FEDERAL AGENCY:

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

AUTHORIZATION:

Social Security Act, Title XI, Section 1110, as amended by Public Laws 86-778, 88-452, 90-248, 96-265, and 99-190; 42 U.S.C. 1310.

To promote the ability of families to be financially self-sufficient, and to promote the healthy development and greater social well-being of children and families.

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

Grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts are awarded for innovative research, demonstrations, and evaluations that are responsive to the Administration for Children and Families' (ACF) program priorities. All applications must meet standards of excellence in research, demonstration, or evaluation design.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   Grants and cooperative agreements may be made to or with governmental entities, colleges, universities, nonprofit and for-profit organizations (if fee is waived). Contracts may be awarded to nonprofit or for-profit organizations. Grants or cooperative agreements cannot be made directly to individuals.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   Low-income individuals, children, youth, families, individuals with developmental disabilities, and Native Americans.

Credentials/Documentation:   Applicants must present written evidence of other agencies' willingness to cooperate when the project involves the use of other agencies, facilities, or services. Nonprofit organizations which have not previously received ACF program support must submit proof of nonprofit status. For State and local governments, costs will be determined in accordance with 45 CFR Part 92 and OMB Circular No. A-87. For other grantees, applicable costs and administrative procedures will be determined in accordance with 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92.

Pre-application Coordination:   This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure:   All information and forms required to prepare a grant or cooperative agreement application are published in the Federal Register. Copies of the program announcement may be available on the Internet or from the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, ACF, 7th Floor, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447. All information needed to submit a proposal for a contract is provided through a Request for Proposal published in the Commerce Business Daily.

Award Procedure:   Official notice of approved grant or cooperative agreement is made through issuance of a Financial Assistance Award. Official notice of an accepted contract proposal is made through award of a contract.

Deadlines:   Established when grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts are solicited. Deadlines for grants and cooperative agreements are announced in the Federal Register as part of the solicitation of applications.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   From 60 to 365 days. Generally, solicited grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts will be acted upon within 120 days.

Appeals:   Appeals are processed in accordance with HHS regulations in 45 CFR Part 16.

Renewals:   Extensions and continuations are available if formally applied for and approved. If an application is recommended for approval for 2 or more years, the grantee or contractor must submit each year a formal request for continuation accompanied by a progress report which will be evaluated prior to a recommendation of continuation.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   Grantees are generally required to share in the cost of projects. Cost sharing of 25 percent of the total approved project cost is generally required for grants or cooperative agreements; contracts are not required to share in the project cost.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   Funds are granted on a 1- to 3-year basis, with support beyond the first year contingent upon acceptable evidence of satisfactory progress, continuing program relevance, and availability of funds.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   Reports of progress and expenditures are required on all projects. Comprehensive final reports are due within 90 days of completion of the project.

Audits:   Audits are conducted in accordance with the requirements in 45 CFR 74 and 92.

Records:   Proper accounting records, identifiable by grant or contract number and including all receipts and expenditures, must be maintained until all questions are resolved.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:   75-1536-0-1-506.

Obligations:   (Grants, Cooperative Agreements, and Contracts) FY 01 $38,094,000; FY 02 est $61,158,000 ($30,000,000 is allocated to Compassion Capital Fund); and FY 03 est $6,000,000. (Note: These dollar amounts represent the total funding level jointly appropriated for programs: 93.647. Social Services Research and Demonstration and 93.595, Welfare Reform Research, Evaluations and National Studies.)

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:   (Grants and Contracts) $30,000 to $1,000,000.

In fiscal year 2001, 52 grants and 31 contracts were awarded. In fiscal years 2002 and 2003, grant and contract awards are expected in child welfare, welfare reform, child impact studies, evaluations of employment strategies (including job retention, advancement, and serving the hard-to-employ), and strengthening families/marriage.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

Guidelines and other information are published in the Federal Register and Commerce Business Daily.

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:   Appropriate ACF Regional Administrator. (See Appendix IV of the Catalog for ACF Regional Offices.)

Headquarters Office:   Dr. K.A. Jagannathan, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services, 7th Floor, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW., Washington, DC 20447. Telephone: (202) 205-4829. Use the same number for FTS. Fax: (202) 205-3598. E-Mail: KJagannathan@ACF.DHHS.gov.

Web Site Address:   http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ocs.

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

(1) State Welfare Reform evaluations; (2) Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work strategies; (3) Job placement and retention demonstrations; (4) Changing culture of welfare; (5) Training and technical assistance in administering welfare reform programs; (6) Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) implementation studies; (7) Responsible fatherhood; (8) Home visitation program demonstrations; (9) Child Welfare Longitudinal Study; (10) Child Care; and (11) strengthening families/marriage.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:

The criteria for selecting projects to be funded under this program are published in the Federal Register grant announcement and in the solicitation for requests for proposals for contracts.