Administration for Children and Families June 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that noncompetitive grant awards are being made to multiple organizations to conduct demonstration and implement service provision projects on a wide range of issues relating to social services. The number of grants is 114 for a total amount of $20,083,653. These noncompetitive awards were recommended by the Congress and were listed in the FY 2005 Senate-House conference agreement.

The Children's Bureau announces the availability of funds and requests applications to develop, implement, evaluate and disseminate a training curriculum for public child welfare agency supervisors. This curriculum will strengthen supervision of staff interventions with older youth who are in foster care and/or in independent living programs. These youth, mostly ages 16 to 21, need assistance in making a successful transition to adulthood, as well as achieving self-sufficiency to avoid long-term dependency on the social welfare system. These youth often face decisions with regard to personal housing, transportation, employment and education. They need workers who can guide them and who understand these challenges. The target youth also need workers who have a working knowledge of adolescent transition programs. ``In the continuing work of the Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine and National Resource Center for Youth Services, College of Continuing Education University of Oklahoma, four core principles have emerged as essential in order for adolescent transitional living programs to be successful.'' It is the thinking of current experts in the field that programs for youth are more likely to be successful when these four principles are incorporated into the program design regardless of the type of services provided. The principles are: (1) Positive youth development; (2) Collaboration; (3) Cultural competence; and (4) Permanent connections.

This notice is to inform interested parties of clarifications made to the Discretionary Funds for Projects to Establish Individual Development Account (IDA) Programs for Refugees published on Monday, June 6, 2005. The following clarifications should be noted: Section IV.3 stated the following: ``3. Submission Dates and Times Due Date for Applications: August 5, 2005.'' The language in section IV.3 is replaced with: ``3. Submission Dates and Times Due Date for Applications: July 21, 2005.'' Executive Summary: A footnote was omitted in relation to the word ``refugee''. The omitted footnote in the Executive Summary should state: Refugee [1] [1] Eligibility for refugee social services includes: (1) Refugees; (2) asylees; (3) Cuban and Haitian entrants under section 501 of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-422); (4) certain Amerasians from Vietnam who are admitted to the U.S. as immigrants under section 584 of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, as included in the FY 1988 Continuing Resolution (Pub. L. 100-202); (5) certain Amerasians from Vietnam who are U.S. citizens under Title II of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 1989 (Pub. L. 100-461), 1990 (Pub. L. 101-167), and 1991 (Pub. L. 101-513); and (6) victims of a severe form of trafficking who receive certification or eligibility letters from ORR (see 45 CFR 400.43 and ORR State Letters Number 01-13 as modified by Number 02-01 and Number 04-12 on trafficking victims). For convenience, the term ``refugee'' is used in this notice to encompass all such eligible persons. Additional information on eligibility is available at: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ programs /orr/policy/sl01-13.htm and https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs / orr/policy/sl02-01.htm.

The purposes of this funding announcement are as follows: (1) To develop and implement programs of comprehensive community-based support services for the target population as described in Public Law 100-505, as amended; (2) to evaluate the implementation and outcomes of these comprehensive support services; and (3) to develop these programs as identifiable sites that other States/locales seeking to implement comprehensive support services for this population can look to for guidance, insight, and possible replication.

On February 9, 2005, the Office of Community Services, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published an announcement seeking applications for the Assets for Independence Program. The announcement appeared in Volume 70, pages 6879-6888 of the Federal Register. This document announces one additional application due date of July 15, 2005, which is in addition to the three due dates listed in the February 9 standing announcement (March 15, June 15 and November 1). To be considered timely for this additional due date only, applications must be received at the OCS Operations Center by July 15. (For more details, see submission dates and times section below.) This document also announces two informational telephone conference calls concerning the Assets for Independence Program and the process for submitting a grant application. Submission Dates and Times: The new additional closing date for the Assets for Independence Program is July 15, 2005. (This closing date is in addition to three other valid closing datesMarch 15, June 15 and November 1as noted in the current standing announcement.) Applications received after 4:30 p.m. eastern time on the July 15 closing date will be classified as late, and will not be reviewed this cycle. Deadline: Applications shall be considered as meeting an announced deadline if they are received on or before the due date. Applicants are responsible for ensuring applications are mailed or submitted electronically well in advance of the application due date. Applications hand carried by applicants, applicant couriers, other representatives of the applicant, or by overnight/express mail couriers shall be considered as meeting an announced deadline if they are received on or before the deadline date, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., eastern time, between Monday and Friday (excluding Federal holidays). ACF cannot accommodate transmission of applications by facsimile. Therefore, applications transmitted to ACF by fax will not be accepted regardless of date or time of submission and time of receipt. Receipt acknowledgement for application packages will not be provided to applicants who submit their package via mail, courier services, or by hand delivery. Applicants will receive an electronic acknowledgement for applications that are submitted via Grants.gov. Late Applications: Applications that 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. Any application received after 4:30 p.m. eastern time on the deadline date will not be considered for competition. Applicants using express/overnight mail services should allow two working days prior to the deadline date for receipt of applications. Applicants are cautioned that express/overnight mail services do not always deliver as agreed. 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. A determination to extend or waive deadline requirements rests with the Chief Grants Management Officer. 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 received at the address below by 4:30 p.m. eastern time on or before the closing date. Applications should be mailed to: Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services' Operations Center, 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22209, Attention: Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services, Assets for Independence Program. 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: Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services' Operations Center, 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22209; Attention: Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services, Assets for Independence Program. Electronic Submission: https://www.Grants.gov. Please see Section IV.2 Content and Form of Application Submission of the February 9 announcement, for guidelines and requirements when submitting applications electronically. Informational Conference Calls: The Office of Community Services will host two informational telephone conference calls concerning the Assets for Independence Program and the grant application process on June 20 and 21, 2005 at 2 p.m. until approximately 3 p.m. These calls will be open to all interested individuals. Please call the Office of Community Services on (202) 401-4626 or go to the OCS Asset Building Web site at https://www.acf.hhs.gov to register for a call and for dial- in information. Participants are strongly encouraged to register, as the number of lines is limited. OCS plans to make handout materials available to all individuals who register for either of the informational calls. Announcement Availability: The Assets for Independence Program announcement and all application materials are available at https:// www.Grants.gov. Standard forms and certifications may also be found at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm. Finally, the OCS Asset Building Web site at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/assetbuilding provides much information about the Assets for Independence Program and the application process. The page includes links to all required forms as well as to a guidebook for developing an AFI Project and applying for an AFI grant.

This funding announcement seeks proposals that improve child well-being by removing barriers to and strengthening family formation and healthy marriage in underserved communities. The Children's Bureau believes that by designing strategies to target funding for healthy marriage activities to community-based agencies in underserved communities where high rates of child protection and foster care resources are used, child well-being may be improved and the rate of children of color in foster care could be reduced. Projects will explore and remove barriers to forming lasting families and healthy marriages as a means to promote the well-being of children and families who are at risk of entering, or are already in the child welfare system. Projects will also explore what particular services, delivery, and outreach efforts designed to support the formation and stability of healthy marriages are most effective at helping children and families in targeted communities. Grantees must comply with applicable laws, including those that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, and age in their programs.

Using the ANA Project Abstract form (OMB Control Number 0980-0204, exp. 10/31/06), the applicant must include: The name of the applicant, the project title, the Federal amount requested, the amount of matching funds to be provided, length of time required to accomplish the project, the goal of the project, a list of the project objectives (not activities), the estimated number of people to be served and the expected outcomes of the project. In addition to the Project Abstract form, the applicant will provide an introductory summary narrative that includes: An overview of the project, a description of the community to be served, the location of the identified community, a declarative statement identifying the need for the project, and a brief overview of the project's objectives, strategy and community or organizational impact. Application Format: Applicants are required to submit applications in a standard format, following the ANA requirements on application length, font, numbering, line spacing, etc. Please refer to Section IV Part 2, ``Content and Form of Application Submission'' for detailed formatting instructions. 2. Review and Selection Process No grant award will be made under this announcement on the basis of an incomplete application. Initial Screening: Each application submitted under an ANA program announcement will undergo a pre-review screening to determine: (a) Timelinessthe application was received by 4:30 p.m. eastern time on the closing date; (b) the funding request does not exceed the upper value of the dollar range specified; (c) the applicant has submitted a current signed and dated resolution from the governing body; and, (d) if the applicant is not a Tribe or Alaska Native Village government, the applicant has submitted proof of a majority of the board of directors is representative of the community to be served. An application that does not meet one of the above elements will be determined to be incomplete and excluded from the competitive review process. Applicants with incomplete applications will be notified by mail within 30 business days from the closing date of this program announcement. ANA staff cannot respond to requests for information regarding funding decisions prior to the official applicant notification. After the Commissioner has made decisions on all applications, unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing within 90 days. The notification will include the reviewer comments. Applicants are not ranked based on general financial need. Applicants who are initially excluded from competition because of ineligibility may appeal the agency's decision. Applicants may also appeal an ANA decision that an applicant's proposed activities are ineligible for funding consideration. The appeals process is stated in the final rule published in the Federal Register on August 19, 1996 (61 FR 42817 and 45 CFR part 1336, subpart C). Competitive Review Process: Applications that pass the initial ANA screening process will be analyzed, evaluated and rated by an independent review panel on the basis of the Evaluation Criteria. The evaluation criteria were designed to analyze and assess the quality of a proposed community-based project, the likelihood of its success, and the ability of ANA to monitor and evaluate community impact and long- term results. The evaluation criteria and analysis are closely related and are wholly considered in judging the overall quality of an application. In addition, the evaluation criteria standardizes the review of each application and distributes the number of points more equitably. Applications will be evaluated in accordance with the program announcement criteria and ANA's program areas of interest. A determination will be made as to whether the project is an effective use of Federal funds. Application Review Criteria: Applicants will be reviewed based on the following criteria and points: ANA's criteria categories are Introduction and Project Summary/Application Format; Need for Assistance; Project Approach; Organizational Capacity; Project Impact/ Evaluation; and Budget and Budget Narrative/Cost Effectiveness. Application Consideration: The Commissioner's funding decision is based on an analysis of the application by the review panel, panel review scores and recommendations; an analysis by ANA staff; review of previous ANA grantee's past performance; comments from State and Federal agencies having contract and grant performance related information; and other interested parties. The Commissioner makes grant awards consistent with the purpose of the Native American Programs Act (NAPA), all relevant statutory and regulatory requirements, this program announcement, and the availability of appropriated funds. The Commissioner reserves the right to award more, or less, than the funds described or under such circumstances as may be deemed to be in the best interest of the Federal government. Applicants may be required to reduce the scope of projects based on the amount of approved award. Federal. Since ACF will be using non-Federal reviewers in the process, applicants have the option of omitting from the application copies (not the original) of specific salary rates or amounts for individuals specified in the application budget and Social Security numbers, if otherwise required for individuals. The copies may include summary salary information. Approved but Unfunded Applications. Applications that are approved but unfunded may be held over for funding in the next funding cycle, pending the availability of funds, for a period not to exceed one year. 3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates Approximately 120 days after the application due date, the successful applicants will be notified by mail through the issuance of a Financial Assistance Award document which will set forth the amount of funds granted, the terms and conditions of the grant, the effective date of the grant, the budget period for which initial support will be given, the non-Federal share to be provided and the total project period for which support is contemplated. The Financial Assistance Award will be signed by the Grants Officer and sent to the applicant's Authorizing Official. Applications not funded in this competition will be notified in writing.

The purpose of this funding announcement is to award a cooperative agreement for the creation of a national Quality Improvement Center (QIC) focused on identifying effective practices in the privatization of child welfare services. The QIC will assess needs and resources, then plan and implement research and demonstration activities to develop knowledge about improving child welfare services and systems through privatization. The QIC will be awarded funds for a planning period and an implementation phase. During the planning period, the QIC will engage in a collaborative process to review the literature, clarify the focus and refine the implementation plan for the remainder of its child welfare privatization knowledge-building activities. During the implementation phase, the QIC will sponsor (through sub-grants), monitor and evaluate research or demonstration projects that test a variety of privatization models or hypotheses at multiple sites. The QIC will also provide technical assistance to its sub-grantees, funded under this initiative.

The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), announces the availability of funds to support new research under the Healthy Marriage Research Initiative. Applications for both short-term (12-17 months) and long-term (up to 60 months) studies will be considered. OPRE will consider applications in three broad categories of evaluation and research: intervention studies; basic studies; and methodological and analytical studies.

This notice is to inform interested parties of corrections made to the Community-Based Abstinence Education program announcement that published on May 20, 2005. The following corrections should be noted: Under Section I. Funding Opportunity Description, Program Purpose and Scope, within the seventh paragraph, revise the following sentence from: ``Programs that utilize this definition promote `abstinence Sex education programs that promote the use of contraceptives are not eligible for funding under this announcement.'' To: ``Programs that utilize this definition promote an ``abstinence until marriage message.'' Sex education programs that promote the use of contraceptives are not eligible for funding under this announcement''. Under Section II. Award Information after ``Average Projected Award Amount Per Budget Period: $459,000'' insert the following: Length of Project Periods: Three year project period with 12 month budget periods. Under Section IV.2 Application Submission Information, Content and Form of Application Submission, revise the sentence ``Electronic submission is voluntary'' to state: ``Electronic submission is voluntary, but strongly encouraged.''. The only changes to the Community-Based Abstinence Education program announcement are explicitly stated in this Notice of Correction. All applications must still be sent on or before the deadline date of June 20, 2005.

This announcement governs the proposed award of formula grants under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act to Native American Tribes (including Alaska Native Villages) and Tribal organizations. The purpose of these grants is to assist Tribes in establishing, maintaining, and expanding programs and projects to prevent family violence and to provide immediate shelter and related assistance for victims of family violence and their dependents. This announcement sets forth the application requirements, the application process, and other administrative and fiscal requirements for grants in fiscal year (FY) 2005. Grantees are to be mindful that although the expenditure period for grants is a two-year period, an application is required every year to provide continuity in the provision of services. (See General Grant Requirements For Tribes Or Tribal Organizations B. Expenditure Periods). C.F.D.A. Number: 93.671, Family Violence Prevention and Services.