RAIS_FY_2021_NOFO_FINAL.pdf

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Notice of Funding Opportunity

Fiscal Year 2021 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program Refugee and Asylee Integration Services

NOTE: If you are applying for this funding opportunity and have not obtained a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and/or are not currently registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), please take immediate action to obtain a DUNS number, if applicable, and then to register immediately in SAM. It may take four weeks or more after you submit your SAM registration before your registration is active in SAM, then an additional 24 hours for Grants.gov to recognize your information. Information on obtaining a DUNS number and registering in SAM is available at Grants.gov.

Detailed information regarding DUNS and SAM is also provided in Section D of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

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 (formerly Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number)

97.010

3. Assistance Listings Title (formerly CFDA Title) Citizenship Education and Training

4. Funding Opportunity Title

FY 2021 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program: Refugee and Asylee Integration Services (RAIS)

5. Funding Opportunity Number

DHS-21-CIS-010-003

6. Authorizing Authority for Program

H.R. 133 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116-260), Division F, Title IV

7. Appropriation Authority for Program H.R. 133 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116-260), Division F, Title IV

8. Announcement Type

Initial

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 culmination of the civic integration of lawful permanent residents (LPRs) who were resettled as refugees or granted asylum, as well as for Cuban or Haitian entrants or individuals admitted on a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV); however, some of these individuals may experience challenges with aspects of civic, linguistic, economic, cultural and institutional integration when resettling in the United States, which may impact their progress toward full civic integration. The sooner these individuals are able to engage in their communities, https://www.grants.gov/ the more likely they are to find satisfaction and success in their personal and professional lives;

make positive contributions to their communities and the Nation, and become naturalized citizens. It is critical to provide refugees and asylees, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and SIV recipients with opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to fully integrate into American society.

The goal of the RAIS funding opportunity is to provide extended integration services, which build on, but are not intended to replicate, those resettlement services funded by the U.S.

Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement, which prioritize early economic self-sufficiency. The primary focus of the RAIS is to provide individualized programming to LPRs who entered the United States under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), were granted asylum, as well as Cuban or Haitian entrants and individuals on an SIV, to attain the skills and knowledge required for successful citizenship and to foster a sense of belonging and attachment to the United States. Although the title of the program refers only to refugees and asylees, LPRs who entered the United States as Cuban or Haitian entrants or were admitted on an SIV are also eligible for services under this program. This grant strives to promote long-term civic integration of those LPRs who have identified naturalization as a goal yet may need additional information and instruction to attain it.

Applicants are required to demonstrate in-depth experience with, and extensive knowledge of the particular community they propose to serve and describe how the proposed program design will address the identified integration needs of this population. Applicants are required to propose a program that provides a suite of integration services to LPRs who entered the United States as refugees, asylees, Cuban or Haitian entrants, or those on a Special Immigrant Visa that will promote long-term civic integration. Through individual needs assessments, completion of integration plans for each enrolled LPR, provision of information and guidance on available integration services, provision of civics-based literacy, civics-based English language, and citizenship instruction to prepare for naturalization, those served under the program will gain the tools required to become successful citizens.

Applications must propose a detailed plan on how they will assess each LPR and develop and monitor the implementation of an individual integration plan for those served under the program.

Submission of the proposed integration plan template is required as an attachment to this application. As part of each individual’s integration plan, applicants must make referrals to the following integration services based on the LPR’s specific identified needs: community orientation; referrals and interactions with local government and public institutions; referrals to employment training; and referrals to appropriate sources of information for updating or renewing previously held foreign professional credentials when applicable. In addition to the proposed integration services, the cornerstone of the program design must include civics-based literacy, civics-based English as a second language (ESL) instruction, citizenship instruction, and free naturalization legal services within the authorized practice of immigration law.

Naturalization legal services cannot be provided to individuals who have not undergone the initial integration assessment and have not had an integration plan completed on their behalf.

The primary applicant or a sub-awardee must directly provide either citizenship instruction or naturalization legal services. Civics-based literacy and civics-based ESL instruction may be provided by the applicant or sub-awardee. Other required integration services may be provided through systemic and documented referral to other local community service providers with whom the primary applicant has a pre-existing and well-established relationship.

OoC may suggest changes to the integration proposal after reviewing the applicant’s program design either during the negotiation period or the first quarter of the funding period. Grant recipients will be required to develop and monitor the implementation of an individual integration plan for a minimum of 200 LPRs who have identified naturalization as a goal.

Furthermore, the goals of the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program support the objectives of Executive Order 14012, Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans, by promoting integration, inclusion, and citizenship.

The Citizenship and Integration Grant Program also addresses the DHS mission to enforce and administer our immigration laws as stated in the 2014 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review as the program provides LPRs instruction on the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship and information and support on how to apply for naturalization within the authorized practice of immigration law.

In fiscal year (FY) 2021, up to $1.8 million in federal funding is available for eligible organizations to provide integration services to LPRs who entered the United States as refugees, asylees, Cuban or Haitian entrants, or on a Special Immigrant Visa. (Please note that throughout the rest of this document, lawful permanent residents who were admitted or entered the United States as refugees, asylees, Cuban or Haitian entrants, or on a SIV will be referred to as “program beneficiaries” or “program beneficiary” in the singular.) USCIS seeks to award approximately six grants of up to $300,000 each.

Proposed services must include the four mandatory elements listed below:

1. Development of an individual integration plan for each program beneficiary who will receive services.

The intent of this requirement is to develop an integration road map for program beneficiaries who have identified naturalization as a goal, including those who are not yet ready to apply for naturalization and may require interim services to attain the skills and knowledge required for successful citizenship. Each enrolled LPR should be assessed for English language level and naturalization eligibility and provided with information on the naturalization process and guidance on what steps are needed to prepare for naturalization. This naturalization-focused assessment should be considered the foundation of the individual integration plan that must be completed for every enrolled program beneficiary, with services and referrals tailored to the specific skills, needs, and literacy level of the individual. Each program beneficiary must be offered enrollment in civics-based literacy, civics- based ESL, or citizenship instruction classes (see 4 below) as appropriate.

2. Provision of or referral to integration services that address the specific needs identified in the program beneficiary’s individual integration plan.

Grantees must offer access to a range of services designed to foster long-term integration that are tailored to the specific needs of the target population. Below are some of the types of integration services that could be funded under this grant. Grant recipients may propose other services based on the identified needs of the communities they propose to serve.

a. Community orientation and settlement information.

Building on the information that refugees receive during their initial Reception and Placement Orientation, community orientation and settlement activities include those that allow program beneficiaries to expand, reinforce and practice https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/2014-qhsr-final-508.pdf existing knowledge to foster their community participation and understanding of how to navigate local infrastructure and services. Examples of activities include but are not limited to:

• Creating a local community resource guide;

• Hosting local leaders or representatives of community services or civic organizations as guest speakers; and

• Community based events and tours.

b. Referrals to and interactions with local government and public institutions.

There are usually many community-based integration support services to assist refugees and asylees. Programs should be aware of these existing services and develop plans to collaborate with the local government and public institutions that would most benefit their program beneficiaries. Programs can develop lesson plans in conjunction with entities to teach program beneficiaries about their role in the community and the services they offer, invite guest speakers to speak to program participants, and arrange for program beneficiaries to have meaningful interaction with community partners.

Such institutions include, but are not limited to: (a) public libraries, (b) the Department of Motor Vehicles, (c) community centers, (d) law enforcement agencies, (e) clinics, (f) employment services, (g) public schools, (h) emergency management agencies, (i) historical museums, and (j) community colleges, etc.

c. Referrals to employment training.

Referrals to employment training may be to programs or classes that help program beneficiaries acquire workplace-specific knowledge or skills in order to improve performance, improve chances of advancement, or prepare program beneficiaries for future career goals as identified in their individual integration plan. Grant funds may not be used to pay the costs for individual employment training.

d. Referrals to appropriate sources of information for updating or renewing previously held foreign professional credentials when applicable.

Organizations may make referrals for those program beneficiaries who have identified the goal of employment in their pre-immigration career fields. Assistance may be in the form of written information or guidance, facilitating a mentoring relationship between the program beneficiary and a volunteer with experience in the same field, or referrals to agencies or professional organizations that assist individuals to recertify or obtain the required professional credentials to re-enter their chosen field. Grant funds are not intended to pay for the costs of individual re-certification or re-credentialing services for program beneficiaries.

3. Civics-based literacy instruction, civics-based ESL instruction, and citizenship instruction to provide enrolled LPRs with the skills and knowledge needed to prepare for citizenship.

Based on the assessment conducted to develop the program beneficiary’s individual integration plan and student progress during the grant period, a minimum of 150 program beneficiaries should be enrolled in an appropriate instruction level. USCIS recognizes that not all individuals will be ready for placement into a high beginning citizenship class (which is the target level for USCIS-funded citizenship instruction) at the time they seek services to begin preparing for naturalization. Students may start in a lower level class and progress to citizenship instruction;

however, a minimum of 150 first-time student enrollments is required.

a. Civics-Based Literacy and Civics-Based ESL Instruction

Students whose English level is not at the appropriate level for citizenship instruction classes should be served through civics-based literacy and/or civics-based ESL instruction. The Office of Citizenship defines civics-based literacy and civics-based ESL instruction as ESL classes or components of citizenship classes that provide students with the English language grammar and vocabulary needed to advance through the stages of integration with the ultimate goal of naturalization. These categories of instruction are appropriate for individuals who do not have sufficient English language attainment to be placed in a citizenship class that focuses on preparation for the naturalization interview and test. Civics-based literacy includes using civics and integration concepts and themes to teach low-level students basic English grammar and vocabulary preparing them for civics-based ESL (this is targeted at program beneficiaries assessed at National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS) level 1 – beginning ESL literacy). Civics-based ESL focuses more heavily on teaching the English structures needed to understand the concepts found within the naturalization test as well as those to assist students to become more integrated community members (this is targeted at program beneficiaries assessed at NRS level 2 – low beginning ESL).

b. Citizenship Instruction

Students assessed at the NRS high beginning level or higher should be provided with citizenship instruction as defined below. The program design must include:

1) Instruction primarily delivered in English in U.S. history and government and the promotion of civic integration;

2) Activities that promote civic and linguistic integration;

3) ESL instruction in reading, writing, and speaking to support naturalization preparation;

4) Instruction primarily delivered in English on the naturalization process and eligibility interview;

5) The use of a nationally normed standardized test of English proficiency to place and assess progress of all students enrolled under this program. At least 80% of post-tested students must demonstrate educational gains as evidenced by increased standardized test scores;

6) The use of a current adult citizenship textbook that aligns with the skill level of the students in the class (published textbooks only, compilations of worksheets or handouts will not be accepted); all students must be issued a textbook for their own personal use;

7) A curriculum that includes all of the components contained in the USCIS Sample Curriculum found on the Citizenship Resource Center at www.uscis.gov/citizenship/educators/program-development including:

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

• Activities that promote civic and linguistic integration;

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

• Instruction on the eligibility interview for Form N-400, Application for

Naturalization.

8) The provision of at least 40 hours of citizenship instruction over a 10-12 week class cycle with managed enrollment to at least 150 students at the NRS high beginning to high intermediate levels (NRS Levels 3-5); and https://nrsweb.org/about-us https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/M-1166.pdf https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/M-1166.pdf http://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/educators/program-development

9) The use of citizenship teachers who have degrees in education (K-12 Social Studies, History, TESOL, or Adult Education) and/or who have at least one year of experience teaching adult immigrants. Although not a requirement, programs whose teachers have the following education, certification, and/or experience are generally more likely to be scored higher than programs that do not:

• Hold a degree in TESOL; and/or

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

• Have a minimum of 2 years of experience in TESOL instruction in a classroom setting or since March 2020 in a virtual setting for an adult education program that utilizes a textbook and a structured curriculum.

Citizenship instruction classes must integrate instruction in U.S. history and government; civics-based ESL instruction in reading, writing, and speaking; and instruction on the naturalization process and eligibility interview. For more detailed information on the content and competencies that applicants are required to address in grant-funded classes, please review the Guide to the Adult Citizenship Education Content Standards and Foundation Skills found at www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Office of Citizenship/Citizenship Resource Center Site/Publications/M-1121.pdf, the USCIS Guide to Creating an Adult Citizenship Education Curriculum found at www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/M-1189.pdf and the USCIS Sample Curriculum found at www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/M-1166.pdf.

Citizenship instruction programs must also incorporate a minimum of two civic integration learning activities into class curricula, described in detail in the proposal narrative. 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:

• Community acculturation – Programs that help refugees and others acculturate and become less dependent on federal and state subsidies and services.

• 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.;

• Classroom-based civic integration activities – Activities that may involve guest speakers such as local civic leaders and public servants 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;

• 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

• 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.

4. Provision of free naturalization application services, within the scope of the authorized practice of immigration law.

Grant recipients must provide services at no cost to the applicant to support the naturalization application submission and interview process. Naturalization application services can only be http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Office%20of%20Citizenship/Citizenship%20Resource%20Center%20Site/Publications/M-1121.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 http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/M-1189.pdf http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/M-1166.pdf provided to program beneficiaries who have had a full assessment of their integration needs and have a completed integration plan. Proposed Services must include:

• The provision of naturalization eligibility screening for a minimum of 175 program beneficiaries;

• The preparation and submission of Form N-400 with Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative, over the 2-year period of performance for a minimum of 150 program beneficiaries who entered the United States under USRAP or were granted asylum (USCIS recognizes that not all program beneficiaries who received other integration services under this grant will be ready to apply for naturalization during the period of performance);

• The provision of ongoing immigration case management;

• The use of a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Legal Access Programs (OLAP)

Accredited Representative (partial accreditation is acceptable) or an attorney who is an employee of the applicant organization or the sub-awardee organization. (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, nor serve as a supervisor to staff members who are not accredited representatives and provide such services.) Attorneys and DOJ-accredited representatives must sign Form N-400 as the preparer and submit Form G- 28 with each Form N-400 filed under this grant, preferably submitted through the USCIS online account at my.uscis.gov.1 When filing the N-400 application online, users can receive automatic case status updates, find information on when an interview may be scheduled, view notices, submit and respond to a request for evidence, and engage in secure communication with USCIS. Grantees are strongly encouraged to file forms electronically whenever possible. In the case that online filing is not a viable option, grantees are required to mail the naturalization application package to USCIS on behalf of the client.

Applications may not be given to the client to mail. The legal service provider is required to file the application on the client’s behalf. The applicant must demonstrate an established process in place to refer individuals with complex immigration matters beyond the scope of the services provided under this grant to a qualified attorney.

Services may include interview preparation, a representative’s appearance at the naturalization interview, responding to a Request for Evidence (RFE), and filing other forms or documents (such as Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions), if applicable.

Naturalization legal services may be delivered by either the primary applicant or a sub-awardee organization.

Partnerships Partnerships are encouraged to ensure that the largest array of integration services is available to clients. Applicants may include partnerships with other public or non-profit organizations in their proposal. The principal applicant must provide direct services under this grant, and specifically must provide citizenship instruction and/or naturalization application services. The principal applicant may directly provide or refer program beneficiaries to a partner to provide civics-based literacy and civics-based ESL instruction. The principal applicant may directly provide or make referrals for other integration services identified in the program beneficiary’s individual integration plan. A partner organization is considered a “sub-awardee” if the organization will receive a portion of the grant funding to provide additional or complementary services within the scope of this grant.

1 At grant-supported group processing events, a Form G-28 may not be required if the pro bono attorney filling out the Form N-400 determines that the services provided would not be considered “practice” or “preparation”, as those terms are defined in 8 C.F.R. 1.2.

Such pro bono attorneys, however, will be required to complete the preparer section of the N-400.

https://my.uscis.gov/

The applicant must complete a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with any prospective sub-awardee and submit it with the application. The applicant must clearly demonstrate how it will monitor the prospective sub-awardee’s performance and ensure that the prospective sub-awardee complies with all grant award conditions and data reporting requirements. The MOU must state the minimum number of program beneficiaries to whom the sub-awardee will provide services; and how grant funding will be allocated to fund the services. Prospective sub-awardees must have their own individual DUNS number and will be responsible for financial and performance reporting. Sub-awardees must submit their reports to the primary applicant for submission to DHS.

10. Performance Metrics For this grant program, grant recipients will be evaluated based on the following metrics:

• The completion, implementation, and monitoring of integration plans for all enrolled program beneficiaries (minimum of 200);

• The number of newly enrolled non-duplicated program beneficiaries in citizenship instruction classes

(minimum of 150);

• Percentage of enrolled students who post-test using nationally approved standardized tests suitable to assess English language proficiency (minimum of 80%);

• Percentage of post-tested students demonstrating measurable educational gains (minimum

80%);

• Number of program beneficiaries for whom your organization will conduct naturalization eligibility screenings (minimum of 175); and

• Number of program beneficiaries for whom your organization will prepare and submit a Form N-

400 and a Form G-28 (minimum of 150).

B. Federal Award Information

1. Available Funding for the NOFO: Approximately $1.8 million

2. Projected number of Awards: Up to 6

3. Period of Performance: 24 months (comprising two 1-year budget periods)

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

4. Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): 10/01/2021

5. Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): 09/30/2023

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) 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

To be eligible for this program, applicants and sub-awardees must meet the below requirements.

• Applicants and any proposed sub-awardees must be organizations with public or non-profit status.

• Applicants and any proposed sub-awardees must demonstrate extensive experience with and knowledge of the provision of ongoing integration services to the proposed population and describe why the applicant is uniquely suited to serve this particular population.

• Applicants must demonstrate a network of local service providers with whom the applicant has an established and ongoing relationship for the provision of any proposed integration services that will not be provided directly by the applicant.

• At the time of application, applicants and/or any sub-awardees that propose to provide civics-based literacy, civics-based ESL, and citizenship instruction must have at least 1 year of experience within the past three years providing direct service ESL instruction in a classroom setting or since March 2020 in a virtual setting that follows a curriculum and utilizes a textbook.

• Applicants and/or any sub-awardees that propose to provide naturalization application services must have at least one year of experience in the past three years providing naturalization application services within the authorized practice of immigration law to clients, and must at the time of application:

o Be recognized by the DOJ’s OLAP and employ at least one DOJ -accredited representative employee (partial accreditation is acceptable) with experience providing clients with naturalization representation; OR o Have at least one attorney on staff as a paid employee with experience providing clients with naturalization representation.

Not Eligible For-profit law firms and attorneys in private practice are not eligible to receive funding under this funding opportunity. (See the Glossary for the definitions of “representation” and “employee.”)

Current awardees and sub-awardees under the FY 2020 Citizenship and Assimilation Grant Program (funding opportunities DHS-20-CIS-010-002 and DHS-20-CIS-010-003) are not eligible to receive funding under this funding opportunity. Applicants to Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Services, DHS-21-CIS-010-002, are not eligible to apply to this program. Applicants may only submit one proposal in response to the FY 2021 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program. USCIS will not consider two applications submitted by the same organization in response to the two FY 2021 NOFOs. Failure to follow this directive will result in both applications being removed from consideration.

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:

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

2. Form SF-424A – Budget is missing.

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

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

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

6. 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.

3. 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: 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: 05/17/2021

b. Application Submission Deadline: 07/16/2021 at 11:59:59 p.m.

Eastern Daylight Time

c. Anticipated Award Date: No later than 9/30/2021

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

Event Suggested Deadline for Completion Obtaining DUNS Number Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Obtaining a valid Employer ID Number (EIN)

Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Updating SAM registration Four weeks before actual submission deadline Starting application in Grants.gov

Four weeks before actual submission deadline

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. In order to obtain the application package, select “Download a Grant Application Package.” Enter the CFDA 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 Grants.gov customer support at 1-800-518- 4726.

4. 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 DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet and Employer ID Number

(EIN);

b. In the application, provide a valid DUNS number, which is currently the unique entity identifier;

c. Have an account with 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;

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

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

h. Submit an application in Grants.gov;

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.

https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.login.gov/

Applicants are advised that DHS may not make a federal award until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS 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. For this funding opportunity, DHS requires applicants to submit their applications online through Grants.gov.

6. How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

a. 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 4 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 DUNS number, active 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 DUNS 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.

1) Obtain a DUNS Number: All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet. Applicants must enter the DUNS number in the data entry field labeled “Organizational DUNS” on the SF-424 form.

For more detailed instructions for obtaining a DUNS number, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain- duns-number.html.

2) Register with SAM: All organizations applying online through Grants.gov must register with

SAM at sam.gov. Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through Grants.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html

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.

3) 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.

4) Add a Profile to a Grants.gov Account: A profile in Grants.gov corresponds to a single applicant organization the user represents (that is, 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 DUNS number for the organization in the DUNS field while adding a profile.

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

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

5) 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.

6) Track Role Status: To track your role request, refer to:

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

7) 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 the Grants.gov application process. 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.

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

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 submitting. 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. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive, or external drive, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html.

d. Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

e. Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and DUNS number. To trigger this feature, an applicant must complete the SF-424 information first. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

f. Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the Sign and

Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

g. Track a Workspace Submission: After successfully submitting a workspace application, a

Grants.gov tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application.

The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission. Using the tracking number, access the Track My Application page under the Applicants tab or the Details tab in the submitted workspace.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html.

h. Applicant Support: Grants.gov provides applicants 24/7 support via the toll-free number 1-800-

518-4726 and email at support@grants.gov. For questions related to the specific grant opportunity, contact the number listed in the application package of the grant you are applying for.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov Support Center and get a ticket number. The Support Center ticket number will assist DHS with tracking your issue and understanding background information on the issue.

8. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

All applications must be received by 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight time on the due date established for each program. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov.

An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The applicant with the AOR role who submitted the application will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html mailto:support@grants.gov

Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application. This applicant with the AOR role will also receive the official date/time stamp and Grants.gov tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

When DHS successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov and acknowledges the download of submissions, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgment of receipt of the application to the email address of the applicant with the AOR role who submitted the application. Again, proof of timely submission shall be the official date and time when Grants.gov receives your application. Applications received by Grants.gov after the established due date for the program will be considered late and will not be considered for funding by DHS.

Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can take some time before Grants.gov receives your application. Again, Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the applicant with the AOR role attempting to submit the application. The Grants.gov Support Center reports that some applicants end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Please be patient and give the system time to process the application.

9. Content and Form of Application Submission

See Appendix for a list of required documents for this application, forms, and formats. No pre-applications or letters of intent are required to apply.

As discussed in the eligibility section of this NOFO, current awardees and sub-awardees under the FY 2020 Citizenship and Assimilation Grant Program (funding opportunities DHS-20-CIS-010- 002 and DHS-20-CIS-010-003) are not eligible to receive funding under this funding opportunity.

Applicants to Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Services, DHS-21-CIS-010-002, are not eligible to apply to this program.

Applicants may only submit one proposal in response to the FY 2021 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program. USCIS will not consider two applications submitted by the same organization in response to the two FY 2021 NOFOs. Failure to follow this directive may result in both applications being removed from consideration.

10. Other Submission Requirements

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.