Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5) SMART Grant
Open Posted
- Opportunity number
- HHS-2026-ACF-ECD-TP-0039
- Agency
-
Administration for Children and Families
Department of Health and Human Services
- Applications due
- Award size
- $500,000 to $15,000,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Grant
- Category
-
- Income Security and Social Services
- Eligible applicants
-
- State Governments
- Other
- Points of contact
-
- Richard Gonzales richard.gonzales@acf.hhs.gov (202) 401-5138
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, seeks applications for the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) SMART Grant to support one-year investments in statewide early care and education technology and analytic data infrastructure, with applications due November 20, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
Eligible applicants are designated state entities from 50 states and territories (excluding Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Washington); the District of Columbia and four territories are eligible. Applicants must be designated by governors. A mandatory 30 percent cost-sharing requirement applies, calculated against the federal award amount; cost-share waivers are available for American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands for amounts up to $199,999.
Total program funding is $222 million, with approximately 25 awards anticipated. Individual awards range from a minimum of $500,000 to a maximum of $15 million. The expected project start date is December 31, 2026, with a one-year period of performance.
Applicants select one of two investment options: Option 1 (Technology Infrastructure Investment) to build or strengthen technology infrastructure for data collection, connection, analysis, and use; or Option 2 (Innovation Testing Investment) to implement and test a strategy or intervention using established technology infrastructure. Proposals must strengthen the state's ability to generate actionable information for decision-making and produce a measurable result by project end.
Merit review scoring totals 130 points across readiness (25 points), proposed investment design (30 points), project timeline and milestones (10 points), evaluation plan (15 points), organizational capacity (12 points), federal fund oversight (8 points), budget narratives (20 points), and ACF priority alignment (10 points), with up to 8 bonus points for governor's office engagement. The CFDA number is 93.434. Applications are submitted through Grants.gov and must not exceed 75 pages combined. Recipients must attend a mandatory 3-day meeting in Washington, D.C., and comply with 2 CFR 200 for financial and program management, with semiannual and annual reporting requirements.
Synopsis
2 versions
Update #2 · Latest ·
This NOFO is modified. The webinar link was changed and the ECD website address changed. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), seeks applications for the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) SMART Grant: Strategic Measurement, Analytics, and Results using Technology. This funding opportunity will support states and territories to make targeted, one-year investments in statewide early care and education (ECE) technology and analytic data infrastructure that advance PDG B-5 purposes, including strengthening coordination across the mixed-delivery system, improving program quality and access, supporting informed family choice, and using data to better understand and address the needs of children from birth through age five. Applicants will propose a focused, feasible investment that strengthens the state's ability to generate actionable information for decision-making and produces a measurable result by the end of the project period.
Update #1 ·
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), seeks applications for the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) SMART Grant: Strategic Measurement, Analytics, and Results using Technology. This funding opportunity will support states and territories to make targeted, one-year investments in statewide early care and education (ECE) technology and analytic data infrastructure that advance PDG B-5 purposes, including strengthening coordination across the mixed-delivery system, improving program quality and access, supporting informed family choice, and using data to better understand and address the needs of children from birth through age five. Applicants will propose a focused, feasible investment that strengthens the state's ability to generate actionable information for decision-making and produces a measurable result by the end of the project period.
Eligibility
Specific states and territories are eligible and will be identified in the NOFO. Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Full_Announcement_hhs-2026-acf-ecd-tp-0039_1.pdf | ||
| Full_Announcement_hhs-2026-acf-ecd-tp-0039.pdf | ||
| PKG00294209.pdf | ||
| PKG00294208.pdf |
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