Federal regulations at 45 CFR 98.81 require Tribal Lead Agencies to apply for CCDF funds. For years in which the Tribal Lead Agency submits a biennial CCDF Plan, the Plan itself serves as the application. However, in non-Plan years, the Tribal Lead Agency must apply for funds by submitting specified Plan amendments in accordance with the guidance in this Program Instruction.

Process to Apply for FY 2001 CCDF Tribal Mandatory and Discretionary Funds:

New Tribal Applicants. Tribes that did not receive FY 2000 CCDF funds must submit an entire CCDF biennial Plan. To obtain a copy of the Plan preprint, contact your ACF Regional Office (Attachment D).

Current Tribal CCDF Grantees. Tribal Lead Agencies that received FY 2000 CCDF funds must submit Plan amendments to specified items in the Tribal Lead Agency s approved CCDF Plan. These items are: 1.1, 1.8 and 1.9 (including Appendix 3 of the Plan preprint). The Plan preprint pages containing these items are included as Attachment B to this Program Instruction. Attachment A provides guidance for completing these items.

By applying for FY 2001 CCDF funds, the Tribal Lead Agency agrees to follow the provisions of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, as amended, and applicable regulations at 45 CFR Parts 98 and 99.

By applying for FY 2001 CCDF funds, a current tribal CCDF grantee continues to be subject to the assurances and certifications provided in the CCDF Plan for FY 2000 - 2001 for the remainder of the Plan period. A new tribal applicant must include required assurances and certifications as part of its CCDF Plan submittal.

Tribal Lead Agencies are reminded that no more than 15 percent of the aggregate CCDF funds expended from each year s allotment may be used for administrative costs. Tribal Lead Agencies are advised to review the CCDF regulations at 45 CFR 98.52 for a discussion of administrative costs. Note: the base amount under the Discretionary Funds is not included in this calculation.

In order to use CCDF funds for construction or major renovation projects, all Tribes receiving CCDF funds are required to follow ACF s construction and renovation application procedures (Program Instructions ACYF-PI-CC-05, dated August 18, 1997, and ACYF-PI-CC-97-06, dated November 4, 1997). Early in the planning process, Tribes are advised to contact their appropriate ACF Regional Office (Attachment D). If a Tribe constructs or renovates more than one facility, it must seek ACF approval for each project (even if the projects use identical plans and specifications).

A Tribe is eligible to receive CCDF funds if the Tribe is federally recognized and the tribal population includes at least 50 children under age 13.

A Tribe with fewer than 50 children under age 13 may participate in a consortium of eligible Tribes. In order to be eligible to receive CCDF funds on behalf of its member Tribes, a consortium must:

• Consist of Tribes which meet the eligibility requirements for the CCDF program or which would meet the eligibility requirements if the Tribe or tribal organization had at least 50 children under age 13; and
• Adequately demonstrate it has authorization from each participating Tribe to receive CCDF funds on behalf of the Tribe for the duration of the Plan period. Instructions for demonstrating authorization is provided in Attachment A, Item 1.8.

Special Rule for Indian Tribes in Alaska:

Only specified Alaska Native entities may receive Tribal Mandatory Funds. The Metlakatla Indian Community of the Annette Islands Reserve and the following Alaska Native regional nonprofit corporations are eligible to receive Tribal Mandatory Funds:

• Arctic Slope Native Association;
• Kawerak, Inc.;
• Maniilaq Association;
• Association of Village Council Presidents;
• Tanana Chiefs Conference;
• Cook Inlet Tribal Council;
• Bristol Bay Native Association;
• Aleutian and Pribilof Island Association;
• Chugachmuit;
• Tlingit and Haida Central Council;
• Kodiak Area Native Association; and
• Copper River Native Association.

Exempt and Non-Exempt Tribal Grantees:

Tribal Lead Agencies with CCDF allocations equal to or greater than $500,000 for a fiscal year are considered non-exempt grantees; therefore: 1) no less than 4 percent of the aggregate CCDF funds expended for a fiscal year must be used for quality activities; and 2) the Tribal Lead Agency must operate a certificate program that offers parental choice from a full range of providers (i.e., center-based, group home, family and in-home care).

ACF estimates that $74,993,440 in FY 2001 CCDF funds will be available for tribal grantees on October 1, 2001 ($23,653,440 in Discretionary Funds and $51,340,000 in Tribal Mandatory Funds).

Grants from Discretionary Funds will include a base amount of $20,000 plus a per child amount (approximately $29 per child in FY 2000) for each Tribe or tribal consortium with a minimum of 50 children. Grants from Tribal Mandatory Funds are calculated solely on a per-child basis (approximately $101 per child in FY 2000) and do not include a base amount.

Since the per-child amount for both Discretionary and Tribal Mandatory Funds depends upon the total number of children in all participating Tribes, ACF cannot calculate in advance the exact per-child amount. However, Tribes and tribal organizations may use the FY 2001 Tribal Estimates Chart (See Attachment C) as a guide. A new applicant should use the base amount plus approximately $29 per child to estimate its allotment for Discretionary funding, and should use approximately $101 per child to estimate its allotment for Tribal Mandatory funding.

A tribal consortium should estimate its allotment for Discretionary funding for each of its members by calculating a portion of the base amount that is equivalent to the ratio of the number of children in each member Tribe to 50, plus the additional per child amount. For example, a Tribe with 49 children is allotted 49/50ths of $20,000, or $19,600. The per child amount is then multiplied by 49 and added to the $19,600 base amount.

Important: These amounts are provided for the purpose of estimating the allotments that will become available on October 1, 2000 and may increase or decrease when updated data become available before the final grant awards are issued.

Discretionary Earmark

The Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Act (P.L.106-113) stipulated that a portion of FY 2001 Discretionary Funds be used (or earmarked) for child care resource and referral and school-aged child care activities.

School-age child care is a critical service for working parents. A safe and productive environment before and after school is important for both the peace of mind of working parents and the well-being of their children. Resource and referral is also a key support, since it is a vital link for all working families who seek appropriate child care, providing critical consumer education to parents and outreach to the child care community.

The Tribal Estimates Chart (Attachment C) shows the estimated earmark requirement for FY 2001. The column labeled Discretionary Earmark shows the estimated amount that must be spent on resource and referral activities and school-age care. The column labeled Discretionary After Earmark is the amount of Discretionary Funds remaining after the earmark that can be spent on any allowable CCDF activities (assuming quality expenditure, administrative cost, and other Federal requirements are met). The earmark for resource and referral activities and school-age care is based on a $500 amount per Tribe plus a per child amount. Amounts in the FY 2001 Tribal Estimates Chart (Attachment C) are estimates that may increase or decrease when final grant awards are issued.

Note to Non-Exempt Tribal Lead Agencies: The earmarked funds are to be used in addition to the "not less than 4%" required to be spent on activities that improve the quality and availability of child care.

To assist Lead Agencies, the Plan preprint is available in word processing format from their ACF Regional Office. In addition, the Plan preprint is available on the Child Care Bureau web-site.

Last year's guidance for completing the Plan preprint can be found.

Submit copies of the Plan or Plan amendments to each of the following:

1 Copy to: ACF Regional Office (see Attachment D)

2 Copies to:
Child Care Bureau
Administration on Children, Youth and Families
330 C Street, SW, Room 2046
Washington, D.C. 20447

The Plan or Plan Amendments may be submitted electronically. Contact your ACF Regional Contact for details.