Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2018 ACF ACYF CA 1351
Community Collaborations to Strengthen and Preserve Families (HHS 2018 ACF ACYF CA 1351) is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), through ACYF/Children's Bureau. It is designed to fund five-year demonstration projects that help communities take a more proactive, prevention-focused approach to supporting families, including families at high risk for child maltreatment. Instead of waiting until problems escalate to the point where formal child welfare involvement becomes necessary, the program emphasizes strengthening families early by building on existing protective factors and connecting caregivers to practical supports in their own communities.
The central goal of the opportunity is to increase a community's ability to meet family well-being needs before a crisis leads to a report or referral to the public child welfare agency. Applicants are expected to identify and address site-specific barriers that contribute to unnecessary child welfare referrals, such as gaps in community services, poor coordination between agencies, limited access to culturally responsive supports, transportation or childcare challenges, or lack of awareness among families about available resources. Projects are intended to reduce referrals by improving the availability, accessibility, and coordination of community-based services that can stabilize families and support safe, healthy child development.
Funded projects operate as cooperative agreements, meaning the federal agency is expected to have an active partnership role rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back. A major part of each award is the planning and implementation work needed to build a multi-system collaborative. In practice, this means creating or strengthening partnerships among organizations that interact with families, such as child welfare, public health, behavioral health, early childhood and education, housing, substance use treatment, domestic violence programs, employment services, faith-based and neighborhood groups, and other local family-serving systems. The intent is to move beyond isolated programs and create a coordinated network that functions more like a continuum of prevention and early intervention supports.
The FOA also prioritizes practical systems-building activities. Grantees are expected to coordinate a network of community-based services and organize them into a clearer continuum of preventative supports. Another key expectation is maximizing access by leveraging and aligning existing funding streams. Rather than relying only on grant dollars, applicants are encouraged to use innovative methods to coordinate resources already present in the community, reduce duplication, and make it easier for families to get help quickly. Outreach is also emphasized: projects should use innovative strategies to identify families who could benefit from support, link them to community resources, and empower caregivers to promote their children's healthy social and emotional development. Overall, the approach is meant to feel supportive and voluntary, meeting families where they are and making help easier to access before risks intensify.
Evaluation is treated as a core requirement, not an add-on. Each project must actively participate with a designated evaluation Technical Assistance provider in a rigorous, site-specific evaluation. The evaluation focus includes using data to improve services and processes over time, demonstrating clear connections between the strategies implemented and measurable improvements in outcomes, and conducting a local evaluation that examines both implementation (how well the model was put into practice) and outcomes (what changed for families and the system). This is framed as a demonstration effort, so the expectation is that grantees will generate credible learning that can inform broader child maltreatment prevention and family strengthening work.
In terms of funding details, the award ceiling is $550,000 and ACF anticipated making about four awards. Applications were due July 3, 2018, with electronic submissions required by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date. The funding activity category is Income Security and Social Services, and the CFDA number listed is 93.670.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of applicants that could lead community collaborations. Eligible entities include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education where specified); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other eligible applicants as further clarified in the FOA text. The overall design encourages cross-sector partnerships, so even when a single organization serves as the lead applicant, the project is expected to represent a coordinated community effort aimed at prevention, early support, and measurable reductions in child welfare referrals.Apply for HHS 2018 ACF ACYF CA 1351
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - ACYF/CB in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Community Collaborations to Strengthen and Preserve Families" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.670.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 04, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 03, 2018 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $550,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 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, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the "Community Collaborations to Strengthen and Preserve Families" grant opportunity?
It is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), through the ACYF/Children's Bureau. The opportunity funds five-year demonstration projects focused on strengthening and preserving families through community-based prevention and early support.
What is the main goal of this grant program?
The central goal is to increase a community's ability to meet family well-being needs before a crisis leads to a report or referral to the public child welfare agency. The program emphasizes proactive, prevention-focused supports that strengthen families early rather than waiting until challenges escalate.
Who is this program intended to help?
The program is designed to support families in the community, including families at high risk for child maltreatment. It aims to help caregivers access practical supports and strengthen protective factors to promote safe, healthy child development.
How does this program approach child maltreatment prevention differently from traditional child welfare responses?
Instead of relying on formal child welfare involvement after problems have escalated, this program focuses on prevention and early intervention. Projects are expected to make it easier for families to get voluntary, supportive help in their communities before risks intensify.
What kinds of community barriers are applicants expected to address?
Applicants are expected to identify and address site-specific barriers that contribute to unnecessary child welfare referrals. Examples mentioned include gaps in community services, poor coordination across agencies, limited access to culturally responsive supports, transportation or childcare challenges, and lack of awareness among families about available resources.
What types of activities are funded under this opportunity?
Funded projects focus on building or strengthening a multi-system collaborative, improving the availability and coordination of community-based services, organizing services into a clearer continuum of preventive supports, using outreach strategies to connect families to resources, and leveraging existing funding streams to maximize access and reduce duplication.
What does it mean that awards are "cooperative agreements"?
Cooperative agreements indicate that the federal agency is expected to have an active partnership role during the project period, rather than only issuing funds. This structure supports ongoing collaboration between the grantee and the federal awarding agency as the demonstration project is planned, implemented, and evaluated.
What is meant by a "multi-system collaborative" in this program?
A multi-system collaborative is a coordinated partnership among organizations and systems that interact with families. The program describes collaboration across areas such as child welfare, public health, behavioral health, early childhood and education, housing, substance use treatment, domestic violence programs, employment services, faith-based and neighborhood groups, and other local family-serving systems.
Does the program require coordination across multiple community organizations?
Yes. A major component of each award is the planning and implementation needed to build a multi-system collaborative and move beyond isolated programs. Even if a single organization applies as the lead, the project is expected to represent a coordinated community effort.
How are grantees expected to improve access to supports for families?
Projects are expected to improve availability, accessibility, and coordination of community-based services. The FOA also emphasizes outreach strategies to identify families who could benefit from support and connect them to practical resources in their communities.
Does the opportunity emphasize culturally responsive services?
Yes. The FOA highlights limited access to culturally responsive supports as an example of a barrier that can contribute to unnecessary child welfare referrals, and applicants are expected to address site-specific barriers like this.
What does the FOA say about using existing funding in the community?
The FOA prioritizes maximizing access by leveraging and aligning existing funding streams. Applicants are encouraged to use innovative methods to coordinate resources already present, reduce duplication, and make it easier for families to get help quickly instead of relying only on grant dollars.
What role does outreach play in these projects?
Outreach is emphasized as a way to identify families who could benefit from support, link them to community resources, and empower caregivers to promote their children's healthy social and emotional development. The intended approach is supportive and voluntary.
Is evaluation required as part of the grant?
Yes. Evaluation is described as a core requirement. Each project must actively participate with a designated evaluation Technical Assistance provider in a rigorous, site-specific evaluation.
What is the evaluation expected to cover?
The evaluation focus includes using data to improve services and processes over time, demonstrating clear connections between implemented strategies and measurable improvements in outcomes, and conducting a local evaluation that examines both implementation (how well the model was put into practice) and outcomes (what changed for families and the system).
Why does the FOA refer to these projects as "demonstration projects"?
They are demonstration projects because the expectation is that grantees will generate credible learning that can inform broader child maltreatment prevention and family strengthening work, beyond a single site.
What is the project period for awards under this opportunity?
The opportunity is designed to fund five-year demonstration projects.
How much funding is available per award?
The award ceiling listed is $550,000.
How many awards were anticipated?
ACF anticipated making about four awards.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 93.670.
What is the funding activity category for this grant?
The funding activity category is Income Security and Social Services.
When were applications due?
Applications were due July 3, 2018.
How were applications required to be submitted?
Electronic submissions were required by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes a broad range of entities, including state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education where specified); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other eligible applicants as further clarified in the FOA text.
Can nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status apply?
Yes. The eligibility description explicitly includes nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, with the note that some exclusions may apply as specified in the FOA text.
Can for-profit organizations apply?
Yes. The eligibility description includes for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and also lists small businesses as eligible.
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations are included in the listed eligible applicants.
Are schools and universities eligible applicants?
Independent school districts and public and private institutions of higher education are listed among eligible entities, with the caveat that certain exclusions may apply where specified in the FOA text.
What is the expected impact on child welfare referrals?
Projects are intended to reduce referrals by improving the availability, accessibility, and coordination of community-based services that can stabilize families and support safe, healthy child development.
What does the program mean by "protective factors"?
The FOA describes building on existing protective factors as part of strengthening families early. In this context, protective factors are the strengths and supports that can help caregivers and families stay stable and reduce risk before concerns rise to the level of formal child welfare involvement.
Does the program require a coordinated continuum of prevention supports?
Yes. The FOA prioritizes systems-building activities, including coordinating a network of community-based services and organizing them into a clearer continuum of preventative supports.
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|---|
| Strengthening Child Welfare Systems to Achieve Expected Child and Family Outcomes Apply for HHS 2018 ACF ACYF CO 1360 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACF ACYF CO 1360 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - ACYF/CB Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,610,000 |
| Native American Elder Justice Initiative Apply for HHS 2018 ACL AOA IERC 0292 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACL AOA IERC 0292 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Implementation Grants Apply for HHS 2018 ACL AOD DDTI 0303 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACL AOD DDTI 0303 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Basic Center Program Apply for HHS 2018 ACF ACYF CY 1354 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACF ACYF CY 1354 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children Families - ACYF/FYSB Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Sexual Risk Avoidance Education Program Apply for HHS 2018 ACF ACYF SR 1358 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACF ACYF SR 1358 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children Families - ACYF/FYSB Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $450,000 |
| Direct Services for Survivors of Torture Apply for HHS 2018 ACF ORR ZT 1356 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACF ORR ZT 1356 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - ORR Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $450,000 |
| National Alzheimer's Call Center Apply for HHS 2018 ACL AOA ADCC 0306 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACL AOA ADCC 0306 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,233,571 |
| Alzheimer's Disease Programs to States and Communities Apply for HHS 2018 ACL AOA ADPI 0307 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACL AOA ADPI 0307 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Technical Assistance to the Survivors of Torture Program Apply for HHS 2018 ACF ORR ZT 1357 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACF ORR ZT 1357 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - ORR Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Innovations in Nutrition Programs and Services Apply for HHS 2018 ACL AOA INNU 0300 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACL AOA INNU 0300 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Using Digital Marketing to Increase Participation in the Child Support Program Apply for HHS 2018 ACF OCSE FD 1368 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACF OCSE FD 1368 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - OCSE Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $170,000 |
| State of the States in Developmental Disabilities-On-going Data Collection and Information Dissemination Apply for HHS 2018 ACL AOD DNPA 0293 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACL AOD DNPA 0293 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| Head Start and/or Early Head Start Grantee -- City of New Haven in New Haven County, Connecticut Apply for HHS 2018 ACF OHS CH R01 1381 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACF OHS CH R01 1381 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - OHS Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $7,338,347 |
| Refugee Technical Assistance Program Apply for HHS 2018 ACF ORR RB 1361 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACF ORR RB 1361 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - ORR Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,200,000 |
| Center for Research on Hispanic Children and Families Apply for HHS 2018 ACF OPRE PH 1378 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACF OPRE PH 1378 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - OPRE Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,050,000 |
| Marriage Strengthening Research & Dissemination Center Apply for HHS 2018 ACF OPRE PR 1372 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACF OPRE PR 1372 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - OPRE Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Information and Planning: Understanding the Capacity of the Aging Network Apply for HHS 2018 ACL AOA PPUC 0297 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACL AOA PPUC 0297 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Serious Mental Illness Apply for HHS 2018 ACL AOD DDTI 0305 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACL AOD DDTI 0305 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $700,000 |
| Head Start and/or Early Head Start Grantee -- Cabarrus County, North Carolina Apply for HHS 2019 ACF OHS CH R04 1388 Funding Number: HHS 2019 ACF OHS CH R04 1388 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - OHS Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,302,662 |
| Head Start and/or Early Head Start Grantee -- Harrison County, Mississippi Apply for HHS 2019 ACF OHS CH R04 1389 Funding Number: HHS 2019 ACF OHS CH R04 1389 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - OHS Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $9,928,779 |
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