The Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition is soliciting proposals for implementation of an Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems SEED Project grant in Hampden County, with applications due July 6, 2026 at 4:00 PM EDT. This is a competitive federal grant pass-through: DPH/BFHN has identified Families First as the preferred partner, but organizations believing they possess equal qualifications may submit competing proposals.

The scope covers establishing or expanding Centralized Intake and Referral Systems to assess family needs and connect households to health and human services; implementing community-wide evidence-based early childhood models to improve well-child visits and developmental screening; and providing state early childhood systems leadership with parent training and engagement. The awardee must plan for long-term systems sustainability. Families First's proposed contribution includes its Power of Parenting and Ripple evidence-based programs for families and project partners.

The federal funding opportunity offers up to $875,000 per grant over a five-year period, with eight grants to be awarded nationally. Hampden County was selected as the high-need community of focus due to its highest rates of infant mortality in Massachusetts.

Families First is identified as the preferred partner based on its unique qualifications as the only organization in Massachusetts providing a comprehensive model of early childhood parenting education, family engagement, and parent leadership, combined with its recent expansion into Hampden County and 30 years of experience in the Greater Boston Area. Competing proposals are invited from organizations with equal qualifications. Submit proposals to Claudia Catalano at Claudia.Catalano@mass.gov.

NOI_W27102

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