access to existing services, such as institutionalizing communication among interdisciplinary partners.

◦ Focus on developing programs, policies, procedures, and workforce capacity to enhance services for children and youth exposed to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence and their abused parents to promote family well-being, protective factors, and self-sufficiency.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 12

Program goals and objectives You must address the needs of abused parents, children, and youth exposed to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence. You must also contribute to the knowledge base for domestic violence programs focused on children and youth by meeting the following goals:

Improve Support You must improve support and responses to abused parents and their children across the targeted community, state, or tribe by:

• Developing and enhancing community-based interventions for children and youth exposed to domestic violence whose parents may or may not have requested support services from a domestic violence program.

• Facilitating access to safe, structured contact, engagement, or parenting time with the abusing parent, when it is safe and meaningful to do so.

• Developing and disseminating guidelines, training, and technical assistance for service providers and partner agencies to improve identification of and responses to children and youth exposed to domestic violence, while supporting workforce well-being, child and youth development, family independence, and self-sufficiency:

◦ Educational systems.

◦ Child protective services and child welfare systems.

◦ Child support services.

◦ Disability service providers.

◦ Public benefits programs.

◦ Health care services.

◦ Behavioral health services.

◦ Faith-based and community programs.

◦ Family courts and the legal system.

◦ Responsible fatherhood and healthy relationships programs.

◦ Youth development and youth services, including homeless youth.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 13

Provide new services You must coordinate, provide new, or enhanced residential and non-residential services for children and youth exposed to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence by:

• Enhancing and testing service or program models, implementation strategies, evaluation tools, and measures.

• Documenting and sharing lessons learned.

• Developing, adopting, and evaluating innovative programs (e.g., arts, movement, and mindfulness interventions).

• Incorporating resilience focused and relevant interventions for abused parents or their children exposed to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence that strengthen the parent-child bond and reinforce the non-abusing parent’s engagement.

• Expanding safe, structured contact, engagement, or parenting time with the abusing parent, when it is safe and meaningful to do so.

Enhance evidence-informed practices You must enhance services, strategies, advocacy, and systems change efforts with evidence- and practice-informed principles to improve outcomes for all people exposed to domestic violence by:

• Providing peer-to-peer technical assistance within the network of demonstration projects.

• Developing a plan to evaluate practices and measure programming outcomes in partnership with the National Capacity Building Center to Expand Services for Children, Youth, and Abused Parents Impacted by Domestic Violence (ESCYAP).

• Documenting lessons learned and implementation strategies to share with the broader field.

About evidence-informed practices For this NOFO, evidence-informed practices combine the best available research, professional experience, and input from service providers, advocates, prevention experts, and affected communities. These practices aim to provide services that are likely to improve outcomes for abused parents and children exposed to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 14

Outcomes By the end of the grant period, you must have:

• Improved processes and outcomes for abused parents, children, and youth exposed to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence.

• Implemented a program that improves support and responses to anyone who is abused and exposed to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence.

• Expanded capacity to provide residential and non-residential services that are accessible to abused parents, children, and youth exposed to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence.

• Enhanced evidence-informed services, strategies, advocacy, safety planning, and interventions for anyone who is abused and exposed to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence.

• Expanded your capacity as an organization to provide support, skills development, and resources to increase the healing, resilience, and protective capacities of parents and families.

• Addressed, in an appropriate manner, the needs of children, youth, and their abused parents who are exposed to violence.

Activities evaluation plan If funded, you will participate in a cross-site evaluation conducted by the technical assistance and training provider. This will involve data collection and other programmatic activities.

Other program requirements In designing your program, you must:

• Meet the needs of children and youth exposed to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence in planning and carrying out all activities. This commitment must include providing relevant training for all staff as determined in partnership with OFVPS and ESCYAP, the designated training and technical assistance provider.

• Enhance the resilience of children and youth exposed to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence through survivor-centered, child-focused services that strengthen the parent-child bond, and include evaluation and continuous quality improvement processes that measure age-appropriate outcomes.

• Comply with FVPSA confidentiality requirements in 42 U.S.C. 10406(c)(5) and

45 CFR 1370.4.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 15 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title42/pdf/USCODE-2024-title42-chap110-sec10412.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-B/chapter-XIII/subchapter-H/part-1370/subpart-A/section-1370.4

• Use evidence-informed and participatory approaches in program design, adaptation, and implementation by incorporating regular input from children, youth, non-abusing parents, and affected communities through mechanisms such as focus groups, surveys, and other feedback strategies.

• Consider the needs of children and youth regarding their abusing parent. Where appropriate, safe, and meaningful, consider providing services to the abusive parent and child to restore the parent-child bond.

• Address co-occurring issues that intersect with domestic violence, such as child sexual abuse, human trafficking, technology-facilitated abuse, substance use, mental health, and teen dating violence. Explicitly detail how the program will include these contexts into its interventions and services.

• Plan for major meetings or events in conjunction with OFVPS.

• Provide a detailed plan for project implementation, a work plan, a training and events schedule, an evaluation schedule, and a plan for reporting on the outcomes of the project.

• Plan for three representatives of your organization, including the local evaluation partner, to travel to an orientation within the first 6 months of award. (Location has not yet been determined.)

• Plan for at least two representatives from your organization to participate in at least one OFVPS-sponsored meeting each project period.

Reports and evaluation

• During the 6- to 12-month planning period, recipients must work with ESCYAP and other designated technical assistance providers to conduct a needs assessment;

develop evaluation, data collection, and outcome measurement plans; and refine consistent outcome measures.

• We do not require a rigorous evidence-based study design that includes a comparison condition. Propose activities that will meet a feasible and realistic standard of evaluation.

• You must develop and report internal outputs and outcomes appropriate to your unique project. Outputs and outcomes must be measurable and resilience focused.

• Outcomes must be analyzed by designated evaluators who have experience with quantitative and qualitative data collection, management, and analysis.

Evaluators must be supported by sufficient time and resources for this purpose.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 16

Protecting victim data Grant recipients must ensure there are policies in place that will protect the safety, confidentiality, and privacy of all victims and their families. Provide a plan that explains how you will protect victims’ and their families’ data.

You and all organizations involved in your project may not:

• Disclose any personally identifying information collected related to services requested, delivered, or denied under your program

• Reveal any personally identifying information without informed, written, reasonably time-limited consent by the person about whom information is sought

• Require an adult, youth, or child victim of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence to provide a consent to release their personally identifying information as a condition of eligibility for services

• For more information, see 42 U.S.C. 10406(c)(5) and 45 CFR 1370.4.

In accordance with the ACF priorities above, this NOFO will also implement the following principle when consistent with the authority and scope of the award and its activities:

• Promoting Work and Self-Sufficiency: Design and deliver services using evidence-based or evidence-informed approaches, to developing programs and services that demonstrates measurable pathways to self-sufficiency and economic independence for victims and survivors.

• Promoting Marriage and Family Formation: Strong families are the cornerstone of a healthy society. ACF will prioritize initiatives that promote marriage, family formation, and stability.

Cooperative agreement— Description of ACF’s involvement Because awards under this NOFO will be cooperative agreements, OFVPS will play a substantial role in your project. Our involvement includes:

• Providing key guidance and consultation on project design and implementation to the primary recipient throughout the project period.

• Reviewing, providing feedback on, and approving the project scope, activities, and work plan for the project, as well as the structure and integrity of the program’s appropriateness of the trauma-informed services that will be provided. This includes any changes to key personnel on the project.

• Proposing and approving major changes to project scope, activities, and work plans.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 17 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title42/pdf/USCODE-2024-title42-chap110-sec10412.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-B/chapter-XIII/subchapter-H/part-1370/subpart-A/section-1370.4 https://acf.gov/about/acf-vision-mission-values#:~:text=for%20America%E2%80%99s%20children.-,Promoting%20Work%20and%20Self%2DSufficiency,-Work%20is%20not https://acf.gov/about/acf-vision-mission-values#:~:text=Promoting%20Marriage%20and%20Family%20Formation

• Reviewing and approving final drafts of all materials, articles, major publications, and research reports that are made and distributed with resources from this cooperative agreement.

• Participating in major project activities, such as leadership committee meetings, conferences, trainings, or other relevant project meetings.

• Organizing frequent consultations in various formats to review activities, share information, and promote national coordination.

We’ll incorporate the respective responsibilities of OFVPS and recipients into the Notice of Award (NoA) and its terms and conditions. We’ll discuss them with applicants during the pre-award negotiations. We do not expect that the cooperative agreement will change the project requirements for the recipients under this NOFO.

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 interest.

• 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 or show preference based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or other protected traits.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 18 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-III/part-300

◦ Any efforts that promote a “discriminatory equity ideology.” To the extent permitted by law, including any relevant court orders, 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.

• Pre-award costs.

• No Federal funds issued under this award may be used to make referrals for activities outside the scope of the authorizing program statute, nor may such referrals be made during funded program activities. Activities must focus on enhancing domestic, dating, family, and sexual violence intervention and prevention efforts and are aligned within the FVPSA 42 USC Ch. 110.

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 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.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 19 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title42/chapter110&edition=prelim 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

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.

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

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

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

Use of E-Verify All funded grantees and subgrantees are encouraged to use the national E-Verify system operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in partnership with the Social Security Administration, to ensure their employees are American citizens or are eligible to work in the United States.

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

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 20 https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/ https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/ https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.307 https://www.e-verify.gov/

Step 2:

Get Ready to Apply

In this step

Find the application package 22

Get registered 22

Learn more 23

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.

Grants.gov You must also have an active account with Grants.gov. You can see step-by-step instructions at the Grants.gov Quick Start Guide for Applicants.

Need help? See Contacts and Support.

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

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 22 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 https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration http://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants

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

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

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 23 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant

Step 3:

Build Your Application

In this step

Application checklist 25

Application contents and format 27

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

Legal proof of nonprofit status Yes

Additional eligibility documentation No

Organizational capacity supporting information (including organization chart) Yes

Third-party agreements Yes

Letters of support Yes

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Standard forms Use each required form in Grants.gov.

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

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

Step 3: Build Your Application 26

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: 50 pages

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

Accepted file formats

• Adobe PDF (.pdf)

• Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)

• Microsoft Excel (.xls or .xlsx)

• Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt)

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

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

If possible, include page numbers.

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

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

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

Step 3: Build Your Application 27

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

This file includes:

• Table of contents.

• Project summary, one page.

• Project narrative.

• Line-item budget and budget narrative.

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

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

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

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

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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

Geographic location

Provide the precise physical location of your project and boundaries of the area you will serve. If you will include any subrecipients in your project that will serve specific geographic areas include their locations as well.

Need for assistance

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

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

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

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

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

Objectives

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

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• Describe your target audience and provide a compelling reason for focusing on your identified population. Incorporate demographic data and participant or beneficiary information, including:

◦ Information and data on both children and youth exposed to DV and abused parents in your community and stakeholder capacity in your community to meet their needs

◦ When appropriate, a literature review should be used to support the objectives and needs described in this section

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.

Describe any:

• Design or technological innovations.

• Reductions in cost or time.

• Unique social or community involvement.

Provide a list of organizations, cooperating entities, consultants, or other key individuals that will work on the project along with a short description of how they’ll be contributing. In your attachments, be sure to include third-party agreements.

Explain how you will keep victims of family violence, domestic or dating violence—and their children—safe, and how you will protect their personal information.

Describe how you will provide resilience focused services that are developmentally and age-appropriate and culturally and linguistically appropriate to victims and children.

Describe how you will make sure that professionals working with the children receive training and technical assistance appropriate and relevant to the unique needs of children exposed to family, domestic, or dating violence.

Be sure to consider the program goals, requirements, and activities in the program description.

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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.

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:

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

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

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

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

• Any processes that support overall data quality.

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

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

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

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

• The frequency of data collection.

• The specific measures you plan to evaluate. Examples include: helping abused parents increase their capacity, improving child safety planning, executing strategies to enhance family well-being and self-sufficiency, etc.

• How you will use program data to make program adjustments or adaptations.

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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

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.

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

• Provide evidence that your full project team has the organizational capability to fulfill their roles and functions effectively. This includes having experience and knowledge delivering family, domestic, or dating violence informed services with families.

• Provide some 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.

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Plan for oversight of federal award funds and activities

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

• Financial and program management.

• Property management.

• Procurement.

• Performance and financial monitoring and reporting.

• Subrecipient monitoring and management.

• Record retention and access.

• Remedies for noncompliance.

• Prior written approval.

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

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

• A description of the procedures 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.

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

Step 3: Build Your Application 33 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#subpart-D

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…