ACF Grant Opportunities

Department of Health & Human Services Administration for Children and Families
Program Office:	Office of Planning Research & Evaluation
Funding Opportunity Title:	Secondary Analyses of Data on Child Care
Announcement Type:	Initial
Funding Opportunity Number:	HHS-2009-ACF-OPRE-YE-0080
CFDA Number:	93.575
Due Date For Letter of Intent:	05/01/2009
Due Date for Applications:	06/15/2009

Executive Summary:

Funds for Secondary Analyses of Data on Child Care grants are available for supporting secondary analyses of existing data to answer questions of relevance for policy decision-making on child care and child care subsidies in the United States, US Territories and Tribes. The anticipated total funding for these grants is $1,000,000.

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

Statutory Authority

The Secondary Analyses of Data on Child Care grant program is funded under the authority of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, as amended, and is authorized by the Appropriations for Payments to States for the Child Care and Development Block Grant made under Division G, Title II of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008, P.L. 110-161, and the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009, P.L. 110-329.

Description

A. Background

The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) has five primary goals: (1) to allow States flexibility to develop child care programs and policies that best suit the needs of children and parents within the State; (2) to promote parental choice to empower working parents to make their own decisions on the child care that best suits their family's needs; (3) to encourage States to provide consumer education information to help parents make informed choices about child care; (4) to provide child care to parents trying to achieve economic self-sufficiency; and (5) to assist States in implementing health, safety, licensing, and registration standards established in State regulations. Among the expected long-term outcomes of the CCDF are: (1) improved employment and self-sufficiency outcomes for parents; and (2) increased availability of high quality care for low-income working families.

Since 2000, Congress has appropriated about $10 million per year of CCDF discretionary funds to be used for child care research and evaluation. These funds have supported projects that add to our knowledge about the efficacy of child care subsidy policies and programs toward achieving the two targeted long-term outcomes of the CCDF. Examples of past projects include evaluation of parents' choice of child care based on information about quality of care; availability of care for infants and toddlers, children with special needs, and underrepresented populations; administrative barriers that may affect access to child care; effects of subsidy receipt on employment; effectiveness of professional development training models on quality, care-giving practices and child outcomes; and strategies that States and communities are implementing to improve their child care services and systems. For more information about these projects, please visit: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/project/childCareProjects.jsp.

Analyzing existing data sets provides researchers an efficient and cost-effective method for answering critical research questions. Grants for Secondary Analyses of Data on Child Care will provide funding to address key questions that will inform both policymakers and future research. Existing data, which may have been collected for other purposes, have the potential to answer questions relevant to the goals and outcomes of the programs administered through the CCDF. Data of various types and from a number of sources may be mined for these purposes. Some examples of national datasets that are candidates for secondary analyses include, but are not limited to, the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, National Longitudinal Study of Youth, and the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study. In addition, national-level or state-level administrative data (e.g., ACF-801 Monthly Child Care Data; TANF datasets) and primary research data are all candidates for secondary analyses. The datasets may be used in conjunction with other data or combined to best address the key research questions. Research partnerships that include the CCDF administrator may be particularly fruitful for gaining access to datasets and addressing important research questions. In order to move the field forward regarding these questions, it is essential to assess the evidence already contained in existing data.

The specific goals of the Secondary Analyses of Data on Child Care Grants are:

To address issues of current relevance to decision makers at the local, State, and national levels. Research and evaluation are critical to understanding child care issues and their implications for children and families. Topics of particular interest for the Secondary Analyses of Data on Child Care grants are: (1) measurement of quality; (2) subsidy policies and parental work outcomes; (3) subsidy policies and the child care workforce; (4) child, family, employment, and program / provider characteristics and choice of care; (5) child care characteristics and child and family outcomes; (6) transition to kindergarten; (7) implementation assessment (or process evaluation) of programs / initiatives; (8) effectiveness of state systems in monitoring and maintaining standards of care; (9) cost-benefit / cost-effectiveness analyses of child care initiatives; and (10) collaboration, coordination, and alignment of services among early care and education programs. Background information regarding each of the topics is provided below as a guide for the applicant. Specific research questions are to be developed by the applicant.

To encourage active communication, networking, and collaboration among prominent child care researchers and policymakers. To facilitate networking with policymakers and researchers, grantees are required to participate in annual meetings of the Child Care Policy Research Consortium and may be invited to attend the State and Territory Child Care Administrators Meetings. Grantees are also required to participate in a meeting of all Secondary Analyses of Data on Child Care grantees. During this meeting, grantees will present brief overviews of their studies (e.g., study design, participants, measures, challenges and successes during implementation, and/or findings, as they become available). The goal of the meeting is to stimulate potentially useful and constructive feedback from other Secondary Analyses of Data on Child Care grantees, as well as to facilitate collaboration and networking activities.

To increase the capacity of child care researchers to analyze existing data. To increase this capacity over time, each grantee is required to produce a paper and/or brief regarding methodological issues encountered while conducting their analyses. Topics could include a priori issues such as accessing data, choosing datasets, or challenges specific to types of analyses conducted.

To increase the dissemination capacity for child care research at the national, State, and local levels. The studies funded through this announcement, including the implications of results for decision makers at the local, State, and national levels, will be made widely accessible. Studies must be prepared and archived according to the specifications supplied by Research Connections.

Applicants must address at least one of the following research topics:

1. Measurement of quality

Recent research has revealed that the links between global measures of child care quality and child outcomes are modest at best. Stronger predictions are obtained when domain-specific features of quality are examined in relation to domain-specific outcomes. Indeed, if the ultimate purpose of quality improvement efforts is to promote children's positive development, then it is essential to identify the specific practices and environmental supports that are linked with specific aspects of child development. Within each domain, it is necessary to identify reliable and valid measures of both child care quality and child outcomes. In terms of validity, measures must not only measure what they are purported to measure, but they must also be considered given their probable purposes (e.g., assessment, quality rating systems) and populations of interest (e.g., cultural validity, subgroups, special populations). To date, measurement efforts are more advanced in some domains, such as language and literacy, than in others, such as social and emotional development. To fill these gaps, secondary analyses of existing data may be conducted to examine the links between child care practices and characteristics and child outcomes, as well as to explore the validity of measures.

2. Subsidy policies and parental work outcomes

The Child Care and Development Fund assists States in providing child care to parents who are trying to achieve independence from public assistance, with the long-term goal of decreasing the number of families for which child care is a barrier to work. Thus, policymakers are in need of information regarding the relationships among child care policies and programs, market forces, workplace factors, community supports, and outcomes for parents (e.g., employment, earnings, career progression). Yet, little research to date has focused on parental work outcomes. Secondary analyses of existing data may be conducted to examine the links between child care subsidy policies and practices and parental work outcomes, as well as other factors.

3. Subsidy policies and the child care workforce

Subsidy policies have the potential to impact not only families with child care needs but the child care workforce, as well. Providers may choose to engage in professional development, seek licensing and accreditation, or register with a local government in order to participate in the subsidy system. On the other hand, overly burdensome policies may discourage engagement in the system by some providers. Subsidy policies may also affect child care providers by increasing or decreasing the number of families able to partake of their services. Such fluctuations can impact child care supply as well as provider income. Secondary analyses of existing data may be conducted to examine associations between subsidy policies and factors related to the child care workforce.

4. Child, family, employment, and program / provider characteristics and choice of care

A strong emphasis of the Child Care and Development Fund is to promote parental choice to empower working parents to obtain child care that best suits their family's needs. The data show that the child care decision made by families is actually a series of decisions taking into consideration such factors as parental preference, accessibility of care, the needs of the child, and employment concerns. Researchers and policymakers could benefit from further understanding of those factors and characteristics that are most salient in the decision-making process. Whereas some characteristics are beyond the influence of policy such as family race/ethnicity, family structure, and certain neighborhood characteristics, others factors such as availability of care and programmatic features have the potential to be affected by policy. Thus, it is important that researchers not only identify critical factors impacting parental choice but also how those factors impact one another. Existing data may be analyzed to explore the relations among program characteristics and parent choice, as well as the relations among child and family characteristics and parent choice.

5. Child care characteristics and child and family outcomes

The CCDF program seeks to assist families in obtaining child care that serves both the child and the family. School readiness, good health, and safety are some of the desired outcomes at the child level. Research suggests that child care that provides developmentally appropriate activities and responsive caregiving in a safe environment can result in these and other positive child outcomes. Similarly, parents benefit from stable care arrangements in environments they believe to be safe and nurturing for their child. There is evidence that such arrangements can result in positive employment outcomes (e.g., job stability, increase wages) and well-being outcomes (e.g., lower stress levels, increased efficacy) for parents. Secondary analyses of existing data may be conducted to explore characteristics of care such as curricula, location, provider qualifications, and provider motivation and their links to child and family outcomes.

6. Transition to kindergarten

For children of low-income families, a primary benefit of early childhood education is preparation for entry into formal schooling. Whereas many studies have explored the relationship between child care characteristics and various school readiness indicators, fewer have examined the actual process of the transition to kindergarten and its relationship to prior child care. Policymakers, practitioners, and parents would all benefit from a deeper understanding of the ways in which various features of programs, policies, and practices promote or deter successful transitions to kindergarten. Likewise, data regarding the role of schools and teachers in promoting successful kindergarten transitions would be useful to those preparing children and families for that transition. Existing data may be analyzed to explore child care factors important to a successful transition to kindergarten, especially for children of low-income families.

7. Implementation assessment (or process evaluation) of programs / initiatives

In many cases, impact studies include an implementation component. Analyses are often descriptive, and the results are used to provide context for the impact findings. Yet, it is important to determine the effectiveness of various models, methods, and strategies for implementing a program or initiative, just as it is important to measure the impact of the program or initiative. For example, the effectiveness of a professional development or quality improvement initiative may vary depending on the recruitment strategies employed. Likewise, the efficiency of a monitoring system may vary depending on the method employed, such as document review or observations. Secondary analyses of existing data may be conducted for implementation assessments that go beyond descriptive analyses to test various models, methods, or strategies.

8. Effectiveness of state systems for monitoring and maintaining standards of care

States and localities implement varying standards for licensing and/or regulation of child care settings and providers. Many also implement quality rating and improvement systems, which may incorporate licensing and regulation standards, accreditation standards (e.g., National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Association for Family Child Care, National AfterSchool Association), direct observations of child care settings, and other indicators of quality. Further, the requirements for participation in such systems across types of child care programs also vary at the state and local level. The high degree of variation may be due to the dearth of evidence as to the effectiveness of the various systems in promoting and maintaining high-quality care. The majority of studies in this area report descriptive statistics such as number of licensed/accredited/regulated caregivers according to the type of care provided, use of subsidies within this population, or turnover among these caregivers. However, as policymakers make decisions as to the appropriation of limited resources, they would benefit from data informing them to the effectiveness of various systems (e.g., licensing, accreditation) in monitoring and maintaining standards of care. Existing data may be analyzed to address questions such as the over-time relations among various standards, monitoring practices, and quality of care and the effect of specific policies on professional development.

9. Cost-benefit / cost-effectiveness analyses of child care initiatives: quality improvement, consumer education, professional development, workforce retention

Policymakers are in need of not only information regarding the effectiveness of programs and initiatives but also information regarding their cost-effectiveness. Policymakers and program administrators must make decisions regarding how to promote and support early childhood education and care in the face of limited resources. Evidence regarding the cost effectiveness of various programs and initiatives that goes beyond descriptive administrative and accounting information would benefit decision-makers as they struggle to efficiently and productively allocate costs. These analyses are rarely conducted, however, partly due to the inaccessibility and complexity of cost data. It may be fruitful to conduct analyses on existing datasets to examine questions regarding cost. Secondary analyses of existing data may be conducted to examine cost-benefit or cost-effectiveness. Examples include examining the increase in provider participation in a particular professional development initiative, the resources necessary to affect change in quality care, or a study exploring public awareness of a particular campaign as it relates to advertising and dissemination costs.

10. Collaboration, coordination, and alignment of services among early care and education programs (e.g., child care, Head Start, pre-kindergarten)

The "Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007" (Pub.L. 110-134) placed a strong emphasis on collaboration within States among Head Start agencies, agencies responsible for administering CCDF subsidy programs, child care resource and referral agencies, and state-funded pre-kindergarten programs to promote full working-day and full calendar year care, alignment and continuity of curricula and standards across programs, and linkages with comprehensive services. Secondary analyses of existing data may be conducted to explore a wide variety of topics related to collaboration, coordination, and alignment of services among early care and education programs. For example, analyses may be conducted to examine factors that promote or hinder collaboration among providers or aspects of collaboration and/or coordination that promote child and family well-being.

Successful applicants for the Secondary Analysis of Data on Child Care grants will address at least one of the above topics. Applicants for Secondary Analyses of Data on Child Care grants will be most likely to succeed if they clearly link the selected research question to CCDF program goals and long-term outcomes, as well as to a broad child care policy research audience, and utilize the most rigorous research methodology for the selected research question. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) will strive to achieve a broad grant program through the awarding of diverse grants representing the multiple topic areas.

ACF is particularly interested in applications that address Tribal child care. In addition, ACF encourages applicants to consider how the research topic relates to understanding the child care needs of diverse families and/or improving child care programs and policies for various subpopulations, including:

families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits, families who have transitioned off the TANF program, low-income working families at risk of needing TANF benefits
language, ethnic, and racial minority families and children, including English language learners and American Indian / Alaska Native families and children
immigrant families and children, including refugees and victims of trafficking
families with children with special needs
families with infants, toddlers and school-age children

B. Definitions

CCDF: Child Care and Development Fund

Budget Period: The period of time for which funds are made available to a particular grantee. There will be only one budget period for the entire project period, which may be up to 17 months in length.

Project Period: The total length of the proposed project, which is up to 17 months. For a 17-month proposed project, the project period would start September 30, 2009, and end February 27, 2011.

C. Project Requirements

Meeting Attendance. The project director or principal investigator must attend and present a poster at two Annual Meetings of the Child Care Policy Research Consortium during the grant period. The meeting is typically held in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and lasts approximately two days. The project director or principal investigator must also attend a meeting of all current Secondary Analyses of Data on Child Care grantees. This meeting will be held in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and will last approximately one-and-a-half days. The budget should reflect travel funds for both annual meetings and the grantee meeting.

Archiving and Publishing. The grantee must agree to archive reports and other research products with Research Connections. For more information on Research Connections, please visit http://childcareresearch.org. The grantee must also agree to produce a paper on findings and a paper and/or brief regarding methodological issues related to secondary analyses of child care data.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

Funding Instrument Type:

Grant

Estimated Total Program Funding:	$1,000,000
Expected Number of Awards:	10
Ceiling on Amount of Individual Awards:	$120,000 per project period
Floor on Amount of Individual Awards:	None
Average Projected Award Amount:	$100,000 per project period
Length of Project Periods:	17-month project and budget period

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

Additional Information on Awards:

Applicants may apply for project periods up to 17 months. Continuation awards will not be offered. Applicants should provide a budget for the entire project period.

Please see Section IV.5 for any restrictions on the use of funds for awards made under this announcement.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants include:

State governments
County governments
City or township governments
Special district governments
Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Private institutions of higher education
For profit organizations other than small businesses
Small businesses

Foreign entities are not eligible under this announcement.

Faith-based and community organizations are eligible to apply under this announcement.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching: None

3. Other:

Disqualification Factors

Applications with requests that exceed the ceiling on the amount of individual awards referenced in Section II. Award Information will be deemed non-responsive and will not be considered for funding under this announcement.

Any application that fails to satisfy the deadline requirements referenced in Section IV.3., Submission Dates and Times, will be deemed non-responsive and will not be considered for funding under this announcement.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Address to Request Application Package:

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation
c/o Educational Services, Inc.
4350 East West Highway
11th Floor, Suite 1100
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: 866-429-0520
Fax: 240-744-7005
Email: Secondaryreviews@esi-dc.com

For hearing or speech impaired callers, contact the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 (TTY (Text Telephone) / ASCII (American Standard Code For Information Interchange)).

2. Content and Form of Application Submission:

This section provides information on the required form and content of application submissions. Applicants are required to submit one original and two copies of all application materials if applying in hard-copy. The original signature of the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) is required only on the original. Information on the required format, Standard Forms (SFs) and other forms, D-U-N-S Requirement, Project Description, Certifications, Assurances, Electronic Submission of applications, and Hard Copy submission of applications is available in this section. A Checklist of required application elements is available for applicants' use in Section VIII of this announcement.

Applicants must limit their application package to 100 pages, double-spaced, with standard one-inch margins and 12-point fonts (such as Times New Roman or Courier). This page limit applies to both narrative text and supporting materials but not to the Standard Forms (SF) (see list below). Applicants must number the pages of their application beginning with the Table of Contents. Pages in excess of the page limitation will be removed and not reviewed.

Applicants must include all required forms and materials, organize these materials according to the format for their application package, and in the order presented below:

Cover Letter. Applicants should include a Cover Letter using official letterhead of the institution or university, and including the Funding Opportunity Number, the title of the application, and contact information.
Contact Information Sheet. The contact information sheet should include addresses, phone and fax numbers, and email addresses for the Principal Investigator or Project Director and the organization's authorized fiscal representative.
Required Standard Federal Forms and Certifications (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/grants_resources.html) signed by the applicant's authorizing official to acknowledge responsibility for the obligations imposed by the terms and conditions of the grant award. Required Standard Federal Forms and Certifications include the following: Standard Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424); Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A); Assurance Regarding Non-construction Programs (SF-424B); Disclosures of Lobbying Activities (if necessary) (SF-LLL); Certifications regarding lobbying, requires signature; Assurance: Protection of Human Subjects, requires form and signature.
Table of Contents
Project Abstract (one page maximum)
Project Description. The project description should be carefully developed in accordance with the research goals as described in the Purpose and Background sections of this announcement, and the structural requirements listed in Section V. Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the detailed Evaluation Criteria found in Section V to organize the project summary/abstract and full project description.
Budget and Budget Justification. Include a budget and budget justification in the application reflecting the entire project period. This budget should match the appropriate budget categories reflected in 424-A, Section B. The budget must include funds for the project director or principal investigator to participate in two annual meetings of the Child Care Policy Research Consortium (CCPRC) and one grantee meeting in Washington, DC.
Third Party Agreements (if necessary)
Appendices -- Curriculum Vita for Principal Investigator(s); Proof of Non-Profit Status (if applicable)

For electronic submissions via Grants.gov, application sections 1 through 8 are considered part of the mandatory project narrative section.

Non-Federal Reviewers

Since ACF will be using non-Federal reviewers in the review 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 as well as Social Security Numbers, if otherwise required for individuals. The copies may include summary salary information.

If applicants are submitting their application electronically, ACF will omit the same specific salary rate information from copies made for use during the review and selection process.

Forms

Applicants seeking financial assistance under this announcement must file the appropriate Standard Forms (SFs) as described in this section. All applicants must submit an SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance. For non-construction programs, applicants must also submit an SF-424A, Budget Information and an SF-424B, Assurances. For construction programs, applicants must also submit SF-424C, Budget Information and SF-424D, Assurances. All required Standard Forms are available at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/grants_resources.html.

Non-profit private organizations (not including private universities) are encouraged to submit the "Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants" with their applications. Applicants using a hard copy application, place the completed survey in an envelope labeled "Applicant Survey." Seal the envelope and include it along with your application package. Applicants applying electronically, please submit this survey along with your application. The Survey may be found at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/grants_resources.html.

D-U-N-S Requirement

All applicants must have a D&B Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S) number. A D-U-N-S number is required whether an applicant is submitting a paper application or using the government-wide electronic portal, Grants.gov. A D-U-N-S number is required for every application for a new award or renewal/continuation of an award, including applications or plans under formula, entitlement, and block grant programs. A D-U-N-S number may be acquired at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free D-U-N-S number request line at 1-866-705-5711 or you may request a number online at http://www.dnb.com.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Part I THE PROJECT DESCRIPTION OVERVIEW

PURPOSE

The project description provides the majority of information by which an application is evaluated and ranked in competition with other applications for available assistance. The project description should be concise and complete. It should address the activity for which Federal funds are being requested. Supporting documents should be included where they can present information clearly and succinctly. In preparing the project description, information that is responsive to each of the requested evaluation criteria must be provided. Awarding offices use this and other information in making their funding recommendations. It is important, therefore, that this information be included in the application in a manner that is clear and complete.

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

ACF is particularly interested in specific project descriptions that focus on outcomes and convey strategies for achieving intended performance. Project descriptions are evaluated on the basis of substance and measurable outcomes, not length. Extensive exhibits are not required. Cross-referencing should be used rather than repetition. Supporting information concerning activities that will not be directly funded by the grant or information that does not directly pertain to an integral part of the grant-funded activity should be placed in an appendix.

Part II GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING A FULL PROJECT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION

Applicants that are required to submit a full project description shall prepare the project description statement in accordance with the following instructions while being aware of the specified evaluation criteria. The text options give a broad overview of what the project description should include while the evaluation criteria identify the measures that will be used to evaluate applications.

LETTER OF INTENT

Applicants are strongly encouraged to notify ACF of their intention to submit an application under this announcement. Please submit the letter of intent by the deadline date listed in Section IV.3 Submission Dates and Times.

The letter of intent should include the following information: number and title of this announcement; the name and address of the applicant organization; and/or Fiscal Agent (if known); and the name, phone number, fax number and email address of a contact person.

Letter of intent information will be used to determine the number of expert reviewers needed to evaluate applications. The letter of intent is optional. Failure to submit a letter of intent will not impact eligibility to submit an application and will not disqualify an application from competitive review.

Letters of intent may be sent to OPRE Child Care Research Grant Review Team at Secondaryreviews@esi-dc.com.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

List the contents of the application including corresponding page numbers.

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT

Provide a summary of the project description (one page or less) with reference to the funding request.

RESULTS OR BENEFITS EXPECTED

Identify the results and benefits to be derived.

For example, explain how your proposed project will achieve the specific goals and objectives you have identified related to the research question of interest. How will the expected results help particular populations? How will the results inform future program and policy decisions? How will results inform the CCDF program goal of improving child care subsidies as a work support for low-income families? How will results inform the CCDF program goal of improving the quality of child care for low-income working families?

APPROACH

Outline a plan of action that describes the scope and detail of how the proposed work will be accomplished. Account for all functions or activities identified in the application. Cite factors that might accelerate or decelerate the work and state your reason for taking the proposed approach rather than others. Describe any unusual features of the project such as design or technological innovations, reductions in cost or time, or extraordinary social and community involvement.

Applicants must provide technical details on the proposed research design including: 1) conceptual framework; 2) research questions, hypotheses, variables; 3) data sources; 4) linkages with other research; 5) data processing and statistical analyses; and 6) product development and information dissemination.

Provide quantitative monthly or quarterly projections of the accomplishments to be achieved for each function or activity in such terms as the number of people to be served and the number of activities accomplished.

When accomplishments cannot be quantified by activity or function, list them in chronological order to show the schedule of accomplishments and their target dates.

If any data is to be collected, maintained, and/or disseminated, clearance may be required from OMB. This clearance pertains to any "collection of information that is conducted or sponsored by ACF."

Provide a list of organizations, cooperating entities, consultants, or other key individuals who will work on the project along with a short description of the nature of their effort or contribution.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The following are requests for additional information that must be included in the application:

ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION

Applicants must provide the following as certification of their eligibility under this program announcement. Please provide:

Proof of Non-Profit Status

Non-profit organizations applying for funding are required to submit proof of their non-profit status. Proof of non-profit status is any one of the following:

A reference to the applicant organization's listing in the IRS's most recent list of tax-exempt organizations described in the IRS Code.
A copy of a currently valid IRS tax-exemption certificate.
A statement from a State taxing body, State attorney general, or other appropriate State official certifying that the applicant organization has non-profit status and that none of the net earnings accrue to any private shareholders or individuals.
A certified copy of the organization's certificate of incorporation or similar document that clearly establishes non-profit status.
Any of the items in the subparagraphs immediately above for a State or national parent organization and a statement signed by the parent organization that the applicant organization is a local non-profit affiliate.

When applying electronically, proof of non-profit status may be submitted as an attachment; however, proof of non-profit status must be submitted prior to award.

STAFF AND POSITION DATA

Provide a biographical sketch and job description for each key person appointed. Job descriptions for each vacant key position should be included as well. As new key staff is appointed, biographical sketches will also be required.

ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILES

Provide information on the applicant organization(s) and cooperating partners, such as: organizational charts; financial statements; audit reports or statements from Certified Public Accountants/Licensed Public Accountants; Employer Identification Number(s); contact persons and telephone numbers; names of bond carriers; child care licenses and other documentation of professional accreditation; information on compliance with Federal/State/local government standards; documentation of experience in the program area; and, other pertinent information.

DISSEMINATION PLAN

Provide a plan for distributing reports and other project outputs to colleagues and to the public. Applicants must provide a description of the method, volume, and timing of distribution.

THIRD-PARTY AGREEMENTS

Provide written and signed agreements between grantees and subgrantees, or subcontractors, or other cooperating entities. These agreements must detail the scope of work to be performed, work schedules, remuneration, and other terms and conditions that structure or define the relationship.

BUDGET AND BUDGET JUSTIFICATION

Provide a budget with line-item detail and detailed calculations for each budget object class identified on the Budget Information Form (SF-424A or SF-424C). Detailed calculations must include estimation methods, quantities, unit costs, and other similar quantitative detail sufficient for the calculation to be duplicated. If matching is a requirement, include a breakout by the funding sources identified in Block 15 of the SF-424.

Provide a narrative budget justification that describes how the categorical costs are derived. Discuss the necessity, reasonableness, and allocation of the proposed costs.

GENERAL

Use the following guidelines for preparing the budget and budget justification. Both Federal and non-Federal resources (when required) shall be detailed and justified in the budget and budget narrative justification. "Federal resources" refers only to the ACF grant funds for which you are applying. "Non-Federal resources" are all other non-ACF Federal and non-Federal resources. It is suggested that budget amounts and computations be presented in a columnar format: first column, object class categories; second column, Federal budget; next column(s), non-Federal budget(s); and last column, total budget. The budget justification should be in a narrative form.

PERSONNEL

Description: Costs of employee salaries and wages.

Justification: Identify the project director or principal investigator, if known at the time of application. For each staff person, provide: the title; time commitment to the project in months; time commitment to the project as a percentage or full-time equivalent; annual salary; grant salary; wage rates; etc. Do not include the costs of consultants, personnel costs of delegate agencies, or of specific project(s) and/or businesses to be financed by the applicant.

FRINGE BENEFITS

Description: Costs of employee fringe benefits unless treated as part of an approved indirect cost rate.

Justification: Provide a breakdown of the amounts and percentages that comprise fringe benefit costs such as health insurance, FICA, retirement insurance, taxes, etc.

TRAVEL

Description: Costs of project-related travel by employees of the applicant organization. (This item does not include costs of consultant travel).

Justification: For each trip show: the total number of traveler(s); travel destination; duration of trip; per diem; mileage allowances, if privately owned vehicles will be used; and other transportation costs and subsistence allowances. If appropriate for this project, travel costs for key staff to attend ACF-sponsored workshops should be detailed in the budget.

EQUIPMENT

Description: "Equipment" means an article of nonexpendable, tangible personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost that equals or exceeds the lesser of: (a) the capitalization level established by the organization for the financial statement purposes, or (b) $5,000. (Note: Acquisition cost means the net invoice unit price of an item of equipment, including the cost of any modifications, attachments, accessories, or auxiliary apparatus necessary to make it usable for the purpose for which it is acquired. Ancillary charges, such as taxes, duty, protective in-transit insurance, freight, and installation, shall be included in or excluded from acquisition cost in accordance with the organization's regular written accounting practices.)

Justification: For each type of equipment requested provide: a description of the equipment; the cost per unit; the number of units; the total cost; and a plan for use on the project; as well as use and/or disposal of the equipment after the project ends. An applicant organization that uses its own definition for equipment should provide a copy of its policy, or section of its policy, that includes the equipment definition.

SUPPLIES

Description: Costs of all tangible personal property other than that included under the Equipment category.

Justification: Specify general categories of supplies and their costs. Show computations and provide other information that supports the amount requested.

CONTRACTUAL

Description: Costs of all contracts for services and goods except for those that belong under other categories such as equipment, supplies, construction, etc. Include third-party evaluation contracts, if applicable, and contracts with secondary recipient organizations, including delegate agencies and specific project(s) and/or businesses to be financed by the applicant.

Justification: Demonstrate that all procurement transactions will be conducted in a manner to provide, to the maximum extent practical, open and free competition. Recipients and subrecipients, other than States that are required to use 45 CFR Part 92 procedures, must justify any anticipated procurement action that is expected to be awarded without competition and exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold fixed at 41 USC 403(11), currently set at $100,000.

Recipients might be required to make available to ACF pre-award review and procurement documents, such as requests for proposals or invitations for bids, independent cost estimates, etc.

Note: Whenever the applicant intends to delegate part of the project to another agency, the applicant must provide a detailed budget and budget narrative for each delegate agency, by agency title, along with the required supporting information referred to in these instructions.

OTHER

Enter the total of all other costs. Such costs, where applicable and appropriate, may include but are not limited to: insurance; food; medical and dental costs (noncontractual); professional services costs; space and equipment rentals; printing and publication; computer use; training costs, such as tuition and stipends; staff development costs; and administrative costs.

Justification: Provide computations, a narrative description and a justification for each cost under this category.

INDIRECT CHARGES

Description: Total amount of indirect costs. This category should be used only when the applicant currently has an indirect cost rate approved by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or another cognizant Federal agency.

Justification: An applicant that will charge indirect costs to the grant must enclose a copy of the current rate agreement. If the applicant organization is in the process of initially developing or renegotiating a rate, upon notification that an award will be made, it should immediately develop a tentative indirect cost rate proposal based on its most recently completed fiscal year, in accordance with the cognizant agency's guidelines for establishing indirect cost rates, and submit it to the cognizant agency. Applicants awaiting approval of their indirect cost proposals may also request indirect costs. When an indirect cost rate is requested, those costs included in the indirect cost pool should not be charged as direct costs to the grant. Also, if the applicant is requesting a rate that is less than what is allowed under the program, the authorized representative of the applicant organization must submit a signed acknowledgement that the applicant is accepting a lower rate than allowed.

(As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, P.L. 104-13, the public reporting burden for the Project Description 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 information collection 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.)

Certifications

Applicants must furnish, prior to award, an executed copy of the Certification Regarding Lobbying. Applicants must sign and return the certification with their application. If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan, the applicant shall complete and submit Standard Form (SF)-LLL, "Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying," in accordance with its instructions. The Certification Regarding Lobbying may be found at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/grants_resources.html.

When required for programs that involve human subjects, the Protection of Human Subjects Assurance Identification/IRB Certification/Declaration of Exemption form must be submitted. All forms may be reproduced for use in submitting applications. Applicants must sign and return the appropriate standard forms with their application. The Protection of Human Subjects Assurance Identification/IRB Certification/Declaration of Exemption (Common Rule) form may be found at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/grants_resources.html.

Assurances

By signing and submitting the application, applicants are making the appropriate certification of their compliance with all Federal statutes relating to nondiscrimination.

The Pro-Children Act of 1994, 20 U.S.C. 7183, imposes restrictions on smoking in facilities where federally funded children's services are provided. HHS grants are subject to these requirements only if they meet the Act's specified coverage. The Act specifies that smoking is prohibited in any indoor facility (owned, leased, or contracted for) used for the routine or regular provision of kindergarten, elementary, or secondary education or library services to children under the age of 18. In addition, smoking is prohibited in any indoor facility or portion of a facility (owned, leased, or contracted for) used for the routine or regular provision of federally funded health care, day care, or early childhood development, including Head Start services to children under the age of 18. The statutory prohibition also applies if such facilities are constructed, operated, or maintained with Federal funds. The statute does not apply to children's services provided in private residences, facilities funded solely by Medicare or Medicaid funds, portions of facilities used for inpatient drug or alcohol treatment, or facilities where WIC coupons are redeemed. Failure to comply with the provisions of the law may result in the imposition of a civil monetary penalty of up to $1,000 per violation and/or the imposition of an administrative compliance order on the responsible entity. Additional information may be found in the HHS Grants Policy Statement at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/grants_related.html.

Electronic Submission

Applicants to ACF may submit their applications in either electronic or paper (hard copy) format. To submit an application electronically, applicants must use the http://www.Grants.gov site. ACF will not accept applications via facsimile or email.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Before submitting an application electronically, applicants must complete the organization registration process as well as obtain and register "electronic signature credentials" for the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). Applicants also must be registered in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). CCR registration must be updated annually. Applicants will not be able to upload an application to Grants.gov without current CCR registration and electronic signature credentials for the AOR. This process may take more than five business days, so it is important to start this process early, well in advance of the application deadline.

Be sure to complete all Grants.gov registration processes listed on the Organization Registration Checklist at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/registration_checklist.html.

Applicants will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it off-line, and then upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov site.

If planning to submit an application electronically via http://www.Grants.gov:

It is strongly recommended that applicants do not wait until the application due date to begin the application process through Grants.gov. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications well before the closing date and time so that, if difficulties are encountered, there will still be sufficient time to submit a hard copy via express mail.

In order to address any difficulties that may be encountered during the submission process, it may be to an applicant's advantage to submit their applications 24 hours ahead of the closing date and time.

Applicants are encouraged to check the Grants.gov webpage for announcements concerning system issues and updates that may affect the submission of applications.

Checklists and registration brochures are maintained at the Grants.gov website to assist applicants in the registration process and may be found at: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp

If any difficulties are encountered in using Grants.gov, contact the Grants.gov Contact Center at: 1-800-518-4726, or by email at support@grants.gov, to report the problem and obtain assistance. Remember to retain your service ticket number for reference whenever you have any interaction with the Grants.gov Contact Center.

Electronic submission is voluntary, but strongly encouraged. Applicants will not receive additional point value for submitting an application in electronic format, nor will ACF penalize any applicant that submits an application in hard copy.

Applicants may access the electronic application and downloadable application package for this program announcement by using the FIND function at http://www.Grants.gov.

Applicants may submit all required documents electronically, including all information typically included on the SF-424s, narratives, charts, etc.

Electronic formats for the application attachments, such as narratives, charts, etc., should use standard software formats, e.g., Microsoft (Word and Excel), Word Perfect, Adobe PDF, JPEG, and GIF, etc..

Though applying electronically, the application must still comply with any page limitation requirements described in this program announcement.

When submitting an application via Grants.gov, applicants must comply with all due dates AND times referenced in Section IV.3. Submission Dates and Times of this program announcement.

Applicants that must demonstrate proof of non-profit status may submit proof at the time of application by attaching the documentation to the electronic application, if they wish to do so. Proof of non-profit status, and any other required documentation, may be scanned and attached as an "Other Attachment." Assurances, certifications, and/or proof of non-profit status that are not submitted electronically at the time of application, are required to be submitted to ACF by the time of award and in hard copy. Acceptable types of proof of non-profit status are stated earlier in this section of the program announcement under "Eligibility Certification."

It is strongly recommended that the applicant retain a printed hard copy of the application in case a hard copy must be submitted to ACF.

After the application is submitted electronically, the applicant will receive two emails from Grants.gov:

An automatic acknowledgement of the application's submission that will provide a Grants.gov tracking number.
An acknowledgement that the submitted application package has passed or failed a series of checks and validations.

ACF will retrieve the electronically submitted application from Grants.gov. Applicants will receive an email notification from ACF acknowledging that ACF has received the application.

ACF may request that the applicant provide original signatures on forms at a later date.

The Grants.gov website complies with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Grants.gov webpages are designed to work with assistive technologies such as screen readers. If an applicant uses assistive technology and is unable to access any material on the site, contact the Grants.gov Contact Center at support@grants.gov for assistance.

Hard Copy Submission of Applications

Applicants that are submitting their application in paper format should submit one original and two copies of the complete application with all attachments, unless directed otherwise. The original and each of the two copies must include all required forms, certifications, assurances, and appendices, be signed by the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), and be unbound. The original copy of the application must have original signature(s). See Section IV.6 of this announcement for address information for application submissions.

Please refer to Section VIII for a checklist of application requirements, their location and due dates that applicants may use in developing and organizing application materials.

Please refer to Section IV.3 for details concerning acknowledgement of received applications.

3. Submission Dates and Times:

Due Date For Letter of Intent: 05/01/2009

Due Date for Applications: 06/15/2009

Explanation of Due Dates

The due date for receipt of applications is referenced above. Applications received after 4:30 p.m., eastern time, on the due date will be classified as late and will not be considered in the current competition.

Applicants are responsible for ensuring that applications are mailed or hand-delivered or submitted electronically well in advance of the application due date and time.

Mail

Applications that are submitted by mail must be received no later than 4:30 p.m., eastern time, on the due date referenced above at the address listed in Section IV.6.

Hand Delivery

Applications hand carried by applicants, applicant couriers, other representatives of the applicant, or by overnight/express mail couriers must be received on or before the due date referenced above, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., eastern time, at the address referenced in Section IV.6., between Monday and Friday (excluding Federal holidays).

Electronic Submission

Applications submitted electronically via Grants.gov must be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m., eastern time, on the due date referenced above.

ACF cannot accommodate transmission of applications by facsimile or email.

Late Applications

Applications that do not meet the requirements above are considered late applications. ACF shall notify each late applicant that its application will not be considered in the current competition.

ANY APPLICATION RECEIVED AFTER 4:30 P.M., EASTERN TIME, ON THE DUE DATE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR COMPETITION.

Extension of Deadlines

ACF may extend application deadlines when circumstances such as acts of God (floods, hurricanes, etc.) occur; when there are widespread disruptions of mail service; or in other rare cases. A determination to extend or waive deadline requirements rests with the Chief Grants Management Officer.

Acknowledgement of Received Application

ACF will not provide acknowledgement of receipt of hard copy application packages submitted via mail, courier services, or by hand delivery. Applicants who submit their application packages electronically via http://www.Grants.gov will receive two email acknowledgements from that website:

An automatic acknowledgement of the application's submission that will provide a Grants.gov tracking number.
An acknowledgement that the submitted application package has passed or failed a series of checks and validations.

4. Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs:

State Single Point of Contact (SPOC)

This program is covered under Executive Order (E.O.) 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs," and 45 CFR Part 100, "Intergovernmental Review of Department of Health and Human Services Programs and Activities". Under the Executive Order, States may design their own processes for reviewing and commenting on proposed Federal assistance under covered programs.

Applicants should go to the following URL for the official list of the jurisdictions that have elected to participate in E.O. 12372 http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc/.

Applicants from participating jurisdictions should contact their SPOC, as soon as possible, to alert them of their prospective applications and to receive instructions on their jurisdiction's procedures. Applicants must submit all required application materials to the SPOC and indicate the date of submission on the Standard Form (SF) 424 at item 19.

Under 45 CFR 100.8(a)(2), a SPOC has 60 days from the application due date to comment on proposed new awards.

SPOC comments may be submitted directly to ACF to: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Grants Management, Division of Discretionary Grants, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW., 6th Floor East, Washington, DC 20447.

Entities that meet the eligibility requirements of this announcement are still eligible to apply for a grant even if a State, Territory or Commonwealth, etc., does not have a SPOC or has chosen not to participate in the process. Applicants from non-participating jurisdictions need take no action with regard to E.O. 12372. Applications from Federally-recognized Indian Tribal governments are not subject to E.O. 12372.

5. Funding Restrictions:

Costs of organized fund raising, including financial campaigns, endowment drives, solicitation of gifts and bequests, and similar expenses incurred solely to raise capital or obtain contributions, are unallowable under this grant award.

Grant awards will not allow reimbursement of pre-award costs.

Construction is not an allowable activity or expenditure under this grant award.

Purchase of real property is not an allowable activity or expenditure under this grant award.

6. Other Submission Requirements:

Submit applications to one of the following addresses:

Submission by Mail

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation
c/o Educational Services, Inc.
4350 East West Highway
11th Floor, Suite 1100
Bethesda, MD 20814

Hand Delivery

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation
c/o Educational Services, Inc.
4350 East West Highway
11th Floor, Suite 1100
Bethesda, MD 20814

Electronic Submission

See Section IV.2 for application requirements and for guidance when submitting applications electronically via http://www.Grants.gov.

For all submissions, see Section IV.3 for information on due dates.

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. CRITERIA:

Competing applications for financial assistance will be reviewed and evaluated against the criteria described in this section. The corresponding score values indicate the relative importance that ACF places on each review criterion. Applicants should address these criteria in the process of developing their application, as they are the basis upon which their applications will be judged. Application components may be organized such that a reviewer will be able to follow a seamless and logical flow of information (i.e., from a broad overview of the project to more detailed information about how it will be conducted).

APPROACH - 40 points