The purpose of this program announcement is to fund, by awarding cooperative agreements, multi-faceted diligent recruitment programs for a range of resource families for children in foster care, including kinship, foster, concurrent and adoptive families. Funded projects will: 

1.    Implement comprehensive multi-faceted diligent recruitment programs for resource families, including kinship, foster, concurrent and adoptive families for children and youth served by public child welfare agencies as a means of improving permanency outcomes;

2.    Integrate the diligent recruitment program with other agency programs including foster care case planning and permanency planning processes to facilitate active concurrent planning activities;  

3.    Evaluate the implementation of the comprehensive diligent recruitment programs to document processes and potential linkages between diligent recruitment and improved outcomes; and

4.    Develop identifiable sites that other States/locales seeking to implement improved diligent recruitment methods can look to for guidance, insight, and possible replication. 

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

Legislative Authority

Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose

The purpose of this program announcement is to fund, by awarding cooperative agreements, multi-faceted diligent recruitment programs for a range of resource families for children in foster care, including kinship, foster, concurrent and adoptive families. Funded projects will: 

1.    Implement comprehensive multi-faceted diligent recruitment programs for resource families, including kinship, foster, concurrent and adoptive families for children and youth served by public child welfare agencies as a means of improving permanency outcomes;

2.    Integrate the diligent recruitment program with other agency programs, including foster care case planning and permanency planning processes, to facilitate active concurrent planning activities;  

3.    Evaluate the implementation of the comprehensive diligent recruitment programs to document processes and potential linkages between diligent recruitment and improved outcomes; and

4.    Develop identifiable sites that other States/locales seeking to implement improved diligent recruitment methods can look to for guidance, insight, and possible replication.

Background

The Adoption Opportunities program provides discretionary funds for projects designed to eliminate barriers to adoption and help find permanent families for children who would benefit from adoption, particularly children with special needs.

The major program areas, as mandated by the legislation, are:

1. The development and implementation of a national adoption and foster care data gathering and analysis system;
   
   
2. The development and implementation of a national adoption information exchange system;
   
   
3. The development and implementation of an adoption training and technical assistance program;
   
   
4. Increasing the placements in adoptive families for children of color who are in the foster care system and have the goal of adoption, with a special emphasis on recruitment of families of color who are from communities representative of the children in care;
   
   
5. Post-legal adoption services for families who have adopted children with special needs, including day treatment and respite care;
   
   
6. Support the placement of children in kinship care arrangements, pre-adoptive, or adoptive homes;
   
   
7. Study the efficacy of State contracting with public and private agencies (including community-based and other organizations);
   
   
8. Increase the number of older children adopted from foster care, emphasizing several child specific recruitment strategies (media campaigns to inform the public of the needs of older children available for adoption; training personnel in older children's needs; recruiting families to adopt older children; educating families on adoption and attachment issues, particularly issues with older children);
   
9. Improve efforts to eliminate inter-jurisdictional adoption barriers;
   
   
10. Study the manner in which interstate placements are financed; best practice recommendations for inter and intra state adoptions; and how State definitions of special needs differentiate and/or group similar categories of children; and
    
    
11. Research adoption outcomes and factors that affect these outcomes.
    
    

    The Multi-Ethnic Placement Act (MEPA) of 1994, as amended, prohibits the delay or denial of any adoption or placement in foster care due to the race, color, or national origin of the child or the foster or adoptive parents. It also requires States to provide for diligent recruitment of potential foster and adoptive families who reflect the ethnic and racial diversity of children for whom homes are needed. Section 1808 of P.L. 104-188 affirms the prohibition against delaying or denying the placement of a child for adoption or foster care on the basis of race, color, or national origin of the foster or adoptive parents of the child involved [42 USC 1996b]. To meet MEPA's diligent efforts requirements, States must have a comprehensive plan that includes:

• A description of the characteristics of waiting children;
  
  
• Specific strategies to reach all parts of the community;
  
  
• Diverse methods of disseminating both general and child specific information;
  
  
• Strategies for assuring that all prospective parents have access to the home study process, including location and hours of services that facilitate access by all members of the community;
  
  
• Strategies for training staff to work with diverse cultural, racial, and economic communities;
  
  
• Strategies for dealing with linguistic barriers;
  
  
• Non-discriminatory fee structures; and
  
  
• Procedures for a timely search for prospective parents for a waiting child, including the use of exchanges and other interagency efforts, provided that such procedures must insure that placement of a child in an appropriate household is not delayed by the search for a same race or ethnic placement.

State agencies are required to submit a five-year comprehensive Child and Family Services Plan (CFSP) which outlines initiatives and activities the State, Tribe or Territory will carry out in administering programs and services to promote the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families. In the CFSP, the State must describe its plan for the diligent recruitment of potential foster and adoptive families that reflects the ethnic and racial diversity of children in the State for whom foster and adoptive homes are needed. In the Annual Services and Progress Report, the State must describe the State's progress and accomplishments made in the past fiscal year with regard to the diligent recruitment of potential foster and adoptive families who reflect the ethnic and racial diversity of children in the State for whom foster and adoptive homes are needed; and explain planned activities for recruiting foster and adoptive families in the coming year.

The Multi-Ethnic Placement Act of 1994, as amended, was intended to reduce the length of time that some children waited for adoptive placement and to facilitate the expedient selection of a home which could provide for the child's long-term needs for family connections and relationships. As with the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, there was an emphasis on the child's need to achieve permanency as quickly as reasonably possible to reduce the trauma of the uncertainty of foster care placement. However, continued monitoring of permanency achievement in States indicates that continued efforts are required to reduce the length of time that children await a permanent family. 

In March 2004, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) completed the initial Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSR) in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. In these reviews, no State achieved substantial conformity on the outcome that evaluates the timely achievement of permanency goals for children in foster care. On the performance indicator which addresses stability of foster care placements (Item 6), a scarcity of appropriate placement resources, particularly for children with special care needs or severe behavior problems, was noted in 19 States. On the performance indicator which addresses adoption (Item 9), only six States performed satisfactorily. In 17 States, a contributing factor was a lack of consistency in conducting adoptive home studies or completing adoption related paperwork in a timely manner. In 14 States, a shortage of foster homes was identified, particularly for:

• Adolescents;
  
  
• Juvenile sex offenders;
  
  
• Children with disabilities or other physical care needs; and
  
  
• Large sibling groups.

In 22 States, a need for more culturally diverse homes (e.g., Native American, African American, and Hispanic) was identified. Finally, findings related to the systemic factors identified that 30 States had no formal process for analyzing the characteristics of the children in foster care in order to formulate a diligent recruitment plan with specific strategies for different communities based on the demographics of the children in foster care from that community. All of these findings support the need to develop more effective programs in support of placing children and youth with families who can provide permanent family connections.    

Projects funded under this priority area will be expected to coordinate with the State's CFSP. Additionally, projects will be expected to coordinate with the CFSR Program Improvement Plan (PIP) if related permanency issues and/or the diligent recruitment of resource families is an area needing improvement. It is expected that States may find coordination with the CFSR PIP to be beneficial in addressing strategies to improve permanency outcomes.

Based on Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) data available, there were 514,000 children in foster care on the last day of FY 2005. The average age of these children was 10 years old and they had been in care for an average of 29 months. Over half (52 percent) were males. African-American non-Hispanic children comprised 32 percent of the population of children in foster care, white non-Hispanic children comprised 41 percent, and Hispanic children comprised 18 percent. 

These data also show that there were 115,000 children waiting to be adopted on the last day of FY 2005.  On average, they were five years old and had been in foster care for an average of 42 months. Over half (53 percent) were males.  African-American non-Hispanic children comprised 36 percent of the population of children waiting to be adopted, white non-Hispanic children comprised 40 percent, and Hispanic children comprised 15 percent.

Of the 52,000 children and youth adopted in 2005, 60 percent of the adoptions were by foster parents and 25 percent were by relatives. The percentage of children who are placed for adoption dramatically decreases as the child ages. Children who are nine and over account for 47 percent of the population of waiting children, yet they comprise only 29 percent of adoptions.

While these data provide a limited description of the characteristics of children needing placement resources at the national level, recipients of these awards are expected to complete a thorough and far more detailed analysis of data on the characteristics of these populations in their jurisdictions. This analysis will guide the design of strategies to be used to develop a pool of potential families as placement resources that will meet the needs of the children in care.

Research has shown that barriers to permanency include inappropriate placements, poorly selected and improperly trained foster parents, and caseworkers failing to address permanency issues early and consistently in case planning. The AFCARS data above documents that foster parents and relatives most frequently become the adoptive families for children and youth.

A question needing further exploration is whether current procedures for case planning and permanency planning can be revised to support an increased use of relatives (both paternal and maternal) and foster parents as permanent placements for children and youth. Adoption Opportunity projects recently funded by CB are exploring the effectiveness of open adoption models for youth who wish to maintain contact with their families. This allows them to achieve the security of a legal family relationship in adoption while maintaining personally valued family ties. Early findings seem to indicate that using the open adoption model assists youth who would not otherwise be willing to consider adoption to move successfully into finalized adoptions.

Projects funded under this program announcement will be expected to collaborate with CB's National Adoption Recruitment Campaign and the fulfillment activities conducted by the Collaboration to AdoptUsKids, including collaboration with the AdoptUsKids Recruitment Response Teams (RRT's) serving each State. In an effort to assist States in finding homes for older children in foster care, CB, in collaboration with the Ad Council and the Collaboration to AdoptUsKids, launched the first national public service announcement (PSA) campaign for the adoption of children from foster care in July 2004. This campaign was focused on recruiting families for children over the age of eight. CB continues to contract with the Ad Council for the development of the multi-media recruitment campaign, which includes both Spanish and English language PSAs for print, radio, and television media. Through a cooperative agreement with CB, The Collaboration to AdoptUsKids provides the fulfillment activities for the campaign, including a toll-free telephone number answered in both English and Spanish for families interested in foster care or adoption. It also operates the www.adoptuskids.org website, with information about adoption and foster care and photo listings of specific children waiting for adoption. AdoptUsKids has also established Recruitment Response Teams (RRTs) to provide follow-up contact with interested families in each State. These RRTs have information regarding each State's adoption and foster care services in order to link families with agencies and supports in their local community.

AdoptUsKids also provides training and technical assistance to States and Tribes to support them in the development and implementation of diligent recruitment strategies. The "Answering the Call" series of guidebooks can be found at http://www.adoptuskids.org/resourceCenter/atcPublications.aspx. These guidebooks are designed to support States and local agencies in developing and implementing multi-dimensional diligent recruitment strategies. 

A large number of children and youth ages nine and older who are awaiting families are consistently not placed in adoptive homes. This points to the need for the foster care and adoption community to question the strategies and models of current permanency planning programs as well as current diligent recruitment and training programs and strategies.

Although the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 authorized the use of concurrent planning, the movement towards full utilization of this technique had been slow, inconsistent, and at times piecemeal. True concurrent planning provides for procedures which support staff and families in actively moving toward two or more permanency plans simultaneously. The support for active concurrent planning required from the agency and collaborating agencies includes training, policy, leadership, a practice model, and resources, such as dual-licensed or concurrent families.

Diligent recruitment should not be viewed as a separate system. Rather, it should be part of the overarching process for achieving permanency from the day that a child or youth enters care. The analysis of the childrens' characteristics should take into account the larger percentage of older children who are not expediently placed in permanent homes by current foster care and adoption programs. This information can be used to specifically recruit resource families who are willing to be dual-licensed to both foster and adopt and who are trained to act as concurrent homes, supporting the achievement of at least two permanency plans. Families, whether relatives or others having existing relationships with youth, should be contacted and included in the permanency planning process early during the time in care. That way they can develop a community of support for the child or youth in moving into a family setting which will become the youth's new permanent home if reunification cannot be achieved. The expertise of adoption programs can assist foster care case planning staff early in the case by helping to assess families' commitment to the child or youth and preparing foster families or relatives for the long-term legal commitment of adoption via effective training and support programs.  

There is a need to design and implement models of diligent recruitment for kinship, foster, and adoptive families to improve permanency outcomes for children and youth in foster care and to meet the diligent recruitment requirements of MEPA. These models must be multi-faceted and recognize that permanency efforts should begin when a child first enters care. Options for permanency should include the early and continued exploration of kin, including paternal and maternal family members, foster and adoptive families who can provide for children with a goal of concurrent planning, as well as thorough exploration of youth's existing and past relationships to find those willing to build commitment to become adoptive parents or enter into some type of permanent relationship with the child. Projects under this program announcement will be expected to meet the diligent recruitment provisions of MEPA. Recruitment efforts should be designed to provide information to potential resource families throughout the community about the characteristics and needs of the available children; the nature of kinship care, foster care, and adoption processes; and supports available to kinship, foster and adoptive families. This includes the provision of information to the community of natural relationships such as, but not limited to, teachers, mentors, coaches, parents of friends, communities, and extended family members.

Effective models to recruit kinship, foster, and adoptive parents must be multidimensional. General, targeted, and child-specific recruitment efforts should all be included. Child specific recruitment efforts should be broadly viewed to include specific family and relationship exploration to work with youth to identify and develop existing relationships and nurture them into long-term connections and even possible permanent legal placements for the youth. The funded projects will collaborate and partner with groups from the communities representative of those groups from which children in care come, to help identify and support potential resource families and to conduct activities that make the waiting children more visible. The target population for this project includes any children or youth in public foster care systems.

Specific Tasks to be Performed by these Projects During the Planning and Implementation Phases

In their applications for funding under this Program Announcement, applicants must propose a design that clearly and concisely describes a strategy for a 12-month strategy development phase (Phase I) for the development of the project as well as a 48-month implementation phase (Phase II). In Phase II, the projects will implement the plans that were proposed in their applications and fine-tuned during the first year of the project.

Applicants are required to describe in detail how they will address all the planning and implementation requirements described in this program announcement.

Plan for Phase I (Strategy Development)

During the initial year, projects will be refining their proposed plan for meeting the requirements and accomplishing the goals described in this Program Announcement. Additionally, they will be actively working on program development and implementation issues so that the revisions to practice can begin implementation at the beginning of Year Two. The initial year will provide time to fine tune the proposed strategies and put in place infrastructure to carry out the plan subject to CB approval. Phase I could also be called a strategy development phase

In their proposals, applicants must present a "Phase I" plan that describes how they would address each of these planning components:

• Description of the characteristics of children in care utilizing information and analysis of Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) data and other data available to the State, County, or Tribe;
  
  
• Complete a projection of the types of foster, concurrent, and permanent families who may be needed, based on current case trends for different characteristics of children and youth;
  
  
• Assess the current pool of available foster, concurrent, and adoptive placement resources;
  
  
• Analyze barriers presented by the agency or current processes in order to increase the rate of retention of prospective foster, concurrent, or adoptive families and to reduce the dropout rates;
  
  
• Explore barriers and identify possible strengths of the agency in support of the dual licensure of foster and adoptive homes;
  
  
• Develop or enhance collaborations and public-private partnerships that reflect the communities where the children in care come from;
  
  
• Identify or develop training for staff to engage effectively with diverse cultural, racial, and economic communities who are reflective of the children and youth in foster care;
  
  
• Identify or develop training to prospective foster and adoptive parents regarding the characteristics, needs, and issues of children who have experienced trauma and removal as well as adoption clinical issues;
  
  
• Explore barriers and identify possible strengths of the agency in working with families, youth, and possible placement resources on active concurrent plans;
  
  
• Explore barriers and identify possible strengths of the agency in utilizing a "customer service" model in collaboration with RRTs in responding to kin as well as prospective foster or adoptive parents;
  
  
• Assessment of agencies and community-based organizations who can provide services (including foster care, adoption, and family finding facilities and programs) in a family-centered model of active concurrent planning with families involved in the child welfare system and development of strategies to improve performance if necessary; and
  
  
• Develop a plan to be implemented by the project in years 2-5. This is the "Phase II- Version A" plan.

Applicants must describe the approach and processes that they would use to develop the "Phase II- Version A" implementation plan and address anticipated logistical and administrative issues.

Plan for Phase II - Version A: Implementation

During the strategy development year (Phase I), the projects must develop and submit a "Phase II - Version A" implementation plan. This plan will build on the work done and the knowledge gained during the initial year.

Applications in response to this program announcement must explain in detail the proposed project activities that they anticipate implementing during years 2-5. Applicants must submit a preliminary design for a proposed "Phase II - Version A" in their application for funds under this program announcement. This proposed design must present a clear and comprehensive vision of how the proposed project would operate, what it would accomplish, how it would be evaluated, and how project findings would be disseminated.

Once funded, projects will have considerable flexibility in making revisions and developing a strategy based on their work and knowledge gained during "Phase I", subject to CB approval.

The actual "Phase II - Version A" plan is due to CB nine months after the award of the cooperative agreement and must include, among other things, the strategies listed below. This "Phase II- Version A" plan is to include implementation of all the following comprehensive multi-faceted diligent recruitment and retention strategies. Applicants should propose a plan for a project that would implement each of these strategies, with a goal of increasing placement options for children in foster care: 

• Procedures for consistently updating the characteristics of children in care utilizing information and analysis of Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) data and other data available to the State, County, or Tribe;
  
  
• Procedures for ongoing analysis of the current pool of available foster, concurrent, and adoptive placement resources;
  
  
• Collaboration and public-private partnerships with groups representative of the communities from which children come, to help identify and support potential kinship, foster, concurrent, and adoptive families;
  
  
• General, targeted, and child-specific recruitment, including relationship mining for youth, to meet placement needs of the children in care; 
  
  
• Recruitment and development of homes, including relative homes, who can provide placement as a part of concurrent planning for the child;
  
  
• Recruitment and development of homes for siblings in care to be placed together or reunited when they have been separated in care;
  
  
• Assuring that all prospective parents, including relatives and people who have important existing relationships with youth in care, have access to the home study process, including foster, concurrent and adoptive parent training at a local or community level and that the home studies are initiated and completed in a timely manner;
  
  
• Utilizing a "customer service" model in collaboration with RRTs in responding to kin as well as prospective foster, concurrent, and adoptive parents;
  
  
• Addressing barriers presented by the agency or processes in order to increase the rate of retention of prospective foster, concurrent, and adoptive families and to reduce the dropout rates;
  
  
• Training staff to engage effectively with diverse cultural, racial, and economic communities who are reflective of  the children and youth in foster care;
  
  
• Providing training to prospective foster and adoptive parents regarding the characteristics, needs, and issues of children who have experienced trauma and removal as well as adoption clinical issues;
  
  
• Dealing with linguistic barriers;
  
  
• Ensuring a non-discriminatory fee structure, including the use of purchase of service arrangements with public and private agencies (including community-based and other organizations) when necessary to facilitate and support placement;
  
  
• Dual licensure of foster and adoptive homes;
  
  
• Working with families, youth, and possible placement resources on active concurrent plans;
  
  
• Collaboration and coordination with CB's National Adoption Recruitment Campaign and the fulfillment activities conducted by the Collaboration to AdoptUsKids, including collaboration with the AdoptUsKids Recruitment Response Teams (RRT's) serving each State;
  
  
• Timely search for prospective parents for children in care, including strategies for locating relatives (both maternal and paternal), mining existing relationships of youth, and eliminating barriers to the interjurisdictional placement of children, including the use of adoption exchanges, including www.AdoptUsKids.org and/or regional or local exchanges as well as the establishment of procedures and processes to facilitate interjurisdictional placements and payment mechanisms; 
  
  
• Collaboration with agencies and community-based organizations that can provide services (including foster care, adoption, and family finding  facilities and programs) in a family-centered model of active concurrent planning with families involved in the child welfare system and implementation of strategies to improve performance if necessary;
  
  
• Development of plans to address legal issues related to the effective judicial support of early and continuous family finding and relationship mining as one aspect of child specific recruitment for foster, concurrent, and adoptive homes;
  
  
• Development of strategies to move the program towards a philosophy of working on permanency from the first day that children enter the child welfare system, including revision of policy, procedures, and practice models that do not support that philosophy; and
  
  
• Training strategies for staff and community partners.

Plan for Phase II - Version B: Implementation

Nine months after the award of the cooperative agreement, each project will submit a written description of its "Phase II-Version A" implementation plan to CB staff in Washington, D.C.

One month after feedback is received from CB, the project must submit a revised implementation work plan "Phase II - Version B" incorporating the recommendations of CB staff. CB will review these plans and they must be approved by CB before they can be implemented.

Travel for Conferences and Presentations

Within two to four months after the award of the 12-month planning phase of the cooperative agreement, the project directors must attend a one-day work planning meeting in Washington, D.C., with the Federal Project Officer and other CB staff for the purpose of discussing details of the project work plan and cooperative agreement.

Additionally, 10 months after the award of the cooperative agreements, the projects may be requested to make an oral presentation to CB staff in Washington, D.C., describing and defending their plans for the Phase II - Version A implementation. Applicants are advised to propose sending three project staff members to make the presentation, including the project director, the evaluator, and one other key partner.

The proposed project budget should include funding for these two meetings, as well as funding for the meetings described in the Project Requirements section, (below)

Evaluation

CB requires a rigorous, objective evaluation of the project. Projects funded under this announcement must collect descriptive data on characteristics of individuals and families served, types and nature of needs identified and met, the services provided, measures of client outcomes, child development and well-being, client satisfaction, parenting skills, parent/child interaction, cost benefit, service utilization, and any other such information as may be required by CB.

This evaluation should be designed to collect systematic data to answer questions such as the following:

• By what percentages have the racial and ethnic distribution of approved foster homes changed to more closely mirror the racial and ethnic distribution of children and youth in foster care;
  
  
• By what percentages have the racial and ethnic distribution of approved adoptive homes either awaiting placement of a child or awaiting finalization changed to more closely mirror the racial and ethnic distribution of children and youth in foster care awaiting adoptive placement;
  
  
• Does the racial and ethnic distribution of approved foster homes in local jurisdictions more closely mirror the racial and ethnic distribution of children in youth in foster care in that jurisdiction;
  
  
• By what percentage has the number of dual licensed homes increased;
  
  
• By what percentage has the number of placements with relatives increased;
  
  
• By what percentage has the length of time in care been reduced for children leaving foster care to a permanent placement;
  
  
• By what percentage has the number of children and youth leaving foster care to a permanent home increased;
  
  
• What percent of families inquiring about relative care, foster, concurrent or adoptive licensure received a return call within 5 working days, and by what percent has this increased;
  
  
• What was the average length of time for home study approval of families inquiring about relative care or foster, concurrent, and adoptive licensure from the time of inquiry, and by what percent has this decreased;
  
  
• What was the average length of time to placement of a child or youth for families approved for relative care or foster, concurrent, and adoptive licensure from the date of the home study approval, and by what percent has this decreased?

The proposed evaluation plan should measure the effects of the implementation of the proposed project on safety, permanency, and well-being. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the data indicators measured in the CFSRs in identifying the outcomes they want to measure. It would be desirable for the findings from these projects' evaluations to provide States with examples of strategies that are tied to positive outcomes for children and families. One way to accomplish this would be for the projects' evaluation plans to use performance indicators equivalent to appropriate items of the CFSR On-Site Review Instrument (OSRI) http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwmonitoring/tools_guide/onsitefinal.pdf. Alternatively, projects could use their State's quality assurance system modeled on these items. The proposed evaluation plan should yield data that can be compared to, and contrasted with, regional, State and national level CFSR data.

Demonstration Projects

Activities funded under this funding announcement are demonstration projects. At CB, a demonstration project is one that puts into place and tests innovative, unique, or distinctive approaches for delivering services to a specific population.

Demonstration projects may test whether a program or service that has proven successful in one location or setting can work in a different context. Demonstration projects may test a theory, idea, or method that reflects a new and different way of thinking about service delivery. Demonstration projects may be designed to address the needs of a very specific group of clients or focus on one service component available to all clients. The scope of these projects may be broad and comprehensive or narrow and targeted to specific populations. A demonstration project must:

1. Develop and implement a practice and/or program model with specific components or strategies that are based on theory, research, or evaluation data; or replicate or test the transferability of successfully evaluated program models;
   
   
2. Determine the effectiveness of the model and its components or strategies using a rigorous evaluation approach; and
   
   
3. Produce detailed procedures and materials based on the evaluation that will contribute to and promote evidence-based strategies, promising practices, and programs that may be used to guide replication or testing in other settings.

ACF will expect grantees to engage in an evaluation of sufficient rigor to demonstrate potential linkages between project activities and improved outcomes. Guided by a logic model for the project, this evaluation will include both process and outcomes evaluation components. The process evaluation will assess the implementation of the project, as well as the linkages between the collaborative partners that will help ensure that identified needs of children and families are met. The outcomes component will use a sufficiently rigorous approach to examine how the approaches used in this demonstration project affect key outcomes of interest. The evidence from the evaluation will provide States with examples of strategies and practices that are tied to positive outcomes for children and families.

Project Requirements

Projects funded under this announcement will be expected to:

1. Have the project fully functioning within 90 days following the notification of the grant award.
   
   
2. Participate actively in all activities that bring members of this grant cluster together for mutual support, sharing, learning, and dissemination of findings.
   
   
3. Participate, if CB chooses, to identify common data measures or do a national evaluation or a technical assistance contract that relates to this funding announcement.
   
   
4. Submit all performance indicator data, program, and financial reports in a timely manner, in recommended format (to be provided). CB prefers and will accept the final report on DVD/CD or electronically using a standard word-processing program.
   
   
5. Submit an original and two copies of the final report, the evaluation report, and any program products within 90 days of project end date. (See Sections VI and VII for reporting requirements and receipt address.)
   
   
6. Allocate sufficient funds in the budget to:
   
   

   a)      Provide for the Project Director, the Evaluator, and other key staff to attend an annual 3-day grantees' meeting in Washington, D.C.; and

   b)      Provide for the Project Director, the Evaluator, and other key staff to attend an early kickoff meeting for grantees funded under this priority area to be held within the first three months of the project (first year only) in Washington, D.C.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

Substantial Involvement with Cooperative Agreement:

A cooperative agreement is a specific method of awarding Federal assistance in which substantial Federal involvement is anticipated. A cooperative agreement clearly defines the respective responsibilities of the Children's Bureau and the grantee prior to the award. The Children's Bureau anticipates that agency involvement will produce programmatic benefits to the recipient otherwise unavailable to them for carrying out the project. The involvement and collaboration includes:

• Children's Bureau review and approval of planning stages of the activities before implementation phases may begin;
  
  
• Children's Bureau involvement in the establishment of policies and procedures that maximize open competition, and rigorous and impartial development, review and funding of cooperative agreement or sub-grant activities, if applicable;
  
  
• Children's Bureau and recipient joint collaboration in the performance of key programmatic activities (i.e., strategic planning, implementation, information technology enhancements, T/TA, publications or products, and evaluation);
  
  
• Close monitoring by the Children's Bureau of the requirements stated in this announcement that limit the grantee's discretion with respect to scope of services offered, organizational structure and management processes; and
  
  
• Close Children's Bureau monitoring during performance, which may, in order to ensure compliance with the intent of this funding, exceed those Federal stewardship responsibilities customary for grant activities.

Explanation of Other:

In the first budget period, the maximum Federal share of each project is not to exceed $400,000. The projects awarded will be for a project period of 60 months. The initial award will be for a 12-month budget period. The award of continuation beyond each 12-month budget period will be subject to the availability of funds, satisfactory progress on the part of the awardee, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the Federal Government.

Awards under this announcement are subject to the availability of funds.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants:

• State governments
  
  
• County governments
  
  
• Special district governments

Foreign entities are not eligible under this announcement.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Yes

3. Other:

An organization may only submit one application under this program announcement.

Eligible beneficiaries: the target population for services provided under this program announcement is children and youth in the custody of the public child welfare system.

Disqualification Factors

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Address to Request Application Package:

2. Content and Form of Application Submission:

Each application must contain the following items in the order listed:

Application for Federal Assistance. (Standard Form (SF) 424). Follow the instructions that accompany the form.

Budget Information. Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A) and Budget Justification. Follow the instructions that accompany the form and those in Section V, Application Review Information. Note that Federal funds provided to States and services or other resources purchased with Federal funds may not be used to match project awards.

Certifications/Assurances. See Forms, Assurances, and Certifications, below.

Project Summary/Abstract (one page maximum, double spaced). Clearly mark this page with the applicant name as shown on SF-424, identify the program announcement and the title of the proposed project as shown on SF-424 and the service area as shown on SF-424. The summary description should not exceed 300 words.

Care should be taken to produce a summary/abstract that accurately and concisely reflects the proposed project. It should describe the objectives of the project, the approach to be used, and the results or benefits expected.

The Project Description. Applicants should organize their project description in this sequence: 1) Objectives and Need for Assistance; 2) Approach; 3) Evaluation; 4) Organizational Profiles; and 5) Budget and Budget Justification.  

Non-Federal Resources (if applicable). Provide a letter of commitment verifying the actual amount of the non-Federal share of project costs (see Sections III.2 and V).

Indirect Charges. If claiming indirect costs, provide documentation that the applicant currently has an indirect cost-rate approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or another cognizant Federal agency.

Third Party Agreements. If applicable, include a letter of commitment or Memorandum of Understanding from each partner and/or sub-contractor describing their role, detailing specific project tasks to be performed, and expressing commitment to participate if the proposed project is funded. Note: General letters of support are not required and are not considered under the evaluation criteria.

Staff and Position Data. Include job descriptions and curriculum vitae and/or resumes for proposed project staff.

Page Limit. The application limit is 75 pages. Pages over this page limit will be removed from the application and will not be reviewed. This page limit does not include standard forms 424, 424A, 424B, certifications, assurances, third party agreements, letters of commitment, job descriptions, resumes, and curriculum vitae.

General Content and Form Information. To be considered for funding, each application must be submitted with the Standard Federal Forms and must follow the guidance provided. The application must be signed by an individual authorized to act for the applicant agency and to assume responsibility for the obligations imposed by the terms and conditions of the award.

The application must be typed, double spaced, printed on only one side, with at least 1-inch margins on each side and 1 inch at the top and bottom, using standard 12-Point fonts (such as Times New Roman or Courier). All pages must be numbered. When spacing, margins, and font instructions are not followed, excess pages will be removed and will not be reviewed.

All copies of an application must be submitted in a single package. A separate package must be submitted for each funding opportunity. The package must be clearly labeled for the specific funding opportunity it is addressing.

Because each application will be duplicated, do not use or include separate covers, binders, clips, tabs, plastic inserts, maps, brochures, or any other items that cannot be processed easily on a photocopy machine with an automatic feed. Do not bind, clip, staple, or fasten in any way separate subsections of the application, including supporting documentation. Use a clip (not a staple) to securely bind the application together. Applicants are advised that the copies of the application submitted, not the original, will be reproduced by the Federal Government for review.

Tips for Preparing a Competitive Application. It is essential that applicants read the entire announcement package carefully before preparing an application and include all of the required application forms and attachments. The application must reflect a thorough understanding of and support the purpose and objectives of the applicable legislation.  Reviewers expect applicants to understand the goals of the legislation and the Children's Bureau's interest in each topic. A "responsive application" is one that addresses and follows all of the evaluation criteria in ways that demonstrate this understanding. Applications that are considered to be "unresponsive" or do not clearly address the evaluation criteria or program requirements generally receive very low scores and are rarely funded.

CB's website (http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cb) provides a wide range of information and links to other relevant websites. Before preparing an application, applicants can learn more about CB's mission and programs by exploring the website.

Organizing the Application. Reviewers will use the specific evaluation criteria in Section V of this funding announcement to review and evaluate each application. The applicant should address each of these specific evaluation criteria in the project description. Applicants should organize their project description in this sequence: 1) Objectives and Need for Assistance; 2) Approach; 3) Evaluation; 4) Organizational Profiles; and 5) Budget and Budget Justification. The applicant must use the same headings as these criteria, so that reviewers can readily find information that directly addresses each of the specific review criteria.

Logic Model. A logic model is a tool that presents the conceptual framework for a proposed project and explains the linkages among program elements. While there are many versions of the logic model, they generally summarize the logical connections among the needs that are the focus of the project, project goals and objectives, the target population, project inputs (resources), the proposed activities/processes/outputs directed toward the target population, the expected short- and long-term outcomes the initiative is designed to achieve, and the evaluation plan for measuring the extent to which proposed processes and outcomes actually occur. Information on the development of logic models is available on the Internet at http://childwelfare.gov/preventing/developing/toolkit/.

Evaluation. Project evaluations are very important. If the applicant does not have the in-house capacity to conduct an objective, comprehensive evaluation of the project, then CB advises that the applicant contract with a third-party evaluator specializing in social science or evaluation, or a university or college, to conduct the evaluation.  In either case, it is important that the evaluator has the necessary independence from the project to assure objectivity. A skilled evaluator can help develop a logic model and assist in designing an evaluation strategy that is rigorous and appropriate given the goals and objectives of the proposed project. Additional assistance may be found in a document titled "Program Manager's Guide to Evaluation."  A copy of this document can be accessed at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/other_resrch/pm_guide_eval/reports/pmguide/pmguide_toc.html.

Protection of Human Subjects. Evaluation plans that include obtaining identifiable private information about clients may involve non-exempt human subjects research and require compliance with the HHS Protection of Human Subjects regulations (45 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 46). Applicants proposing such research are asked to describe: (a) the procedures for protecting the privacy of clients and ensuring the confidentiality of data collected about clients; and (b) the process for obtaining institutional review board (IRB) review of the proposed evaluation plans. While IRB approval is not required at the time of award, applicants proposing non-exempt human subjects research will be required, as a condition of award, to hold a Federal-wide Assurance (FWA) approved by the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) and to provide certification to ACF that an IRB designated under the FWA has reviewed and approved the research prior to enrolling any subjects in the proposed evaluation. Certifications of IRB approval may be submitted to ACF using the form at http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/assurance/OF310.rtf.

General information about the HHS Protection of Human Subjects regulations can be obtained at http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp. Applicants may also contact OHRP by email (ohrp@csophs.dhhs.gov) or by phone (240-453-6900).

D-U-N-S Requirement

Forms, Assurances, and Certifications

3. Submission Dates and Times:

Due Date for Applications: 05/29/2008

Explanation of Due Dates

Receipt acknowledgement for application packages will not be provided to applicants who submit their package via mail, courier services, or by hand delivery.   Applicants will receive an electronic acknowledgement for applications that are submitted via http://www.Grants.gov.

Checklist

You may use the checklist below as a guide when preparing your application package.

4. Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs:

5. Funding Restrictions:

6. Other Submission Requirements:

Submission by Mail

Hand Delivery

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-13)

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 40 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed and reviewing the collection information.

The project description is approved under OMB control number 0970-0139, which expires 4/30/2010.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

1. Criteria:

Part I   THE PROJECT DESCRIPTION OVERVIEW

PURPOSE

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

Part II   GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING A FULL PROJECT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION

EVALUATION CRITERIA:

OBJECTIVES AND NEED FOR ASSISTANCE - 20 points

In reviewing the objectives and need for assistance, reviewers will consider the extent to which:  

1. The application demonstrates an understanding of the goals and objectives of the relevant legislation and this program announcement.
   
   
2. The proposed project will contribute to achieving those legislative goals and objectives and the goals stated in this program announcement. 
   
   
3. The application presents a clear description of the proposed project, including a clear statement of the goals (i.e., the intended end products of an effective project) and objectives (i.e., measurable steps for reaching these goals) of the proposed project.
   
   
4. The application demonstrates a thorough understanding of the need for agencies to develop and implement comprehensive diligent recruitment programs for the target population specified in this program announcement as well as the need for these programs to be effectively linked to the permanency planning process and procedures as a means of improving permanency outcomes. 
   
   
5. The application demonstrates a thorough understanding of the need to assess the characteristics of the target population, including age, race, ethnicity, sibling status, and connection to the community; the service needs of this population and community; and the status of existing services for the target population.
   
   
6. The application demonstrates an understanding of the CFSP requirements related to diligent recruitment of foster and adoptive families.
   
7. The proposed project will support and coordinate with its State's CFSR PIP if relevant to areas being addressed in the PIP.
   

APPROACH - 35 points

In reviewing the approach, reviewers will consider the extent to which: 

1. The application provides a reasonable timeline for implementing the proposed project, including major milestones and target dates. The application describes the factors that could speed or hinder project implementation and explains how these factors would be managed.
   
   
2. A well-defined logic model guides the proposed project. The logic model demonstrates strong links between proposed inputs and activities and intended short-and long-term outcomes.
   
   
3. The application clearly defines the geographic and demographic characteristics of the agency's service population and the target population to be affected by the implementation of this cooperative agreement. The proposed target population meets the requirements described in this program announcement.
   
   
4. The proposed project will provide for the development and implementation of a comprehensive multi-faceted diligent recruitment plan that reflects the population of children in care.
   
   

   The recruitment plan is integrated with other agency programs, including the foster care case planning and permanency planning processes to facilitate active concurrent planning activities. 

5. The approach addresses each of the planning period and implementation period requirements listed in this program announcement. There is a detailed description of the activities the program proposes to implement during the planning period and during the implementation period.
   
   
6. The proposed project is likely to enhance child welfare agency capacity to provide a range of placement resources for children in care. The proposed project is likely to improve processes, practices, and permanency outcomes.
   
   
7. The proposed services would involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for maximizing the effectiveness of service delivery. If collaboration is proposed, there are letters of commitment or memoranda of understanding from organizations, agencies, and consultants that will be partners, subcontractors, or collaborators in the proposed project. These documents describe the role of the agency, organization, or consultant and detail specific tasks to be performed.
   
   
8. The project would be culturally responsive to the target population.
   
   
9. The design of the proposed project reflects up-to-date knowledge from the research and literature on known effective practices and builds on current theory, research, evaluation data and best practices. The project is innovative and would contribute to increased knowledge or understanding of the problems and issues addressed by this program announcement. The project is likely to yield findings or results about effective strategies and contribute to and promote evaluation research and evidence-based practices that may be used to guide replication or testing in other settings.
   
   
10. The proposed project would develop into a model site for other jurisdictions to look to in developing the ability to implement comprehensive, multi-faceted diligent recruitment plans as an ongoing part of agency functions. The project would develop products and provide information on strategies used and the outcomes achieved that would support evidence-based improvements of practices in the field. The schedule for developing these products is appropriate in scope and budget.
    
    
11. The intended audience (e.g., researchers, policymakers, practitioners) for product dissemination is appropriate to the goals of the proposed project. The project's products would be useful to the identified audiences; the plan for disseminating information is appropriate; and the mechanisms and forums that would be used to convey the information and support replication by other interested agencies are appropriate. The proposed dissemination plan is appropriate in scope and budget.
    
    
12. The proposed project would be integrated into the grantee's ongoing practices with the goal of continuous diligent recruitment of placement resources that reflect the characteristics of the children in care.
    
    

    There is a sound plan for continuing this project beyond the period of Federal funding under this program announcement.

EVALUATION - 20 points

In reviewing the evaluation plan, reviewers will consider the extent to which: 

1. The applicant proposes a clear and convincing plan for evaluating the project and satisfies the requirements for the evaluation published in this program announcement.
   
   

   The methods of evaluation are feasible, comprehensive, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and context of the project. 

   The evaluation plan is strongly guided by the project's logic model.

   The project's evaluation plan would rigorously measure achievement of project objectives, customer satisfaction, acquisition of competencies, effectiveness of program services and project strategies, the efficiency of the implementation processes, changes in recruitment and retention practices, and the impact of the project on the permanency outcomes for children and youth.

2. The evaluation plan outlines an appropriate sampling plan that ensures sample sizes sufficient to detect significant effects.
   
   

   The target sample represents the intended recipients of the services to the greatest extent possible given the project's structure and resources.

3. The evaluation plan includes an appropriate comparison group for determining the influence of the project activities on outcomes. If a comparison group is not proposed, the applicant provides a reasonable explanation for not using a comparison group and offers another, equally rigorous approach to evaluating the influence of the program on outcomes.
   
   

   This comparison group and the program/treatment group are assigned at random or matched on key characteristics. If not assigned at random or matched on key characteristics, the applicant provides a reasonable explanation of how it will identify and address any pre-existing differences between the comparison group and the program/treatment group.

4. The applicant proposes a sound plan for collecting high-quality data on the services provided, the costs of these services, the outcomes of these services, and their cost effectiveness.
   
   

   The methods of evaluation include the use of strong measures that are clearly related to the intended outcomes of the program as identified in the project logic model.

   The evaluation includes measures of outcomes, in addition to measures of inputs and outputs. The measures are objective and have strong reliability, validity, and internal consistency.

   There is a sound plan for securing informed consent and implementing an IRB review, if applicable.

5. The project's evaluation plan uses process, practice, and outcome performance indicators from the CFSR OSRI or similar indicators from their State's quality assurance system, as described in this program announcement.
   
   

   The proposed evaluation plan would be likely to yield data that can be compared to and contrasted with regional, State, and national level CFSR data.

   The proposed evaluation plan would measure the effects of the proposed implementation of the proposed project on safety, permanency, and well-being.

   In addition to measuring OSRI items, the proposed evaluation plan will also measure other outcomes of value to the child welfare field.

6. The applicant either demonstrates that they have the in-house capacity to conduct an objective and rigorous evaluation of the project or presents a sound plan for contracting with a third-party evaluator.
   
   

   The proposed evaluator has sufficient experience with research and/or evaluation, understands the population of interest, and demonstrates the necessary independence from the project to assure objectivity.

7. The application provides an appropriate, feasible, and realistic plan for using evaluation findings to produce ongoing documentation of project activities and results.
   
   

   The evaluation plan includes performance feedback and periodic assessment of program progress that can be used to modify the program, as necessary, and serve as a basis for program adjustments.

ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILES - 20 points

In reviewing the organizational profiles, reviewers will consider the extent to which: 

1. The applicant's organization and any partnering organizations collectively have relevant experience and expertise with administration, development, implementation, management, and evaluation of child welfare, foster care, or adoption programs.
   
   

   Each participating organization (including partners and/or subcontractors) possesses the organizational capability to fulfill its assigned roles and functions effectively.

2. The proposed project director and key project staff demonstrate sufficient relevant knowledge, experience, and capabilities (e.g., resume) to effectively institute and manage a project of this size, scope, and complexity.
   
   

   The role, responsibilities and time commitments of each proposed project staff position, including consultants, subcontractors and/or partners, is clearly defined (e.g., job description) and appropriate to the successful implementation of the proposed project.

3. There is a sound management plan for achieving the objectives of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks and ensuring quality.
   
   

   The plan clearly defines the role and responsibilities of the lead agency.

   The plan clearly describes the effective management and coordination of activities carried out by any partners, subcontractors, and consultants (if applicable).

4. There would be a mutually beneficial relationship between the proposed project and other work planned, anticipated, or underway with Federal assistance by the applicant.

BUDGET AND BUDGET JUSTIFICATION - 5 points

In reviewing the budget and budget justification, reviewers will consider the extent to which: 

1. The costs of the proposed project are reasonable, thoroughly justified, and appropriate in view of the activities to be conducted and expected results and benefits.

2. The applicant's fiscal controls and accounting procedures would ensure prudent use, proper and timely disbursement, and accurate accounting of funds received under this program announcement.

2. Review and Selection Process:

A panel of at least three reviewers (primarily experts from outside the Federal government) will use the evaluation criteria described in this announcement to evaluate each application. The reviewers will determine the strengths and weaknesses of each application, provide comments about the strengths and weaknesses, and give each application a numerical score.

The results of the competitive review are a primary factor in making funding decisions. In addition, Federal staff conducts administrative reviews of the applications and, in light of the results of the competitive review, will recommend applications for funding to the ACYF Commissioner. ACYF reserves the option of discussing applications with other funding sources when this is in the best interest of the Federal government. ACYF may also solicit and consider comments from ACF Regional Office staff in making funding decisions. ACYF may take into consideration the involvement (financial and/or programmatic) of the private sector, national, or State or community foundations; a favorable balance between Federal and non-Federal funds for the proposed project; or the potential for high benefit from low Federal investment. ACYF may elect not to fund any applicants having known management, fiscal, reporting, programmatic, or other problems that make it unlikely that they would be able to provide effective services or effectively complete the proposed activity.

With the results of the peer review and the information from Federal staff, the Commissioner of ACYF makes the final funding decisions. The Commissioner may give special consideration to applications proposing services of special interest to the Government and to achieve geographic distributions of grant awards. Applications of special interest may include, but are not limited to, applications focusing on underserved or inadequately served clients or service areas and programs addressing diverse ethnic populations.

In selecting applicants for award under this announcement, the ACYF Commissioner will give priority to applicants located in States that have developed and implemented procedures for expedited termination of parental rights and placement for adoption of infants determined to be abandoned under State law.

Since ACF will be using non-Federal reviewers in the process, applicants have the option of omitting from the application copies (not the original) specific salary rates or amounts for individuals specified in the application budget and Social Security Numbers, if otherwise required for individuals. The copies may include summary salary information.

3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates:

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. Award Notices:

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements:

3. Reporting Requirements:

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

Program Office Contact:

Heidi Staples
Children's Bureau
Portals Office Building, 8th Floor
Washington, DC 20024
Phone:  202-205-7243
Email: Heidi.Staples@acf.hhs.gov
TTY or TTD: ACYF/ Operations Center
Phone: 711

Grants Management Office Contact:

Lisa Dammar, Grants Officer
Division of Discretionary Grants
ACYF/ Operations Center
c/o Dixon Group, Inc. ATTN: Children's Bureau
118 Q St., NE.
Washington, DC 20002-2132
Phone:  866-796-1591
Phone 2:  or TTY 711
Email: ACFOGME-Grants@acf.hhs.gov

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

Additional information about this program and its purpose can be located on the following website: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/

For general information regarding this announcement please contact:

ACYF Operations Center
c/o The Dixon Group, Inc.
ATTN: Children's Bureau
118 Q St., NE.
Washington, D.C. 20002-2132
Phone: 866-796-1591 or TTY 711

Email: cb@dixongroup.com