HUB FY2022 NOFO v4_FINAL 07.06.2022 CLEAN.pdf

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

FY 2022 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program Regional Hub Program

All entities wishing to do business with the federal government must have a unique entity identifier (UEI). Entities that have done business with the government can obtain their UEI by following the steps here. Entities that have not done business with the federal government may request a UEI via the System for Award Management (SAM) web page at:

https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration. Receiving a UEI take 1-2 business days.

Grants.gov registration information can be found at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html. Detailed information regarding UEI and SAM is also provided in Section D of this NOFO.

Additional Information can be found on Grants.gov:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/planned-uei-updates.html

A. Program Description

1. Issued By U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), External Affairs Directorate (EXA), Office of Citizenship (OoC)

2. Assistance Listings Number 97.010

3. Assistance Listings Title Citizenship Education and Training

4. Funding Opportunity Title FY 2022 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program: Regional Hub Program (RHP)

5. Funding Opportunity Number

DHS-22-CIS-010-001

6. Authorizing Authority for Program H.R. 2471 – Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub. L. 117-103) Division F, Title IV

7. Appropriation Authority for Program H.R. 2471 – Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub. L. 117-103) Division F, Title IV

8. Announcement Type Initial https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0041254&sys_kb_id=875189f21bee8d54937fa64ce54bcbaa&spa=1 https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/planned-uei-updates.html

9. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

OoC is charged with promoting instruction and training on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. USCIS recognizes that naturalization is a key milestone in the civic integration of immigrants. Naturalization requirements, such as knowledge of English and U.S. history and government, encourage civic learning and build a strong foundation upon which immigrants can fully integrate into society. Through preparing for naturalization, immigrants gain tools to become successful citizens and meet their responsibilities as United States citizens.

The goal of the Citizenship and Integration Grant Regional Hub Program is to expand the availability of high-quality citizenship preparation services for immigrants across the nation and to provide opportunities for immigrants to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to integrate into the fabric of American society.

Thanks to additional funding from Congress, USCIS can attain broader reach by revitalizing the hub and spoke model of the FY 2010-FY 2011 USCIS National Capacity Building grant program. Applicants are expected to serve as a hub for communication and information sharing on citizenship preparation among their affiliates/members and within the broader community.

This enhances the traditional direct services grant programs (CINAS and CARING) through the principal applicant’s provision of ongoing capacity building and technical assistance, overall programmatic and fiscal management of all grant-funded activities, and management of sub-applicants’ program performance and outcomes. The sub-applicants must develop or expand and enhance a direct citizenship preparation program, including Citizenship Instruction Services and Naturalization Application Services, in conjunction with the principal applicant. Additional activities that support this goal include identifying, implementing, and sharing best practices in citizenship preparation; partnering and coordinating citizenship preparation efforts with state and/or local governments, particularly Offices of New Americans and/or Immigrant Affairs;

increasing the use of and access to technology in citizenship preparation programs; working with local libraries and museums which serve as vital resources for immigrant communities; and incorporating strategies to foster welcoming communities as part of the citizenship and civic integration process.

The Citizenship and Integration Grant Program supports the objectives of Executive Order 14012, Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2020-2024, by promoting integration, inclusion, and citizenship.

Furthermore, the goals of the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program address the DHS mission to enforce and administer our immigration laws as stated in the 2014 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review as the program provides immigrants instruction on the rights and https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/02/executive-order-restoring-faith-in-our-legal-immigration-systems-and-strengthening-integration-and-inclusion-efforts-for-new-americans/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/02/executive-order-restoring-faith-in-our-legal-immigration-systems-and-strengthening-integration-and-inclusion-efforts-for-new-americans/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/02/executive-order-restoring-faith-in-our-legal-immigration-systems-and-strengthening-integration-and-inclusion-efforts-for-new-americans/ https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/19_0702_plcy_dhs-strategic-plan-fy20-24.pdf https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/19_0702_plcy_dhs-strategic-plan-fy20-24.pdf https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/2014-qhsr-final-508.pdf https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/2014-qhsr-final-508.pdf responsibilities of U.S. citizenship and information and support on how to apply for naturalization within the authorized practice of immigration law.

Request for Applications In fiscal year (FY) 2022, up to $3 million in federal funding is available for eligible organizations to manage citizenship networks that build capacity among their affiliates/members to provide direct citizenship preparation services to immigrants. USCIS anticipates awarding approximately three to six grants of up to $1,000,000 each. Anticipated grants will fund program management costs, organizational capacity building costs, costs associated with holding regular community stakeholder meetings, technical assistance costs, as well as costs for select affiliates/members to develop and implement sustainable local citizenship preparation programs.

Applicants are expected to serve as a hub for communication and information sharing on citizenship preparation among their affiliates/members and within the broader community.

Applicants must propose to hold regular meetings of citizenship preparation service providers and other relevant community stakeholders engaged in immigrant integration in the public and private sectors to share information and foster coordination of citizenship preparation and promotion efforts.

The organization that submits an application in support of a citizenship network will be referred to in this funding announcement as “the principal applicant.” The principal applicant should be a national, regional, statewide, or multi-county organization, or an organization that works throughout a large metropolitan area. The affiliates/members that will implement local citizenship preparation programs will be referred to as “sub-applicants.”

Principal applicants must propose a minimum of three (3) sub-applicants within the grant application. The principal applicant should select the sub-applicants based on their need for, and potential to benefit from, the citizenship preparation capacity building and technical assistance services provided by the principal applicant. Successful principal applicants will also include potential network members who may not be sub-applicants but who are involved in citizenship support and promotion work in the geographically delimited region (i.e., comprehensively identifying the stakeholders and participants for network coordination and meetings).

The objective of this funding opportunity is to build capacity for citizenship education and naturalization application services, including identifying service provision gaps and fostering coordinating and information sharing among providers in a given state or area to more wholistically address needs. Successful applications will demonstrate how the principal applicant will work with the network to improve naturalization outcomes and better reach underserved groups or geographic areas, including improving access to low cost or free citizenship services.

DHS reserves the right to approve funding for some or all of the proposed sub-applicant programs.

Proposed services must include the following components:

A. Capacity Building and Technical Assistance:

The principal applicant must have demonstrated experience providing capacity building and technical assistance to organizations serving immigrant or education communities.

Successful applicants will include how the principal applicant will provide subject-matter expertise and technical assistance to develop direct citizenship instruction and naturalization application services.

B. Citizenship Preparation Services:

Sub-applicants must provide citizenship preparation services, under the guidance of the principal applicant. For the purpose of this grant program, citizenship preparation service include:

1. Citizenship Instruction Services: Educational services that provide enrolled immigrants with the skills and knowledge needed to prepare for citizenship, including instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL), U.S. history and government, and the naturalization process; and

2. Naturalization Application Services: Within the scope of the authorized practice of immigration law, organizations assist qualified program participants in preparing and submitting Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, preparing for the naturalization interview, and providing on-going case management.

For detailed information on the two mandatory program components, see below Section C.2, Eligibility Information.

Partnerships Partnerships are mandatory. Applicants must include partnerships with other public or non-profit organizations in their proposal. Partnerships with state and/or local governments, particularly Offices of New Americans and/or Immigrant Affairs are encouraged. The principal applicant must directly provide the capacity building and technical assistance. A partner organization will be considered a “sub-applicant” if the organization will receive a portion of the grant funding to receive capacity-building services and provide direct citizenship instruction. Partner organizations may also include organizations that will not receive grant funds but will be active members of the regional or statewide network.

The primary applicant must complete a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or other binding document with the sub-applicant and submit it with the application. The applicant must clearly demonstrate how it will monitor the sub-applicant’s performance and ensure that the sub-applicant complies with all grant award conditions and data reporting requirements. The MOU must state the minimum number of immigrants to whom the sub-applicant will provide services and how grant funding will be allocated to fund the services. Sub-applicants must have their own individual UEI number and will be responsible for financial and performance reporting. Sub-applicants must submit their reports to the primary applicant for submission to DHS.

The Role of the Principal Applicant The principal applicant must be a national, regional (multi-state), statewide, or multi-county or metropolitan area organization with an identified headquarters or central office from which network-wide activities are planned, controlled, and managed. The principal applicant must demonstrate a relationship with the sub-applicants and proposed network members and include detailed plans for how such activities are carried out. The principal applicant must have demonstrated recent experience providing capacity building and technical assistance to organizations, as well as the ability to provide subject matter expertise and support on developing adult ESL programs and citizenship preparation services.

The principal applicant must:

A. Serve as a hub for communication and information sharing on citizenship preparation among their affiliates/members and within the broader community. Applicants must propose to hold quarterly meetings of citizenship preparation service providers and other relevant community stakeholders engaged in immigrant integration in the public and private sectors to share information and foster coordination of citizenship preparation and promotion efforts in their community.

B. Select a minimum of three sub-applicants based on (a) an initial assessment of their need for, and potential to benefit from, the capacity building and technical assistance services provided by the principal applicant; and (b) the demonstrated need for expanded citizenship preparation services for immigrants in the sub-applicants’ communities.

C. Include a detailed list of potential network members who are not sub-applicants but who are involved in citizenship support and promotion work in the geographically delimited region (i.e., comprehensively identifying the stakeholders and participants for network coordination and meetings).

D. Create a Program Development Plan tailored to each sub-applicant’s identified needs, which details how the sub-applicant will gain the technical knowledge and ability to develop or expand and enhance a direct citizenship preparation program and the capability to effectively manage the program in the future. After the OoC approves the principal applicant’s Program Development Plan for each sub-applicant, the plan will become part of the official grant award document.

E. Provide ongoing capacity building and technical assistance to sub-applicants during the implementation of the Program Development Plans.

F. Provide overall programmatic and fiscal management of all grant-funded activities, including management of sub-applicants’ program performance and outcomes based on their Program Development Plans.

G. Conduct ongoing and final program evaluations, including tracking and reporting data.

The Role of the Sub-Applicant The selected sub-applicants are affiliates or members of the principal applicant’s network with an identified need for assistance in developing a direct citizenship preparation program (it is permissible for the network to have been developed for the purpose of applying for this grant).

The sub-applicant does not need to currently provide citizenship preparation services or have experience doing so. Prior experience providing ESL instruction to adult learners is beneficial but not required for every sub-applicant. The sub-applicant must have the potential, under the direction and with the assistance of the principal applicant, to build its capacity and expertise to develop, implement, and sustain a direct citizenship preparation program.

The role of the sub-applicant is to develop or expand and enhance a direct citizenship preparation program in conjunction with the principal applicant. The sub-applicant’s citizenship preparation program that will be developed or strengthened through this grant funding must include the following services:

A. Citizenship Instruction Services: Educational services that provide enrolled immigrants with the skills and knowledge needed to prepare for citizenship, including instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL), U.S. history and government, and the naturalization process; and

B. Naturalization Application Services: Within the scope of the authorized practice of immigration law, organizations assist qualified program participants in preparing and submitting Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, preparing for the naturalization interview, and providing on-going case management.

For detailed information on the two mandatory program components, see below Section C.2, Eligibility Information.

Program Phases Below are the three major phases of the Regional Hub Grant Program that will occur after the grant award. The phases begin when the performance period commences. While these activities do not start until after receiving the award, the principal applicant should include these requirements as planned activities in the Project Plan. Throughout all three phases, the principal applicant will also serve as a hub for communication and information sharing on citizenship preparation among their affiliates/members and within the broader community and hold quarterly meeting or events with the citizenship network.

Phase 1: Program Development Plan

During the first quarter of the performance period, the principal applicant must create a Program Development Plan for each sub-applicant, which specifies the capacity building and technical assistance activities required to meet each sub-applicant’s identified needs in the areas of citizenship instruction program development and implementation. The Program Development Plan should be reflective of the technical knowledge and subject matter expertise of the principal applicant and the citizenship network, as well as the needs and potential of each sub-applicant. The objective of the Program Development Plan is for each sub-applicant to develop their organizational capacity and subject matter expertise to effectively manage its direct citizenship preparation program for immigrants beyond the performance period of the grant. Program Development Plans are due prior to the end of the first quarter of the performance period, no later than November 30, 2022. The OoC will review and approve/reject these Program Development Plans. Once the Program Development Plans have been approved, they will become part of the official grant award document.

The principal applicant must use its subject-matter expertise and capacity building experience to address the sub-applicants’ identified program development needs in the following areas:

A. Organizational Development: This may include strengthening fiscal oversight capabilities; enhancing volunteer recruitment and training; improving staff professional development; acquiring financial management systems; providing assistance obtaining non-profit status documentation; improving record keeping and data collection systems;

or any other activities to enable sub-applicants to manage and sustain a direct citizenship preparation program.

B. Citizenship Instruction Program Development: This may include developing the staff expertise and qualifications to provide citizenship instruction; recruiting and training a qualified project manager; and strengthening the infrastructure to implement and manage all aspects of a citizenship instruction program, such as teaching and learning resources, student assessments, student recruitment, and student intake processes.

C. Naturalization Application Services Program Development: This may include developing the staff expertise and qualifications to provide naturalization application services; recruiting and training a qualified project manager; and strengthening the infrastructure to implement and manage all aspects of a naturalization application services program, such as client outreach, intake and referral processes, case management systems, and other activities to help qualified immigrants complete the naturalization application and interview process.

D. Program Evaluation Development: This may include establishing a formal program evaluation process and assessing program outcomes; developing data tracking, analysis and reporting methods; developing effective performance measures; identifying and incorporating promising practices; and replicating effective program models.

Phase 2: Capacity Building, Technical Assistance, and Direct Services Program Implementation

Phase 2 will cover most of the performance period, from January 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. In this phase, the principal applicant will implement the Program Development Plans by providing capacity building and technical assistance tailored to the specific needs of each sub-applicant. The capacity building activities should increase the sustainability of the sub-applicant’s direct citizenship preparation program and enhance its ability to manage an effective direct citizenship preparation program. The principal applicant should provide technical assistance in the form of consultation and training that is specifically tailored to the needs of the selected sub-applicants, as identified in the needs assessment, and defined in the Program Development Plans. Technical assistance activities must produce measurable results for the organizations served. Sub-applicant citizenship instruction must continue to be provided through the end of the performance period.

Phase 3: Final Program Evaluation

During the last quarter of the performance period, from July 1, 2024, to September 30, 2024, the principal applicant must conduct a formal program evaluation to analyze the effectiveness of the capacity building and technical assistance activities and the gains achieved by the sub-applicants, based on a comparison of the identified needs and the capacity and expertise demonstrated at the conclusion of the performance period. This evaluation must include a report detailing promising practices and lessons learned from the project, suitable for public dissemination. This evaluation is a mandatory requirement, which should be adequately described in the principal applicant’s Project Narrative and Project Plan. This final program evaluation is due December 30, 2024.

10. Performance Measures

For this grant program, performance will be evaluated based on the following metrics:

A. The number of regular stakeholder engagements held (minimum of one per quarter);

B. The number of attendees per stakeholder engagement;

C. Percentage of enrolled students who post-test using nationally normed standardized tests of English language proficiency (minimum goal of 80%);

D. Percentage of post-tested students demonstrating measurable educational gains (minimum goal of 80%); and E. Three performance metrics for which the minimum goals vary based on funding level, as described in the chart below. Please note that these minimum goals are the total number of individuals served by all combined sub-applicants, not per sub-applicant.

1) Number of newly enrolled non-duplicated immigrants in citizenship instruction classes;

2) Number of immigrants for whom your organization will provide naturalization eligibility screening;

3) Number of qualified immigrants for whom your organization will prepare and file Forms N-400 and G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative.

Funding Level Newly enrolled non-duplicated immigrants in citizenship instruction classes

Immigrants receiving naturalization eligibility screenings

Qualified immigrants filing Forms N- 400 and G-28

From To $900,000 $1,000,000 400 400 400 $800,000 $899,999 360 360 360 $700,000 $799,999 320 320 320 $600,000 $699,999 280 280 280 $500,000 $599,999 240 240 240

B. Federal Award Information

1. Available Funding for the NOFO: $3,000,000

2. Projected number of Awards: 3 to 6

3. Period of Performance: 24 months

Note: extensions are permitted. See Section H, Additional Information, Period of Performance Extensions, for more information.

4. Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): 10/01/2022

5. Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): 09/30/2024

6. Funding Instrument Type: Grant

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

The following entities are eligible to apply to this announcement:

a. City or township governments

b. County governments

c. Independent school districts

d. Indian/Native American tribal governments (federally recognized)

e. Indian/Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments)

f. Indian/Native American Tribally Designated Organization

g. Public/Indian Housing Authority

h. Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) IRS status, other than institutions of higher education

i. Private institutions of higher education

j. Public & state-controlled institutions of higher education

k. Special district governments

l. State governments

2. Applicant Eligibility Criteria

a. Eligibility Criteria for Principal Applicants

Principal applicants for these grants must demonstrate that they:

1) Have recent experience providing capacity building and technical assistance to organizations, as well as the ability to provide subject matter expertise and support on developing adult ESL and citizenship preparation services. This may include Adult Learning and Literacy Resource Centers funded at the federal, state, municipal, or county level as well as other federal, state, or professional development entities that have as their mission the joint planning and coordination of adult education services at the local, regional, and/or state levels.

2) Employ content expertise and current research to develop and deliver high quality professional development and technical assistance to individuals, programs, and state or multi-state networks; and

3) Have network members that have successfully delivered citizenship preparation services, to educators through an online course, in-person training, and other activities; and

4) Have expertise in many or all of the following:

• Materials Development

• Curriculum Design

• ESL instruction

• Digital Literacy

• Citizenship Preparation and Civics Instruction

• Naturalization Application Services

• Standardized Adult Education Assessments and Tests

• Program Development

• Distance Learning

• Capacity Building

• Working with state agencies, professional organizations, literacy coalitions, public libraries, immigrant-serving organizations, and other adult education providers.

5) Propose to provide capacity building and technical assistance to support the development of high-quality citizenship preparation programs.

6) Ability to coordinate information sharing and networking among a group of geographically delimited service providers and stakeholders to improve area immigrant service provision outcomes focused on citizenship and integration.

b. Eligibility Criteria for Sub-Applicants

Sub-applicants are required to demonstrate experience with, and extensive knowledge of the community they propose to serve and must describe how the proposed program design will address the specific needs of this community.

Proposed sub-applicant services must include the following two mandatory components:

1.) Citizenship Instruction Services to prepare immigrants for the naturalization process.

Programs must include:

a) Instruction, which must include the following content areas:

i. ESL instruction in reading, writing, and speaking;

ii. U.S. history and government instruction primarily delivered in English for test preparation and the promotion of civic integration;1 and

iii. The naturalization process and eligibility interview, with instruction primarily delivered in English.

b) Course Curriculum, which must include all components outlined in the USCIS Guide to Creating an Adult Citizenship Education Curriculum:

i. Instruction in U.S. history and government for test preparation and the promotion of civic integration;

ii. Activities that promote civic and linguistic integration;

iii. ESL instruction in reading, writing, and speaking for the naturalization test, naturalization process, and to conduct required integration activities;

and

iv. Instruction on the naturalization interview and Form N-400.

v. Instruction on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, including information on voting rights and responsibilities, how to register to vote after becoming a citizen, the basics of becoming an informed voter, and the penalties for voting before becoming a citizen under Division C of PL 104–208, 110 Stat. 3009-546.1

c) Course Textbooks, which must align with the skill level of the students in the class:

i. Published hardcopy or digital textbooks only, compilations of worksheets or handouts will not be accepted; and

ii. All students must be issued a textbook for their own personal use (or provided with access to a digital textbook).

d) Nationally Normed Standardized ESL Assessments, which must be used to place and assess progress of all students enrolled under this program, and verify that:

i. At least 80% of enrolled students must participate in post-testing; and

ii. At least 80% of post-tested students must demonstrate educational gains as evidenced by increased standardized test scores.

e) Course Structure, which must include at least 40 hours of citizenship instruction over a 10–12-week class cycle with managed enrollment to students at the National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS) low beginning to high intermediate levels (NRS Levels 2-5);

i. Classes offered at the NRS literacy level (1) or at the NRS advanced level

(6) are not eligible for funding under this grant program; and

ii. Additional information about NRS levels is available on the National Reporting System for Adult Education website; and

iii. Tutoring services do not count toward the minimum 40 hours of classroom instruction.

f) Qualified Instructors: Qualified citizenship instructors who have degrees in education (K-12 Social Studies, History, Teaching English to Speakers of Other

1 https://www.congress.gov/104/plaws/publ208/PLAW-104publ208.pdf https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/M-1189.pdf https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/M-1189.pdf https://nrsweb.org/about-us https://nrsweb.org/ https://nrsweb.org/

Languages (TESOL), or Adult Education) and/or who have at least one year of experience teaching adult immigrants. Although not a requirement, programs whose instructors have the following education, certification, and/or experience are generally more likely to be scored higher than programs that do not:

i. Hold a degree in TESOL; and/or

ii. Hold TESOL certification from a state licensing agency; and/or

iii. Have a minimum of two years of experience in TESOL instruction in a classroom setting for an adult education program that utilizes a textbook and a structured curriculum.

g) Integration Activities: The intent of this requirement is to encourage students to extend knowledge acquisition beyond traditional classroom instruction through opportunities to experience and navigate American civic life firsthand through in-depth learning activities. Applicants are encouraged to draw upon their local resources, venues, and landmarks when conceptualizing and designing these civic integration learning activities. Suggested categories for the required integration activities include but are not limited to:

i. Site-based civic integration activities – Local trips outside the classroom to sites and landmarks of historical and/or cultural significance, libraries, museums, other local public entities, and organizations that promote public safety, etc.

ii. Classroom-based civic integration activities – Activities that may involve guest speakers such as local civic leaders, public servants, or program alumni to provide the opportunity for student interaction and exchange, or the use of multimedia and/or materials-based methods that promote an enhanced understanding of key moments in U.S. history and/or the form and function of local, state, and federal government;

iii. Civic participation – Activities that encourage students to take participatory learning beyond the classroom by attending a public meeting, volunteering, or participating in local civic institutions; and

iv. Other integration activities – Activities that promote in-depth understanding of the student’s role as a future citizen of the United States, including the rights and responsibilities of citizenship; our shared American history; government functions, structure, and laws; geography;

and traditions, symbols, and holidays. These can be external or in-class.

h) Service Delivery: Applicants are encouraged to primarily provide in-person instruction. However, applicants may supplement in-person classes with virtual classes if it allows them to extend the reach of their services. Additionally, applicants should be prepared to pivot to virtual or hybrid instruction if public health restrictions limit in-person gatherings. Proposals should outline plans for offering virtual or hybrid instruction, in case circumstances warrant flexibility, including information on:

i. How programs will provide students with digital access to classes;

ii. Which method of communication or learning platform(s) instructors will use;

iii. How students will obtain textbooks and other class materials;

iv. How instructors will virtually engage with students;

v. How instructors will track class attendance; and

vi. How instructors will administer pre- and post-tests.

For more detailed information on the content and competencies that applicants are required to address in grant-funded classes, please review the USCIS Guide to Creating an Adult Citizenship Education Curriculum and the Adult Citizenship Education Sample Curriculum for a High Beginning ESL Level Course.

2) Naturalization Application Services, within the scope of the authorized practice of immigration law, to support immigrants in the naturalization application and interview process. Grantees are encouraged to use and promote the use of MyUSCIS for filing Forms N-400.

Programs must include:

a) Qualified Legal Service Providers, which includes:

i. A U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Accredited Representative working for a DOJ Recognized Organization. Partial accreditation is permitted; or

ii. An attorney who is an employee of the applicant or the sub-awardee organization.

iii. Pro bono or volunteer attorneys may be used to supplement the program but may not:

• Serve as the applicant’s sole provider of immigration legal services, or

• Serve as a supervisor to staff members who are not accredited representatives and provide such services.

iv. The organization must demonstrate an established process to refer individuals with complex immigration matters beyond the scope of the services provided under this grant to a qualified attorney.

b) Eligibility Screenings must include an assessment of each program participant’s:

i. Ability to meet the educational requirements of naturalization; and

ii. Ability to meet other legal requirements of naturalization.

For more information, see the USCIS Naturalization Eligibility Worksheet.

c) Case Management must include:

i. The preparation and submission of Form N-400, Application for

Naturalization;3

ii. The preparation and submission of Form G-28, Notice of Entry of

Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative;4 https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/M-1189.pdf https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/M-1189.pdf https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/curriculum-development/OoC_Sample-Curriculum-for-High-Beginning_V4.pdf https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/curriculum-development/OoC_Sample-Curriculum-for-High-Beginning_V4.pdf https://my.uscis.gov/ https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/M-480.pdf

iii. Filing other forms or documents (such as Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions and Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver);

iv. Interview preparation;

v. A representative’s appearance at the naturalization interview when applicable; and

vi. Responding to a Request for Evidence (RFE) when applicable;

d) Service Delivery: Organizations should plan to provide in-person naturalization application services. However, should public health restrictions limit the ability of applicants to offer in-person services, they should have a plan in place to pivot to virtual or hybrid naturalization application services. Proposals should outline the applicant’s plan for:

i. How organizations will communicate with participants;

ii. How organizations will verify identity and immigration status at intake;

and

iii. How organizations will collect documents, forms, and signatures.

Not Eligible Current awardees and sub-awardees under the FY 2021 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program (funding opportunity DHS-21-CIS-010-002) are not eligible to receive funding under this funding opportunity and awardees under the Community and Regional Integration Network Program (DHS-21-CIS-010-003) are not eligible to apply to this program.

Regional Hub sub-applicants may not separately apply as the primary applicant under any of the FY 2022 Citizenship and Integration Grant Programs, as sub-applicants are potentially eligible for the Regional Hub grant based on their demonstrated need for capacity building and support developing or expanding citizenship education services.

If DHS determines at any point during the review process that an application does not meet these eligibility requirements, the application will be removed from further consideration.

Non-Responsive Applications Your application will be deemed non-responsive if:

a. Form SF-424 – Application for Federal Assistance is missing.

b. Form SF-424A – Budget is missing.

c. Form SF-424B – Assurances - Non-Construction Programs is missing.

d. The applicant’s Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) is not registered in

SAM.

e. The application does not include a Budget Narrative or Budget Table.

f. The application does not include a Project Narrative.

3. Maintenance of Effort (MOE)

There is no MOE requirement for this program. Requests for funds under this announcement must not be used to take the place of activities described in the application that are currently supported with other funding. Also, grant funds must not be used to support activities that are a normal part of the organization’s operations.

4. Cost Share or Match

There is a minimum cost share requirement for this program of 10% of the total requested funding amount. Applicants should clearly identify which budget items are to be supported by federal grant funding and which are to be supported by in-kind contributions and/or other funding sources, along with an estimate of the value of these non-federal funding sources. All proposed cost share contributions must be clearly described in the budget portion of the proposal. Applicants will be scored on this during the technical review.

Acceptable forms of cost share items include:

• Volunteer services: Rates for volunteer services must be consistent with those paid for similar work.

• Employee time: Employee’s regular rate of pay.

• Supplies: Fair market value of the supplies at the time of donation.

• Cash contributions: Cash value.

• Equipment, building, or land: Fair market value or rental value at the time of application, as established by an independent appraisal.

• Project co-funding: Actual cost incurred.

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Key Dates and Times

a. Application Start Date: 06/27/2022

b. Application Submission Deadline: 08/05/2022 at 11:59PM EST

c. Anticipated Award Date: No later than 09/30/2022

NOTE: The application must be received in Grants.gov by the date and time listed above.

If an application is received after the deadline, it will not be considered. Applicants will receive a confirmation from Grants.gov once the application is successfully submitted.

All applications are time stamped by the Grants.gov system when submitted and recipients are notified accordingly. The federal office will download all applications that are received by the deadline date and time as indicated on the NOFO. Late applications will not be accepted.

d. Other Key Dates

2. Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award By submitting an application, applicants agree to comply with the requirements of this NOFO and the terms and conditions of the award, should they receive an award.

3. Address to Request Application Package

Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials, go to https://www.grants.gov/, select “Applicants” then “Apply for Grants.” To obtain the application package, select “Download a Grant Application Package.” Enter the Assistance Listing and/or funding opportunity number located on the cover of this NOFO, select “Download Package,” and then follow the prompts to download the application package.

For a hard copy of the full NOFO, please write or fax a request to:

Jacqueline Greely Grants Officer CISMailbox@hq.dhs.gov Fax: 202-447-5600

If you use assistive technology and are unable to access any materials on Grants.gov, please email the Support Center at support@grants.gov.

Applications will be processed through the Grants.gov portal. If you experience difficulties accessing information or have any questions, please call 1-800-518-4726.

4. Steps Required to Submit an Application, Unique Entity Identifier, and System for Award

Management (SAM)

To apply for an award under this program, all applicants must:

a. Apply for, update, or verify their Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Number and Employer ID

Number (EIN)

b. In the application, provide a valid UEI number;

c. Have an account with https://login.gov/;

d. Register for, update, or verify their SAM account and ensure the account is active before submitting the application;

e. Create a Grants.gov account;

Event Suggested Deadline for Completion Obtaining UEI Number Four weeks before actual submission deadline Obtaining a valid EIN Four weeks before actual submission deadline Updating SAM registration Four weeks before actual submission deadline Starting application in Grants.gov One week before actual submission deadline https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov https://login.gov/

f. Add a profile to a Grants.gov account;

g. Establish an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) in Grants.gov;

h. Submit (if applicable, add: an initial) application in Grants.gov; and

i. Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information, including information on a recipient’s immediate and highest-level owner and subsidiaries, as well on all predecessors that have been awarded a federal contract or grant within the last three years, if applicable, at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency.

Applicants are advised that DHS may not make a federal award until the applicant has complied with all applicable UEI and SAM requirements. Therefore, an applicant’s SAM registration must be active not only at the time of application, but also during the application review period and when DHS is ready to make a federal award. Further, as noted above, an applicant’s or recipient’s SAM registration must remain active for the duration of an active federal award. If an applicant’s SAM registration is expired at the time of application, expires during application review, or expires any other time before award, DHS may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

5. Electronic Delivery

DHS is participating in the Grants.gov initiative to provide the grant community with a single site to find and apply for grant funding opportunities. DHS encourages or requires applicants to submit their applications online through Grants.gov, depending on the funding opportunity. For this funding opportunity, the DHS GFAD requires applicants to submit applications through Grants.gov.

6. How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov Instructions: Registering in Grants.gov is a multi-step process. Read the instructions below about registering to apply for DHS funds. Applicants should read the registration instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process.

Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required application submission deadlines.

Organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Number, active System for Award Management (SAM) registration, and Grants.gov account to apply for grants. If individual applicants are eligible to apply for this grant funding opportunity, then you may begin with step 3, Create a Grants.gov account, listed below.

Creating a Grants.gov account can be completed online in minutes, but UEI and SAM registrations may take several weeks. Therefore, an organization's registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact the entity's ability to meet required application submission deadlines. Complete organization instructions can be found on Grants.gov here:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html.

a. Obtain a UEI Number: All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a UEI number. Applicants must enter the UEI number in the data entry field labeled "Organizational UEI" on the SF-424 form.

i. For more detailed instructions for obtaining a UEI number, refer to:

https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.

b. Register with SAM: All organizations applying online through Grants.gov must register with the System for Award Management (SAM). Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through Grants.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually.

i. For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html.

c. Create a Grants.gov Account: The next step is to register an account with Grants.gov.

Follow the on-screen instructions or refer to the detailed instructions here:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html.

d. Add a Profile to a Grants.gov Account: A profile in Grants.gov corresponds to a single applicant organization the user represents (i.e., an applicant) or an individual applicant.

If you work for or consult with multiple organizations and have a profile for each, you may log in to one Grants.gov account to access all of your grant applications. To add an organizational profile to your Grants.gov account, enter the UEI Number for the organization in the UEI field while adding a profile.

i. For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/add-profile.html.

e. EBiz POC Authorized Profile Roles: After you register with Grants.gov and create an Organization Applicant Profile, the organization applicant's request for Grants.gov roles and access are sent to the EBiz POC. The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the AOR role, thereby giving you permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. You will be able to submit your application online any time after you have been assigned the AOR role.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html.

f. Track Role Status: To track your role request, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/add-profile.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html

g. Electronic Signature: When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization applicant with the AOR role that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC must authorize people who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as a user with the AOR role; this step is often missed, and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

7. How to Submit an Application to DHS via Grants.gov Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different webforms within an application. For each NOFO, you can create individual instances of a workspace.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities using Workspace, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html.

a. Create a Workspace: Creating a workspace allows you to complete it online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

b. Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the workspace to work on the application together, complete all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and check for errors before submission. The Workspace progress bar will display the state of your application process as you apply. As you apply using Workspace, you may click the blue question mark icon near the upper-right corner of each page to access context-sensitive help.

c. Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out webforms you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace.