FEDERAL AGENCY:

ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

AUTHORIZATION:

Refugee Act of 1980, Section 412, Public Law 96- 212, 94 Stat. 111, 8 U.S.C. 1522, as amended, Public Laws 97-363, 99- 605, 101-167, and 101-517.

OBJECTIVES:

To assist refugees in becoming self-supporting and independent members of American society, by providing grant funds to private nonprofit organizations to support case management, transitional assistance, and social services for new arrivals.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

Federal funds of up to $2,000 per refugee were provided on a matching basis of $2.00 of Federal funds for each $1.00 of private funds. Required services included case management, job development, and maintenance support for up to 4 months. Assistance could also be used for English language training, job training, medical support, maintenance and cash allowance.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   Grant awards are limited to private nonprofit organizations which have a Reception and Placement Grant with the Department of State or Department of Justice and are to provide the prescribed services to eligible recipient refugees.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   Refugees will be determined eligible by the grantee agencies as verified by Health and Human Services (HHS) monitoring. Refugees must be enrolled within 31 days of arrival. Entrants/asylees must be enrolled within 31 days of granting of parole or asylum.

Credentials/Documentation:   Newly arriving refugees with an employable refugee in the case with documentation from INS as to refugee, entrant/asylee status are eligible. Cost principles for nonprofit organizations will be determined by OMB Circular No. A-122. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

Pre-application Coordination:   This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:   This program is subject to the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-110. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102.

Award Procedure:   Eligible applicants submit a signed application to HHS. This document includes a detailed program proposal and budget. Subsequent to review by an independent panel and the analysis of funding recommendations, the Director makes final funding decisions and grant awards are issued.

Deadlines:   Determined annually. Program operates on a calendar year.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   None.

Appeals:   Not applicable.

Renewals:   Continuations require additional appropriations.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   Grants are awarded on a basis of $2.00 in Federal funds for each $1.00 of private funds up to a maximum of $2,000 per refugee. Up to 80 percent of the nonfederal share may be through in-kind donations, with a minimum required cash match of 20 percent.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   Funds are awarded in the fiscal year for which the appropriation was made. Grants project and budget periods are on a calendar year basis and are generally awarded with a 3-year project period and incremental 1-year budget periods.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   Program Progress Reports are required every four months and Financial Reports are required semi-annually. A programmatic narrative report is due February 15th of each year. An interim final financial statement is due 90 days after the program period has ended and a final financial report is due 210 days after the projected period.

Audits:   Periodic audits should be made as part of the recipient's systems of financial management and internal control to meet terms and conditions of grants and other agreements. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records:   The grantee shall maintain individual case records on all refugees counted as receiving services.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:   75-1503-0-1-609.

Obligations:   FY 01 $59,214,000; FY 02 est $58,710,000; and FY 03 est $61,560,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  
In FY 2015, the grants ranged from $1,566,400 to $18,977,200 with an average award of $7,256,577.

In calendar year 2001, refugee arrivals virtually ceased after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the U.S. Still the program was able to serve more than 26,000 refugees of 29,000 refugees proposed to be served in calendar year 2001. Miami, Florida has the largest number of refugees served in the program with 4,176 served by eight different Volag affiliates. Houston, New York and Atlanta were the next three largest cities where the Matching Grant program was offered with a combined total of nearly 5,000 refugees served. Approximately 80% of refugees participating in the program become self- sufficient within 120 days. It is estimated that 9 agencies will continue to receive awards in calendar years 2002 and 2003.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

All inquiries should be directed to the Information Contact listed below.

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:   Not applicable.

Headquarters Office:  
Anastasia Brown Mary E. Switzer Building, 330 C Street SW, Washington, District of Columbia 20201 Email: anastasia.brown@acf.hhs.gov Phone: (202) 401-4559 Fax: (202) 401-0981

Web Site Address:  
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/programs

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

In fiscal year 2001, USCCB has 60 sites where Matching Grant is offered and was funded to serve 8,500 refugees. EMM was awarded $2,186,000 to serve 1,093 clients in 20 sites. LIRS received $8,290,000 to serve 4,145 clients in 29 locations around the nation.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:

Matching grant awards are made on the basis of a panel review using evaluation criteria contained in the program guidelines implemented in January 2000.