Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Child Care Bureau; Early Learning Opportunities Act (ELOA) Discretionary Grants, 34775-34788 [05-11754]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
• Administration for Children and Families
• Children and Families Administration

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 114 (Wednesday, June 15, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34775-34788]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-11754]



[[Page 34775]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Child Care 
Bureau; Early Learning Opportunities Act (ELOA) Discretionary Grants

    Announcement Type: Initial.
    Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2005-ACF-ACYF-LO-0028.
    CFDA Number: 93.577.
    Due Date For Letter of Intent or Preapplications: Letters of Intent 
are due June 30, 2005.
    Due Date for Applications: Applications are due July 15, 2005.
    Executive Summary: The Administration for Children and Families, 
Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Child Care Bureau (CCB) 
announces the availability of funds and request for applications for 
its FY 2005 Early Learning Opportunities Act (ELOA) grants. Funds will 
be awarded to eligible Local Councils that have been designated as the 
Local Council for the purposes of applying for an ELOA grant, as 
evidenced in a letter of designation, signed by an entity of local 
government, an Indian Tribe, Regional Corporation, or Native Hawaiian 
entity.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Priority Area 1

Early Learning Opportunities Act (ELOA) Discretionary Grants
    1. Description: The Administration for Children and Families, 
Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Child Care Bureau (CCB) 
announces the availability of funds and request for applications for 
its FY 2005 Early Learning Opportunities Act (ELOA) grants. Grants will 
be awarded to Local Councils that have been designated as the Local 
Council for the purposes of applying for an ELOA grant, as evidenced in 
a letter of designation, signed by an entity of local government, an 
Indian Tribe, Regional Corporation, or Native Hawaiian entity.
    Local Councils, whose membership must represent a cross-section of 
early learning programs, and those affected by early learning programs, 
must develop a coordinated plan for addressing early learning and 
related needs identified through a local needs and resources 
assessment. The activities funded augment and coordinate with the 
services already in the community including child care, health, 
welfare, and early intervention. To ensure the effectiveness of 
activities supported with ELOA funds, Local Councils must establish 
outcome measures and evaluation methods for each proposed ELOA 
activity.
    Since ELOA funds are intended to support Local Councils in 
exploring new ways communities can come together for a common purpose 
with the intent of building self-sustaining partnerships, ELOA may not 
be used to replace Federal, State, or local funds. Applicants must 
demonstrate how the activities supported through ELOA will be sustained 
once the grant ends. Similarly, eligible prior year ELOA grantees that 
apply, must show how a new grant, if received, would build on and not 
simply continue the activities funded through an earlier ELOA grant.
    ELOA funds may only be used for young children from birth to the 
age of mandatory school attendance in the State where the child 
resides. Information on the mandatory school age in each State is 
available at https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d03/tables/dt151.asp.

A. The Child Care Bureau

    The Child Care Bureau (CCB) was established in 1995 to provide 
leadership to efforts to enhance the quality, affordability, and supply 
of child care. The CCB administers the Child Care and Development Fund 
(CCDF), a $4.8 billion child care program that includes funding for 
child care subsidies and activities to improve the quality and 
availability of child care. CCDF was created after amendments to 
Administration for Children and Families (ACF) child care programs by 
Title VI of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 
Reconciliation Act of 1996 consolidated four Federal child care funding 
streams including the Child Care and Development Block Grant, AFDC/JOBS 
Child Care, Transitional Child Care, and At-Risk Child Care. With 
related State and Federal funding, CCDF provides more than $11 billion 
a year to States, Territories, and Tribes to help low-income working 
families access child care services.
    The Bureau works closely with ACF Regional Offices, States, 
Territories, and Tribes to assist with, oversee, and document 
implementation of new policies and programs in support of State, local, 
and private sector administration of child care services and systems. 
In addition, the Bureau collaborates extensively with other offices 
throughout the Federal government to promote integrated, family-focused 
services, and coordinated child care delivery systems. In all of these 
activities, the Bureau seeks to enhance the quality, availability, and 
affordability of child care services, support children's healthy growth 
and development in safe child care environments, enhance parental 
choice and involvement in their children's care, and facilitate the 
linkage of child care with other community services.

B. The Early Learning Opportunities Act (Pub. L. 106-554, 20 U.S.C. 
9401, et seq.)

    The Early Learning Opportunities Act (ELOA) was passed by Congress 
to award grants to States* to enable them to increase, support, expand, 
and better coordinate early learning opportunities for children and 
their families through local community organizations. The purposes of 
the Act are:
     To increase the availability of voluntary programs, 
services, and activities that support early childhood development, 
increase parent effectiveness, and promote the learning readiness of 
young children so that they enter school ready to learn; To support 
parents, child care providers, and caregivers who want to incorporate 
early learning activities into the daily lives of young children;
     To remove barriers to the provision of an accessible 
system of early childhood learning programs in communities throughout 
the United States;
     To increase the availability and affordability of 
professional development activities and compensation for caregivers and 
child care providers; and
     To facilitate the development of community-based systems 
of collaborative service delivery models characterized by resource 
sharing, linkages between appropriate supports, and local planning for 
services.

*The Act provides that if the amount appropriated for this program 
in any fiscal year is less than $150 million, the Department of 
Health and Human Services (DHHS) shall award grants on a competitive 
basis directly to Local Councils. DHHS is administering the program 
under this special provision in Fiscal Year (FY) 2005.

C. Allowable Early Learning Activities and Preferred Action

    In general, Local Councils may use ELOA funds to pay for 
developing, operating, or enhancing voluntary early learning programs 
that are likely to produce sustained gains in early learning. The 
President has identified the enhancement of early childhood literacy as 
a priority for this administration. Therefore, for FY 2005

[[Page 34776]]

grants, the Child Care Bureau will only consider for funding those 
Local Councils that include in their applications activities for 
``Enhancing Early Childhood Literacy'' (see Item 1 below), AND two or 
more of the other allowable activities listed below (i.e., Items 2 
through 8):
    1. Enhancing early childhood literacy;
    2. Helping parents, caregivers, child care providers, and educators 
increase their capacity to facilitate the development of cognitive, 
language comprehension, expressive language, social-emotional, and 
motor skills and promote learning readiness in young children;
    3. Promoting effective parenting;
    4. Developing linkages among early learning programs within a 
community and between early learning programs and health care services 
for young children;
    5. Increasing access to early learning opportunities for young 
children with special needs including developmental delays, by 
facilitating coordination with other programs serving such young 
children;
    6. Increasing access to existing early learning programs by 
expanding the days or times that the young children are served, by 
expanding the number of young children served, or by improving the 
affordability of the programs for low-income families;
    7. Improving the quality of early learning programs through 
professional development and training activities, increased 
compensation, and recruitment and retention incentives for early 
learning providers;
    8. Removing ancillary barriers to early learning, including 
transportation difficulties and absence of programs during 
nontraditional work times.
    Construction and purchase of real property are not allowable 
activities or expenditures under this program

D. Definitions

    Administrative Costs--means costs related to the overall management 
of the program, which do not directly relate to the provision of 
program services. These costs can be in both the personnel and non-
personnel budget categories and include, but are not limited to: 
salaries of managerial and administrative staff, indirect costs, and 
other costs associated with administrative functions such as 
accounting, payroll services, or auditing.


    Note: Not more than three percent of the total Federal share 
received by the Local Council through this announcement shall be 
used to pay for the ``administrative costs'' of the Local Council, 
including administrative costs of any sub-grantees and third parties 
in carrying out activities funded under the grant.


    Budget Period--for the purposes of this announcement, budget period 
means the 17-month period of time for which ELOA funds are made 
available to a particular grantee (i.e., beginning on September 30, 
2005, and ending on February 28, 2007).
    Caregiver--means an individual, including a relative, neighbor, or 
family friend, who regularly or frequently provides care, with or 
without compensation, for a child for whom the individual is not the 
parent.
    Child Care Provider--means a provider of non-residential child care 
services (including center-based, family-based, and in-home child care 
services) for compensation who or that is legally operating under State 
law, and in compliance with applicable State and local requirements for 
the provision of child care services.
    Early Learning--when used with respect to a program or activity, 
means learning designed to facilitate the development of cognitive, 
language, motor and social-emotional skills for, and to promote 
learning readiness in, young children (see definition of Young Child 
below).
    Early Learning Program--means a program of services or activities 
that helps parents, caregivers, and child care providers to incorporate 
early learning into the daily lives of young children; or a program 
that directly provides early learning to young children.
    Indian Tribe--has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
450b).
    Local Council--means a Local Council established or designated by a 
local government, Indian Tribe, Regional Corporation, or Native 
Hawaiian entity to serve as applicant under this announcement serving 
one or more localities.
    Local Government--means a county, municipality, city, town, 
township, borough, parish, select board, council of local governments 
(whether or not incorporated as a non-profit corporation under State 
law), intra-state district, a general purpose unit of local government, 
and any other interstate or regional unit of local government. ``Local 
Government'' does not mean any of the 50 States, or any agency or 
instrumentality of a State exclusive of local governments.
    Locality--means a city, county, borough, township, or area served 
by another general purpose unit of local government, an Indian Tribe, a 
Regional Corporation, or a Native Hawaiian entity.
    Native Hawaiian Entity--means a private non-profit organization 
that serves the interests of Native Hawaiians, and is recognized by the 
Governor of Hawaii for the purpose of planning, conducting, or 
administering programs (or parts of programs) for the benefit of Native 
Hawaiians.
    Non-Federal Share--means that portion of project costs not borne by 
the Federal government. Under ELOA, the minimum required Non-Federal 
Share is 15 percent of the total cost of the approved project.
    Parent--means a biological parent, an adoptive parent, a 
stepparent, a foster parent, or a legal guardian of, or a person 
standing in loco parentis to, a child.
    Program Income--means gross income earned by the grantee or 
subgrantee that is directly generated by a grant supported activity, or 
earned only as a result of the award. 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92 include 
similar types of earned revenue, which qualify as program income. These 
include but are not limited to income from fees for services performed 
and the use of rental property.
    Project Period--for the purposes of this announcement, project 
period means the 17-month period starting on September 30, 2005, and 
ending on February 28, 2007.
    Real Property--means land, including land improvements, structures 
and appurtenances thereto, excluding movable machinery and equipment.
    Regional Corporation--means a Native Alaska Regional Corporation; 
an entity listed in section 419(4)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 619(4)(B)).
    Training--means instruction in early learning that: (a) Is required 
for certification under State and local laws, regulations, and 
policies; (b) is required to receive a nationally or State recognized 
credential or its equivalent; (c) is received in a postsecondary 
education program focused on early learning or early childhood 
development in which the individual is enrolled; or (d) is provided, 
certified, or sponsored by an organization that is recognized for its 
expertise in promoting early learning or early childhood development.
    Young Child--for purposes of this program, means any child from 
birth to the age of mandatory school attendance in the State where the 
child resides. Information on the compulsory school age in each State 
is available at https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d03/tables/
dt151.asp.

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E. Protections

     Participation Not Required: No person, including a parent, 
shall be required to participate in any program of early childhood 
education, early learning, parent education, or developmental screening 
pursuant to the provisions of the Early Learning Opportunities Act.
     Rights of Parents: Nothing in the Early Learning 
Opportunities Act shall be construed to affect the rights of parents 
otherwise established in Federal, State, or local law.
     Particular Methods or Settings: No entity that receives 
funds under the Early Learning Opportunities Act shall be required to 
provide services under this announcement through a particular 
instructional method or in a particular instructional setting to comply 
with the ELOA.
     Nonduplication: No funds provided under this title shall 
be used to carry out an activity funded under another provision of law 
providing for Federal child care or early learning programs, unless an 
expansion of such activity is identified in the local needs assessment 
and performance goals under this announcement.

II. Award Information

    Funding Instrument Type: Grant.
    Anticipated Total Priority Area Funding: $35,712,000.
    Anticipated Number of Awards: 30 to 55.
    Ceiling on Amount of Individual Awards per project period: 
$1,000,000.
    Floor on Amount of Individual Awards per project period: $250,000.
    Average Projected Award Amount: $700,000.
    Length of Project Periods: 17 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

    Others (See Additional Information on Eligibility below.)
Additional Information on Eligibility
Required Letter(s) of Designation (Designation of Local Council by 
Local Government Entity)
    An eligible applicant for an FY 2005 ELOA grant must be a Local 
Council designated, in writing, by a local government entity(ies) (or 
Indian Tribe, Regional Corporation, or Native Hawaiian entity) as the 
``Local Council'' to serve one or more localities for the purpose of 
applying for an ELOA discretionary grant. The applicant must include a 
``Letter of Designation'' in its application from an appropriate local 
government entity(ies) specifically designating it as the Local Council 
for the purpose of applying for an ELOA discretionary grant.
    Because the structure and authority of local governments differ 
greatly across the nation, and even within a State, it is the 
responsibility of the applicant to determine and identify the 
appropriate entity(ies) of local government to designate them as the 
Local Council for an ELOA grant application. The local government 
entity(ies) making the designation must also clearly explain in its 
letter the source/nature of its authority to make such a designation on 
behalf of the locality(ies) it represents. Examples of officials that 
may be authorized to sign the Letter of Designation on behalf of the 
local government entity(ies) include but are not limited to: mayors, 
city managers, city councils, county boards of supervisors, county 
boards of commissioners, county administrators, Tribal Councils, boards 
of municipal officers, etc.
    Appendices A and B are sample Letters of Designation that meet this 
purpose. Applicants are strongly encouraged to utilize the exact 
language and format provided in the sample Letters of Designation in 
order to meet this statutory eligibility requirement. Appendix A is a 
sample Letter of Designation for a Local Council when the services of a 
Fiscal Agent will not be used. Appendix B is a sample Letter of 
Designation for a Local Council that will use a Fiscal Agent.
    In addition, applicants (i.e., Local Councils) serving multiple 
localities (e.g., cities, townships, boroughs, counties) are strongly 
encouraged to obtain a Letter of Designation from an appropriate entity 
of local government in each of the localities to be served.
    Any applicant that fails to provide the required Letter(s) of 
Designation (Designation of Local Council by Local Government 
Entity(ies)) in its application will be considered non-responsive and 
will not be considered for funding under this announcement.
Required Statutory Membership Composition of a Local Council
    To be eligible to receive a grant award, Local Councils must 
provide clear evidence in their application that their membership meets 
all of the following statutory composition requirements:
    A. Representatives of local agencies that will be directly affected 
by early learning programs assisted under the ELOA;
    B. Parents;
    C. Other individuals concerned with early learning issues in the 
locality, such as representatives of entities providing elementary 
education, child care resource and referral services, early learning 
opportunities, child care, and health services; and
    D. Other key community leaders, such as representatives of the 
local Chamber of Commerce or service organizations.
    Local Councils must assign each of their members to one of the four 
categories above. For the purposes of Local Council membership, a 
single individual may not represent more than one category. 
Applications from Local Councils whose membership does not meet the 
above statutory composition requirements will be considered non-
responsive and will not be considered for funding under this 
announcement. Local Councils are encouraged to include representatives 
from a diversity of perspectives including the involvement of faith-
based and community organizations and providers.


    Note: Appendix C is a sample roster for a Local Council. Please 
note that each member is clearly labeled with a letter, A--D. These 
four letters correspond with the four required statutory categories. 
To be considered eligible, Local Councils must include 
representatives of each of the four categories listed above (i.e., 
``A,'' ``B,'' ``C,'' and ``D'') at the time of submission of the 
application. Members of Local Councils that are identified with 
categories other than the four above will not be considered as 
meeting the statutory eligibility requirements for the composition 
of the Local Council.

Designation of a Fiscal Agent by the Local Council
    A Local Council may enter into an agreement with an entity 
(including a faith-based or community organization) that has a 
demonstrated capacity for administering grants that is affected by, or 
concerned with, early learning issues, including the State, to serve as 
fiscal agent for the administration of grant funds received by the 
Local Council under ELOA. However, the Local Council, if selected to 
receive a grant, must be responsible for ensuring compliance with the 
activities and terms of the grant. Local Councils (and their Fiscal 
Agents) must be able to demonstrate organizational and fiscal 
capabilities to manage the grant.
    If a Local Council uses a Fiscal Agent, the Fiscal Agent's name and 
Employer Identification Number (EIN) must also be included in the 
``Letter of Designation'' (see Appendix B)
Geographic Location and Locality(ies) To Be Served
    At the beginning of the project descriptions, applicants must 
describe the precise location of the project and boundaries of the area 
to be served

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including the following: the State, county(ies), and specific 
locality(ies) (e.g., city, town, township, borough, parish, or area 
served by another general purpose unit of local government, Indian 
Tribe, Alaska Native Regional Corporation, or Native Hawaiian entity).
    In general, Local Councils in each of the 50 States of the United 
States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico 
are eligible to apply under this announcement.
Set-Aside
    The Act (Pub. L. 106-554, Section 809) provides that the Secretary 
shall reserve a portion of each year's total ELOA appropriation for 
Indian Tribes, Regional Corporations, and Native Hawaiian entities. ACF 
anticipates competitively awarding funds to at least one Local Council 
designated by an Indian Tribe and one Local Council designated by an 
Alaska Native Regional Corporation or Native Hawaiian entity, subject 
to receipt of applications meeting the requirements of the Act as 
reflected in this announcement. ACF is setting aside no less than one 
percent of the FY 2005 ELOA appropriation for these purposes.

2. Cost Sharing/Matching

    Yes.
    Grantees are required to meet a non-Federal share of the project 
costs, in accordance with Pub. L. 106-554, Section 807 (b)(2). Grantees 
must provide at least 15 percent of the total approved cost of the 
project. The total approved cost of the project is the sum of the ACF 
share and the non-Federal share. The non-Federal share may be met by 
cash or in-kind contributions, although applicants are encouraged to 
meet their match requirements through cash contributions. For example, 
in order to meet the match requirements, a project with a total 
approved cost of $823,529, requesting $700,000 in ACF funds, must 
provide a non-Federal share of at least $123,529 (15 percent of total 
approved project cost of $823,529). Grantees will be held accountable 
for commitments of non-federal resources even if over the amount of the 
required match. Failure to provide the amount will result in 
disallowance of Federal funds. Lack of supporting documentation at the 
time of application will not impact the responsiveness of the 
application for competitive review.
    Applicants are discouraged from providing non-Federal share 
resources in excess of the required 15 percent. Applicants that provide 
more than the required 15 percent will not receive any additional 
credit or points under the evaluation criteria.
    The required 15 percent non-Federal share may be contributed in 
cash or in-kind, fairly evaluated, including facilities, equipment, or 
services, which may be provided from State or local public sources, or 
through donations from private entities. For the purposes of this 
paragraph, the term ``facilities'' includes the use of facilities, but, 
the term ``equipment'' means donated equipment and not the use of 
equipment.
    Cost sharing/Matching is not an evaluation and/or preference 
criterion.
    Please refer to Section IV for any pre-award requirements.

3. Other

     All applicants are required to include activities for 
``enhancing early childhood literacy'' in their projects.
     ``Letter(s) of Support'' for the Local Council from a 
local government entity(ies) will not be considered as meeting the 
eligibility requirement for a ``Letter of Designation.''
     Applications from Indian Tribes and Regional Corporations 
must include a tribal resolution from the governing body of the 
Tribe(s) or Regional Corporation(s), designating a Local Council for 
the purpose of the ELOA grant. Note: The Tribal Council would not be 
considered a Local Council for ELOA unless its membership also meets 
the composition requirements (see Composition of Local Council.
     ``State'' governments do not meet the definition of 
``Local Government'' (see Section I. D). Therefore, a Letter(s) of 
Designation from an entity(ies) of State Government will not be 
considered as meeting these eligibility requirements.
     Local Councils that were formed prior to the date of 
enactment of the ELOA and that meet the membership requirements below 
will be considered eligible for the purposes of applying for an ELOA 
grant if a Letter(s) of Designation from an appropriate entity(ies) of 
local government is submitted as part of the application. In localities 
where a Local Council does not exist, one may be formed and designated 
for the purposes of applying for an ELOA grant.
     FY 2003 ELOA grantees whose grant project period ends on 
or before September 29, 2005 are eligible to apply for a FY 2005 grant 
under this program announcement. Note: The project period for all 
grantees is noted in Block 9 of their ``Financial Assistance Award'' 
document.
     To be considered eligible for a new award, current ELOA 
grantees may not have a pending request to extend their existing ELOA 
grant project period beyond September 29, 2005.
     The 40 Local Councils (and the localities served by those 
Local Councils) that received FY 2004 ELOA grants will not be 
considered for FY 2005 awards under this announcement.
     Only Local Councils, not individuals or individual 
organizations/agencies, are eligible to apply under this announcement.
    All applicants must have a Dun & Bradstreet number. On June 27, 
2003 the Office of Management and Budget published in the Federal 
Register a new Federal policy applicable to all Federal grant 
applicants. The policy requires Federal grant applicants to provide a 
Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number when 
applying for Federal grants or cooperative agreements on or after 
October 1, 2003. The DUNS number will be required whether an applicant 
is submitting a paper application or using the government-wide 
electronic portal (www.Grants.gov). A DUNS number will be 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, submitted on or after October 1, 2003.
    Please ensure that your organization has a DUNS number. You may 
acquire a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free 
DUNS number request line on 1-866-705-5711 or you may request a number 
on-line at https://www.dnb.com.
    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 
Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) 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 a non-profit status and that none of the net 
earning 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

[[Page 34779]]

organization is a local non-profit affiliate.
    Private, non-profit organizations are encouraged to submit with 
their applications the survey located under ``Grant Related Documents 
and Forms,'' ``Survey for Private, Non-Profit Grant Applicants,'' 
titled, ``Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants,'' at: 
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm.
    Disqualification Factors: Applications that exceed the $1,000,000 
ceiling amount will be considered non-responsive and will not be 
eligible for funding under this announcement.
    Any application that fails to satisfy the deadline requirements 
referenced in Section IV.3 will be considered non-responsive and will 
not be considered for funding under this announcement.
    Any applicant that fails to provide the required Letter(s) of 
Designation (Designation of Local Council by Local Government 
Entity(ies)) in its application will be considered non-responsive and 
will not be considered for funding under this announcement. (See 
Section III.1. Additional Information on Eligibility and Appendices A 
and B).
    Applications from Local Councils whose membership do not meet the 
statutory composition requirements will be considered non-responsive 
and will not be considered for funding under this announcement. (See 
Section III.1. Additional Information on Eligibility and Appendix C).

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address To Request Application Package

    ACYF Operations, The Dixon Center, Inc, ELOA/CCB, 118 Q Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20002-2132, Phone: 866-796-1591, E-mail: 
CCB@dixongroup.com.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

    Applicants must submit one signed original and two copies of the 
application, including all attachments, to the application receipt 
point specified above. The original copy of the application must have 
original signatures, signed in blue ink. The original must be stapled 
(back and front) in the upper left corner. Rubber bands may be used to 
secure the pages of the two copies. The original application and the 
two copies must be submitted in a single package. 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.
    Each application will be duplicated, therefore, please do not use 
or include colored paper, colored ink, separate covers, binders, clips, 
tabs, plastic inserts, over-sized paper, videotapes, or any other items 
that cannot be easily duplicated on a photocopy machine with an 
automatic feed. Do not bind, clip, staple, or fasten in any way 
separate subsections of the application, including the supporting 
documentation. Applicants are advised that a copy (not the original) of 
the application as submitted will be reproduced by the Federal 
government for review by the panel of evaluators.
    Letters of Intent: Applicants are strongly encouraged to notify Ms. 
Taryonka Reid at the Child Care Bureau by fax (202-690-5600) by June 
30, 2005. Your fax should include the following information: number and 
title of this announcement (required); the name and address of the 
Local Council (required) and Fiscal Agent (if known); and your contact 
person's name, phone number, fax number, and email address.
    Letter of Intent information will be used to determine the number 
of expert reviewers needed to evaluate applications and to update the 
mailing list for future program announcements. Do not include a 
description of your proposed project. Failure to submit a Letter of 
Intent will not impact eligibility to submit an application and will 
not disqualify an application from competitive review based on non-
responsiveness.
    A complete application consists of the following items in the order 
listed:
    Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424, Rev. 9-
2003). Follow the instructions on the back of the form. In Item 5 on 
the SF-424, enter the name of the applicant [Local Council]. However, 
if the Local Council is not incorporated or does not have an Employer 
Identification Number (EIN) issued by the Internal Revenue Service, the 
name of its fiscal agent must be entered followed by ``on behalf of the 
[name of Local Council]''. For example: Caring County Community 
Services on behalf of the Early Childhood Alliance Local Council. Enter 
the EIN of the Local Council, or if applicable, its Fiscal Agent, in 
Item 6. The EIN entered in Item 6 must be the number assigned to the 
entity identified in Item 5. In Item 8 on the SF-424, check ``New.'' In 
Item 10, clearly identify the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 
program title and number (i.e., Early Learning Opportunities Act, 
93.577). A signature on the application constitutes an assurance that 
the applicant will comply with the relevant Departmental regulations 
contained in 45 CFR Part 74 or Part 92. The SF-424 must be signed by an 
individual authorized to act for the Local Council (i.e., Chair of the 
Local Council) and to assume responsibility for the obligations imposed 
by terms and conditions of the grant award.
    Budget Information Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424A). 
Follow the instructions on the back of the form.
    Assurances Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B). Form 
must be signed by a duly authorized representative of the applicant 
Local Council.
    Certification Regarding Environmental Tobacco Smoke. By signing and 
submitting the application, applicants are providing this certification 
and need not mail back the certification with the application.
    Certification Regarding Lobbying. Applicants must include an 
executed Certification Regarding Lobbying when applying for an award in 
excess of $100,000.
    Cover Letter. Applicants must include a Cover Letter that includes 
the program announcement number and contact information for the 
applicant. The letter must be signed by the Chair of the Local Council 
to acknowledge responsibility for the obligations imposed by terms and 
conditions of the grant award.
    Required Letter of Designation for the Local Council. Applicants 
must include a signed Letter(s) of Designation for the Local Council 
from a local government entity(ies) that explains its authority to make 
such a designation and includes the required information on the 
membership composition of the Local Council. (See Section III.1. 
Additional Information on Eligibility and Appendices A and B)


    Note: ``Letter(s) of Support'' for the Local Council from a 
local government entity(ies) will not be considered as meeting the 
requirements for a Letter of Designation. (See Section I.D.)


    Required Statutory Composition of the Local Council. Please see 
Section III.1. and Appendix C, which is a sample roster of a Local 
Council with each member's role identified only as A, B, C, or D; no 
other codes meet the statutory composition requirements.
    Tribal Resolution (if applicable). Fully-executed Tribal Resolution 
including: resolution number, date, voting information, and authorized 
signatures.
Table of Contents
    A Project Description Summary/Abstract (one page maximum). Clearly 
identify this page with the applicant's

[[Page 34780]]

name (Local Council) as shown in Item 5 on the SF-424 (e.g., Caring 
County Community Services on behalf of the Early Childhood Alliance 
Local Council), identify the title of the proposed project as shown in 
Item 11 (e.g., Building Resources for Early Learning Opportunities in 
Caring County), and the service area as shown in Item 12 of the SF-424 
(e.g., Caring County). The Project Description Summary/Abstract must 
not exceed 300 words. The first paragraph must describe the precise 
location of the project and the boundaries of the area to be served 
including the following: The State, county(ies), specific locality(ies) 
(e.g., city, county, borough, township, parish, etc.), and/or 
region(s). Care should be taken to produce a Project Summary/Abstract 
that accurately and concisely reflects the proposed project. It should 
briefly describe the objectives of the project, the approach to be 
used, and the results and benefits expected. The Project Summary/
Abstract must also clearly state which of the eight allowable ELOA 
activities are included in the project.


    Note: All applicants are required to include activities for 
``enhancing early childhood literacy'' in their projects.


    The Project Narrative. The applicant is strongly encouraged to use 
the evaluation criteria to organize its response. Specific information 
should be provided that addresses all components of each criterion. 
Local Councils receiving assistance under the ELOA shall ensure that 
programs, services, and activities assisted under this program, which 
customarily require a payment for such programs, services, or 
activities, adjust the cost of such programs, services, and activities 
provided to the individual or the individual's child based on the 
individual's ability to pay.
    It is in the applicant's best interest to ensure that the project 
description is easy to read, logically developed in accordance with the 
evaluation criteria, and adheres to recommended page limitations. In 
addition, the applicant should be mindful of the importance of 
preparing and submitting applications using language, terms, concepts, 
and descriptions that are generally known to the field of early 
learning as defined under this announcement. The pages of the project 
description must be double-spaced, printed in black only, printed on 
only one side, with no less than one-inch margins, and numbered. 
Applicants are strongly encouraged to limit this portion of their 
application to no more than 100 pages.
    Appendices. The recommended maximum number of pages for supporting 
documentation is 50 numbered pages. These documents might include 
excerpts from the needs and resources assessment, resumes/job 
descriptions, photocopies of news clippings, documents related to the 
involvement and participation of the Local Council, and evidence of its 
efforts to coordinate early care and education services at the local 
level including letters of support and/or third-party agreements.
    You may submit your application to us in either electronic or paper 
format. To submit an application electronically, please use the 
www.Grants.gov/Apply site. If you use Grants.gov, you 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. ACF 
will not accept grant applications via email or facsimile transmission.
    Please note the following if you plan to submit your application 
electronically via Grants.gov:
     Electronic submission is voluntary, but strongly 
encouraged.
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation. We strongly recommend that you 
do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the 
application process through Grants.gov.
     We recommend you visit Grants.gov at least 30 days prior 
to filing your application to fully understand the process and 
requirements. We encourage applicants who submit electronically to 
submit well before the closing date and time so that if difficulties 
are encountered an applicant can still send in a hard copy overnight. 
If you encounter difficulties, please contact the Grants.gov Help Desk 
at 1-800-518-4276 to report the problem and obtain assistance with the 
system.
     To use Grants.gov, you, as the applicant, must have a DUNS 
Number and register in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). You 
should allow a minimum of five days to complete the CCR registration.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit a grant application in electronic format, nor will we penalize 
you if you submit an application in paper format.
     You may submit all documents electronically, including all 
information typically included on the SF 424 and all necessary 
assurances and certifications.
     Your application must comply with any page limitation 
requirements described in this program announcement.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive an automatic acknowledgement from Grants.gov that contains a 
Grants.gov tracking number. The Administration for Children and 
Families will retrieve your application from Grants.gov.
     We may request that you provide original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
     You may access the electronic application for this program 
on www.Grants.gov
     You must search for the downloadable application package 
by the CFDA number.
    Applicants that are submitting their application in paper format 
should submit an original and two copies of the complete application. 
The original and each of the two copies must include all required 
forms, certifications, assurances, and appendices, be signed by an 
authorized representative, have original signatures, and be submitted 
unbound.
    Private, non-profit organizations are encouraged to submit with 
their applications the survey located under ``Grant Related Documents 
and Forms,'' ``Survey for Private, Non-Profit Grant Applicants,'' 
titled, ``Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants,'' at: 
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm.
    Standard Forms and Certifications: The project description should 
include all the information requirements described in the specific 
evaluation criteria outlined in the program announcement under Section 
V Application Review Information. In addition to the project 
description, the applicant needs to complete all the standard forms 
required for making applications for awards under this announcement.
    Applicants seeking financial assistance under this announcement 
must file the Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal 
Assistance; SF-424A, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs; SF-
424B, Assurances--Non-Construction Programs. The forms may be 
reproduced for use in submitting applications. Applicants must sign and 
return the standard forms with their application.
    Applicants must furnish prior to award an executed copy of the 
Standard Form LLL, Certification Regarding Lobbying, when applying for 
an award in excess of $100,000. Applicants who have used non-Federal 
funds for lobbying activities in connection with receiving assistance 
under this announcement shall complete a

[[Page 34781]]

disclosure form, if applicable, with their applications. Applicants 
must sign and return the certification with their application.
    Applicants must also understand they will be held accountable for 
the smoking prohibition included within P.L. 103-227, Title XII 
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (also known as the PRO-KIDS Act of 1994). A 
copy of the Federal Register notice which implements the smoking 
prohibition is included with the forms. By signing and submitting the 
application, applicants are providing the certification and need not 
mail back the certification with the application.
    Applicants must make the appropriate certification of their 
compliance with all Federal statutes relating to nondiscrimination. By 
signing and submitting the applications, applicants are providing the 
certification and need not mail back the certification form. Complete 
the standard forms and the associated certifications and assurances 
based on the instructions on the forms. The forms and certifications 
may be found at: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm.
    Please see Section V.1. Criteria, for instructions on preparing the 
full project description.

3. Submission Dates and Times

    Letters of Intent Due Date: June 30, 2005.
    Application Due Date: July 15, 2005.
    Explanation of Due Dates: The closing date for submission of 
applications is referenced above. Mailed applications postmarked after 
the closing date will be classified as late.
    Deadline: Mailed applications shall be considered as meeting an 
announced deadline if they are either received on or before the 
deadline date or sent on or before the deadline date and received by 
ACF in time for the independent review referenced in Section IV.6.
    Applicants must ensure that a legibly dated U.S. Postal Service 
postmark or a legibly dated, machine produced postmark of a commercial 
mail service is affixed to the envelope/package containing the 
application(s). To be acceptable as a proof of timely mailing, a 
postmark from a commercial mail service must include the logo/emblem of 
the commercial mail service company and must reflect the date the 
package was received by the commercial mail service company from the 
applicant. Private Metered postmarks shall not be acceptable as proof 
of timely mailing. (Applicants are cautioned that express/overnight 
mail services do not always deliver as agreed.)
    Applications hand carried by applicants, applicant couriers, or by 
other representatives of the applicant shall be considered as meeting 
an announced deadline if they are received on or before the deadline 
date, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET, at the address 
referenced in Section IV.6., between Monday and Friday (excluding 
Federal holidays). Applicants are cautioned that express/overnight mail 
services do not always deliver as agreed.
    ACF cannot accommodate transmission of applications by fax. 
Therefore, applications transmitted to ACF by fax will not be accepted 
regardless of date or time of submission and time of receipt.
    Late applications: Applications which do not meet the criteria 
above are considered late applications. ACF shall notify each late 
applicant that its application will not be considered in the current 
competition.
    Extension of deadlines: ACF may extend application deadlines when 
circumstances such as acts of God (floods, hurricanes, etc.) occur, or 
when there are widespread disruptions of mail service, or in other rare 
cases. Determination to extend or waive deadline requirements rests 
with the Chief Grants Management Officer.
    Receipt acknowledgement for application packages will be provided 
to applicants who submit their package via mail, courier services, or 
by hand delivery. However, applicants will receive an electronic 
acknowledgement for applications that are submitted via https://
www.Grants.gov.
    Other: For the purposes of this announcement, please note that all 
references to ``Letters of Intent due dates'' and ``Application due 
dates'' refer to a postmark deadline.
    Checklist: You may use the checklist below as a guide when 
preparing your application package.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           What to submit               Required content       Required form or format        When to submit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter of Intent...................  See Section IV.2......  Found in Section IV.2......  June 30, 2005.
Table of Contents..................  See Section IV.2......  Found in Section IV.2......  By application due
                                                                                           date.
Project Abstract...................  See Sections IV.2 and   Found in Sections IV.2 and   By application due
                                      V.                      V.                           date.
Project Narrative..................  See Sections IV.2 and   Found in Sections IV.2 and   By application due
                                      V.                      V.                           date.
SF-424.............................  See Section IV.2......  See https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ By application due
                                                              programs/ofs/forms.htm.      date.
SF-424A............................  See Section IV.2......  See https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ By application due
                                                              programs/ofs/forms.htm.      date.
Assurances.........................  See Section IV.2......  See https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ By application due
                                                              programs/ofs/forms.htm.      date.
Support Letters....................  See Section V.........  Found in Section V.........  By application due
                                                                                           date.
Non-Federal Commitment Letters.....  See Section V.........  Found in Section V.........  By application due
                                                                                           date.
Proof of Non-Profit Status.........  See Section III.3.....  See https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ By date of award.
                                                              programs/ofs/forms.htm.
Letter of Designation for the Local  See Section III.1. and  Appendix A must be used by   By application due
 Council (and Fiscal Agent, if        Appendices A & B.       Local Councils NOT using a   date.
 appropriate) from an entity(ies)                             Fiscal Agent.
 of local government.                                        Appendix B must be used by
                                                              Local Councils using a
                                                              Fiscal Agent.
Composition of Local Council.......  See Section III.1. and  Found in Section III.1. for  By application due
                                      Appendix C.             eligibility requirements     date.
                                                              and Appendix C for
                                                              appropriate format.
Tribal Resolution, if applicable...  See Section IV.2......  Found in Section IV........  By application due
                                                                                           date.
SF-LLL Certification Regarding       See Section IV.2......  See https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ By date of award.
 Lobbying.                                                    programs/ofs/forms.htm.
Certification Regarding              See Section IV.2......  See https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ By date of award.
 Environmental Tobacco Smoke.                                 programs/ofs/forms.htm.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 34782]]

    Additional Forms: Private, non-profit organizations are encouraged 
to submit with their applications the survey located under ``Grant 
Related Documents and Forms,'' ``Survey for Private, Non-Profit Grant 
Applicants,'' titled, ``Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for 
Applicants,'' at: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           What to submit               Required content               Location               When to submit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Survey for Private, Non-Profit       See form..............  May be found on https:// By application due
 Grant Applicants.                                            www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ date.
                                                              ofs/forms.htm.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Intergovernmental Review

    This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' or 45 CFR part 100, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Department of Health and Human Services 
Programs and Activities.

5. Funding Restrictions

    Grant awards will not allow reimbursement of pre-award costs. 
Construction and purchase of real property are not allowable activities 
or expenditures under this program.
    Not more than three percent of the total Federal share received by 
the Local Council through this announcement shall be used to pay for 
the administrative costs of the Local Council, including the 
administrative costs of any of its sub-grantees and third parties, in 
carrying out activities funded under the grant.
    Local Councils receiving assistance under the ELOA shall ensure 
that programs, services, and activities assisted under this program, 
which customarily require a payment for such programs, services, or 
activities, adjust the cost of such programs, services, and activities 
provided to the individual or the individual's child based on the 
individual's ability to pay.

6. Other Submission Requirements

    Submission by Mail: An applicant must provide an original 
application with all attachments, signed by an authorized 
representative and two copies. The application must be postmarked to 
the address below on or before the closing date. Applications should be 
mailed to: ACYF Operations Center, c/o The Dixon Group, Inc., ELOA/CCB, 
118 Q Street, NE., Washington, DC 20002-2132.
    Hand Delivery: An applicant must provide an original application 
with all attachments signed by an authorized representative and two 
copies. The application must be received at the address below by 4:30 
p.m. eastern time on or before the closing date. Applications that are 
hand delivered will be accepted between the hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday. Applications should be 
delivered to: c/o The Dixon Group, Inc., ELOA/CCB, 118 Q Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20002-2132, Attention: ACYF Operations Center.
    Electronic Submission: https://www.Grants.gov. Please see section 
IV. 2 Content and Form of Application Submission, for guidelines and 
requirements when submitting applications electronically.

V. Application Review Information

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

    Public reporting burden for this collection of information is 
estimated to average 25 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 4/30/2007.
    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
Purpose
    The project description provides a major means by which an 
application is evaluated and ranked to compete with other applications 
for available assistance. The project description should be concise and 
complete and 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 your project 
description, information 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 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. Pages should be numbered and a table of contents should be 
included for easy reference.
Introduction
    Applicants 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 your project 
description should include while the evaluation criteria identifies the 
measures that will be used to evaluate applications.
Project Summary/Abstract
    Provide a summary of the project description (a page or less) with 
reference to the funding request.
Objectives and Need for Assistance
    Clearly identify the physical, economic, social, financial, 
institutional, and/or other problem(s) requiring a solution. The need 
for assistance must be demonstrated and the principal and subordinate 
objectives of the project must be clearly stated; supporting 
documentation, such as letters of support and testimonials from 
concerned interests other than the applicant, may be included. Any 
relevant data based on planning studies should be included or referred 
to in the endnotes/footnotes. Incorporate demographic data and 
participant/beneficiary information, as needed. In developing the 
project description, the applicant may volunteer or be requested to 
provide information on the total range of projects currently being 
conducted and supported (or to be initiated), some of which may be

[[Page 34783]]

outside the scope of the program announcement.
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 set; specify the number of 
children and families to be served, and how the services to be provided 
will be funded consistent with the local needs and resources 
assessment. Or, explain how the expected results will benefit the 
population to be served in meeting its needs for early learning 
services and activities. What benefits will the families, children, and 
child care providers derive from these services? How will the services 
help them? What lessons will be learned which might help other agencies 
and organizations that are addressing the needs of a similar client 
population?
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.
    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. For example, for any project that will include informal 
caregivers, including friends, family and in-home child care providers, 
or caregivers who are somewhat isolated, such as child care providers 
who operate alone or in rural areas, please describe the means by which 
training and technical assistance will be made available to such 
informal and/or isolated caregivers and quality child care will be 
supported/assured. The Child Care Bureau is interested in: Promoting 
the involvement of faith-based and community-based providers in their 
projects; incorporating strategies and activities that involve fathers 
and strengthen families; and encouraging the appropriate use of 
innovative approaches, learning techniques, and other uses of 
technology, to meet the needs of young children, child care providers, 
and parents.
    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 the U.S. Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB). This clearance pertains to any ``collection of information that 
is conducted or sponsored by ACF.''
    List 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.
Evaluation
    Provide a narrative addressing how the conduct of the project and 
the results of the project will be evaluated. In addressing the 
evaluation of results, state how you will determine the extent to which 
the project has achieved its stated objectives and the extent to which 
the accomplishment of objectives can be attributed to the project. 
Discuss the criteria to be used to evaluate results, and explain the 
methodology that will be used to determine if the needs identified and 
discussed are being met and if the project results and benefits are 
being achieved. With respect to the conduct of the project, define the 
procedures to be employed to determine whether the project is being 
conducted in a manner consistent with the work plan presented and 
discuss the impact of the project's various activities on the project's 
effectiveness.
Geographic Location
    Describe the precise location of the project and boundaries of the 
area to be served by the proposed project. Maps or other graphic aids 
may be attached.
Additional Information
    Following are requests for additional information that need to be 
included in the application:
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.
Plan for Project Continuance Beyond Grant Support
    Provide a plan for securing resources and continuing project 
activities after Federal assistance has ended.
Third-Party Agreements
    Provide written and signed agreements between grantees and 
subgrantees or subcontractors or other cooperating entities. These 
agreements must detail scope of work to be performed, work schedules, 
remuneration, and other terms and conditions that structure or define 
the relationship.
Letters of Support
    Provide statements from community, public and commercial leaders 
that support the project proposed for funding. All submissions should 
be included in the application OR by application deadline.
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. 
Detailed calculations must include estimation methods, quantities, unit 
costs, and other similar quantitative detail sufficient for the 
calculation to be duplicated. Also include a breakout by the funding 
sources identified in Block 15 of the SF-424.
    Provide a narrative budget justific