[Federal Register: May 5, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 88)]
[Notices]
[Page 26224-26232]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05my00-109]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
[Program Announcement No. CFDA 93.576]
Notice of Availability of FY 2000 Discretionary Funds for Refugee
Community and Family Strengthening and Integration--Program Name:
Community and Family Strengthening and Integration
AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), ACF, DHHS.
ACTION: Notice of availability of FY 2000 discretionary funds for
refugee Community and Family Strengthening and Integration.
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SUMMARY: ORR invites eligible entities to submit competitive grant
applications for Priority Area One: Community and Family Strengthening
and Integration for Refugees, and Priority Area Two: Technical
Assistance for the Integration of Refugees and Refugee Families into
American Communities.
Applications will be accepted pursuant to the Director's
discretionary authority under section 412(c) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (INA)(8 U.S.C. 1522), as amended.
Applications will be screened and evaluated as indicated in this
program announcement. Awards will be contingent on the outcome of the
competition and the availability of funds.
DATES: The closing date for submission of applications is July 5, 2000.
See Part III of this announcement for more information on submitting
applications.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anna Mary Portz at (202) 401-1196,
APortz@ACF.DHHS.GOV. Application materials are also available at the
Office of Refugee Resettlement, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW, Washington
DC 20447 and on the ORR website at www.acf.dhhs.gov/program/orr.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This program announcement consists of four
parts:
Part I: Background, legislative authority, funding availability,
CFDA Number, applicant eligibility, project and budget periods, and for
each of the two priority areas--program purpose and scope, allowable
activities, and review criteria.
Part II: The Review Process--Intergovernmental review, initial ACF
screening, and competitive review.
Part III: The Application--application forms, application
submission and deadlines, certifications, general instructions for
preparing a full project description, and length of application.
Part IV: Post-award--regulations, treatment of program income, and
reporting.
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13): Public reporting
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 16
hours, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of
information. The following information collections are included in the
program announcement: OMB Approval No. 0970-0139, ACF UNIFORM PROJECT
DESCRIPTION (UPD) which expires 10/31/2000 and OMB Approval No. 0970-
0036, ORR Quarterly Performance Report (QPR). 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.
Part I
Background
This announcement is the fifth iteration of the Community and
Family Strengthening and Integration (CFSI) program. In FY 1994, ORR
first announced the Refugee Community and Family Strengthening (CFS)
Program as Program Area One of the Omnibus Discretionary Social
Services Announcement (59 FR 26070 (05/18/94).
The announcement distinguished program areas by activities directed
at strengthening refugee communities and those directed at refugee
families, and further between large urban areas and smaller urban or
rural areas. ``Many
[[Page 26225]]
American communities with high concentrations of refugees have
increased need for better communication and cooperation among agencies
in order to increase program effectiveness, to provide services that
are in touch with the needs of the refugee population, and to avoid
duplication or fragmentation of services. Some of these communities
have experienced a range of social and economic problems among refugee
populations, particularly with regard to refugee women, youth, elderly,
and in those sectors characterized by a high incidence of crime,
violence, and neighborhood deterioration.''
This announcement continues to encourage service planners and
providers to consider the unmet needs of refugee families and
communities in the context of existing services. Through the CFSI
program ORR intends to promote a local planning process where service
providers and community members come together to assess how the
existing services are serving refugees and what additional activities
might be funded with cost-sharing support. By placing importance on
communities reaching consensus with regard to projects, ORR seeks to
strengthen cooperation among local service providers, community
leaders, Mutual Assistance Associations, voluntary agencies, churches,
and other public and private organizations involved in refugee
resettlement, family, youth, and child welfare, and community mental
health services. ORR intends that this process will build strategic
partnerships among these groups to expand their capacity to serve the
social and economic needs of refugees and to give support and direction
to ethnic community participation.
The trauma refugee families may experience as a result of
persecution or flight may be destabilizing to family life. Single-
parent refugee families are likely to face the same stresses as U.S.
single-parent families. Finally, they may live in low-income
neighborhoods with higher crime rates than expected and without the
benefit of an ethnic community to provide information, guidance,
protection and support.
Through the CFSI program and other experience, ORR has come to
recognize that refugee families residing in U.S. communities encounter
significant differences in child rearing practices compared to the
ethnic or national customs of their country of origin. Traditional
cultures with a strong authoritarian parental role may frequently be at
odds with American child rearing practices. These basic differences
frequently create conflict within refugee families on how best to raise
children. Further, as a result of these factors, a small number of
refugee families encounter and may require the assistance of child
protective services and other services of the judicial system. These
experiences may not be easily understood by the refugee family and the
larger refugee community leading to confusion and fear of U.S. child
welfare and child protective systems. Children may also confront
conflicts in fitting in with their peers or finding a sense of
belonging in the schools and social groups, at the same time meeting
the expectations of their parents.
Many U.S. community public services do not have the cultural
expertise or language capability to work effectively with refugee
families. While the Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandates equal access to
public services, frequently public resources are limited, and cultural
and linguistic capacity is seldom available for refugee families.
In recent years, ORR has funded initiatives for recreation for
refugee youth, crime prevention among refugee youth, parenting classes,
and intergenerational activities. It has become clear over time that a
productive relationship with child welfare services, child protective
services, childcare services, youth shelters and other youth programs
such as Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA, YWCA, after school programs, is
also needed to promote the refugee families' capacity to care for their
children and youth safely in their new communities.
The goal in all CFSI projects should be to build and strengthen the
community's capacity to serve its members regardless of language,
cultural, or ethnic differences, and to improve the quality of life and
standard of living for refugee families.
Legislative Authority
This program is authorized by Section 412(c)(1)(A) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)(8 U.S.C. 1522(a)(1)(A), as
amended, which authorizes the Director ``to make grants to, and enter
into contracts with, public or private nonprofit agencies for projects
(such as) (i) * * * professional refresher training, and other
recertification services; (ii) to provide training in English where
necessary (regardless of whether the refugees are employed or receiving
cash or other assistance); and (iii) to provide where specific needs
have been shown and recognized by the Director, health (including
mental health) services, social services, educational and other
services.'' The FY 2000 Appropriation Act for the Department of Health
and Human Services (Pub. L. 106-113) appropriates funds for refugee and
entrant assistance activities authorized by these provisions of the
INA.
As with all programs funded by appropriations pursuant to the
Refugee Act, eligibility for these services is limited to persons who
meet all requirements of 45 CFR 400.43 (as amended by 65 FR 15409 (03/
22/00)) and 45 CFR 401.2 (Cuban and Haitian entrants), referred to
collectively as ``refugees''. Further, the intent of this announcement
is to target primarily refugees who have arrived within the last five
years and to give special consideration to the needs of refugee
children and youth within those families.
Funding Availability
ORR expects to award $5.8 million in FY 2000 discretionary social
service funds through this announcement. Approximately 18 projects will
be awarded under Priority Area One: Community and Family Strengthening
and Integration in amounts ranging from $150,000-$400,000, in three
program areas--(1) Integration into U.S. Communities, (2) Family
Strengthening, (3) Community Strengthening. ORR will award one
cooperative agreement of approximately $800,000 under Priority Area
Two: Integration Technical Assistance.
The Director reserves the right to award less, or more, than the
funds described, in the absence of worthy applications, or under such
other circumstances as may be deemed to be in the best interest of the
government.
CFDA Number-93.576
Applicant Eligibility
Public and private nonprofit organizations, including current CFS
grantees whose projects end on September 30, 2000, are eligible to
apply for ORR grants. An applicant may submit only one application per
priority area, under this announcement. However, they may be involved
in providing services under this announcement as a member of a
coalition in which another agency is the applicant.
Any private nonprofit organization submitting an application must
submit proof of its nonprofit status at the time of submission. A
nonprofit agency can accomplish this by providing a copy of the
applicant's listing in the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) most recent
list of tax-exempt organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the
IRS code or by providing a copy of the currently valid IRS tax
exemption certificate.
[[Page 26226]]
Project and Budget Periods
This announcement invites applications for project periods up to
three years. Awards, on a competitive basis, will be for a one-year
budget period although project periods may be for three years.
Applications for continuation grants funded under these awards, beyond
the one-year budget period but within the three-year project period,
will be entertained in subsequent years on a noncompetitive basis,
subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the grantee
and a determination that continued funding would be in the best
interest of the Government.
Priority Area One: CFSI
Purpose and Scope--This program announcement governs the
availability of, and award procedures, for the FY 2000 Community and
Family Strengthening and Integration Program and provides an
opportunity for States and nonprofit organizations to request funding
for activities which supplement and complement employment-related
services by strengthening refugee families and communities and by
enhancing their integration into mainstream society. ORR is interested
in funding Priority Area One, CFSI projects, in three program areas:
(1) Integration into U.S. Communities
(2) Family Strengthening
(3) Community Strengthening
Applications may include activities in more than one program area.
Applicants will designate the area under which they wish to be
considered. ORR is particularly interested in projects which are
planned and implemented through coalitions, address refugee needs for
cultural and linguistic access to services, and provide cost-sharing
support.
Coalitions
Refugee programs and local organizations, which have not already
done so, are encouraged to build coalitions for the purpose of
providing services funded under this Program Area. ORR strongly
encourages single applications from partnerships or consortia of three
or more eligible organizations. Partners may be in the refugee services
provider community of organizations and institutions, or in mainstream
services organizations, e.g., public or private child welfare and child
protective services, child care coalitions, community mental health
services, women's shelters, or adult basic and continuing education
providers. Collaboration may also include the Mayor's office, school
parent-teacher groups, school counselors, local police departments, and
other mainstream community service organizations.
All applicants should demonstrate existing refugee community
support for their agency and their proposed project. If the applicant
is located in an area where no other organizations work with refugees,
and a coalition with other organizations is not possible, the applicant
should demonstrate how the proposed services will be effectively
provided by a single agency.
In this context, ORR is defining partnership as a negotiated
arrangement among organizations that provides for a substantive,
collaborative role for each of the partners in the planning and conduct
of the project. Applications which represent a coalition of providers
should include a signed partnership agreement stating a commitment or
an intent to commit or receive resources from the prospective
partner(s) contingent upon receipt of ORR funds, and for the lead
agency, which is to be the fiscal agent, a copy of the most recent
audit report. The agreement should state how the partnership
arrangement relates to the objectives of the project. The applicant
should also include: supporting documentation identifying the
resources, experience, and expertise of the partner(s); evidence that
the partner(s) has been involved in the planning of the project; and a
discussion of the role of the partner(s) in the implementation and
conduct of the project.
Cultural and Linguistic Compatibility
In all cases, regardless of the nature of the organization proposed
to provide services or conduct activities funded under this
announcement, the services/activities should be conducted in a manner
linguistically and culturally compatible with the refugee families or
communities to be served. In addition, the applicant must describe how
proposed providers will have access to the families and to the
community to be served.
In planning the project, applicants must include representatives of
the target population and relevant public and private agencies active
in service delivery in the proposed activity areas. As examples, a
project being designed for refugee youth must include both refugee
youth and public and private youth service providers among the
planners; an applicant proposing English language and literacy for
homebound refugee women must involve them along with ELT and literacy
practitioners in the planning.
Furthermore, if interpreters are proposed in the first budget
period, applicant must demonstrate how these staff will be used in
subsequent years of the project, and whether they will be trained to
assume an integral role in the project, such as to become service
providers.
Applicants and any proposed partners should provide evidence that
their governing bodies, boards of directors, or advisory bodies are
representative of the refugee communities being served and have both
male and female representation.
Cost-Sharing
Long-range viability for CFSI services may depend on: linkages to
activities funded by other sources, the availability of expertise in
the community, the likelihood of tangible results, the willingness of
the community to participate actively including volunteer commitment in
assuring the success of the project, and ultimately the community's
capacity to continue the activity without additional ORR resources
beyond the three-year project period.
Cost-sharing'' is used here to refer to any situation in which the
grantee shares in the costs of a project. The term ``recipient
contributions'' refers to costs borne by the grantee, either through
cash outlay or the provision of services. ``In-kind contributions''
means the value of goods and/or services donated by third parties.
Grantees are not considered as providing ``in-kind contributions.'' The
cost-sharing or in-kind contribution costs are subject to the rules
governing allowability in 45 CFR 74.23 or 92.24, including allowability
under the applicable cost principles and conformance with other terms
and conditions of the award that govern the expenditure of Federal
funds.
Grantees must provide at least ten percent of the total approved
cost of the project for the first year, 25% for the second year, and 40
percent for the third year. 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. Therefore, a project requesting $675,000 in Federal
funds (based on an award of $225,000 per budget period) must provide
cost-sharing of at least $22,500, ten percent in the first 12-month
budget period. In subsequent continuation applications, the grantee
will be asked to document receipt of non-ORR funds from other
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sources. If the second year request is for a Federal share of $225,000,
the grantee would be required to provide, at a minimum, cost-sharing of
$75,000, or 25 percent of the full budget. In the third year, the
grantee might propose to cost-share 50% of the project (must be at
least 40%), and the Federal share would be an equal amount.
Grantees will be held accountable for commitments of non-Federal
resources even if over the amount of the required cost-sharing. Failure
to provide the amount will result in disallowance of Federal share.
Income generated from activities funded under this program shall be
``used to finance the nonfederal share of'' (ref.: 45 CFR 74.24 and
92.25) the project.
Applicants are urged to plan for the use of these funds in a manner
that complements other Federal, State, and private funds available to
assist the target populations and to carry out similar programs and
activities.
Allowable Activities
ORR will consider applications for services which an applicant
justifies, based on an analysis of service needs and available
resources to address the social and economic problems and integration
needs of refugee families and of the refugee community. It should be
clear what is the goal or expected outcome of the activity, how it
responds to the particular needs of families in that community or to a
broader need of the community of families, who is committed to do what
in order to accomplish this goal, and how the proposed activity fits
into the existing network of services. An application may include
activities in more than one program area. In selecting the program area
against which the application will compete, applicants should consider
the nature of outcomes for which they will be accountable. In instances
where an applicant proposes activities which cut across program areas,
the choice of program area should correspond to the proposed results or
outcomes.
The specific services proposed may be as diverse as the refugee
populations and the resettlement communities themselves. Proposed
activities and services should be planned in conjunction with existing
service providers and should supplement and complement these services.
Refugee families face many challenges when resettling in U.S.
communities: family relationships may undergo stress and change; strong
authoritarian and sometimes patriarchal family structures may provoke
conflicts; schools and parents have different relationships; the range
of freedom American youths are afforded may concern refugee parents;
and discipline practices and spousal relations may differ from what is
preferred or legal in the U.S. Typically income levels of refugee
households dictate that they are often located in neighborhoods with
high crime rates. Special attention should be placed on enhancing
refugee access to services available to all citizens, including those
community institutions which serve youth, women, or special needs
populations.
Listed below are some examples of allowable activities organized by
program area:
Program Area One: Integration Into U.S. Communities
Activities designed to inform and orient the refugee community
regarding issues essential to effective participation in the new
society.
Assistance to parents in connecting with the school system and
other local community organizations.
Training and assistance for refugee women to enhance their
integration and afford them full opportunities to participate in
community development.
Continuing education programs for U.S.-recognized re-certification
or skill-building.
Specialized English Training for groups outside the regular
classes, e.g., mothers of small children, homebound refugees with
particular attention to accessibility of site and time.
Activities designed to facilitate adjustment of status, family
reunification, and naturalization.
Activities designed to improve relations among refugees and the law
enforcement communities such as drop-in centers or neighborhood
storefronts.
Neighborhood watch programs.
Cross cultural training for the law enforcement community i.e.,
police departments, court system, mediation or dispute management
centers. (Please note: Law enforcement activities such as hiring sworn
police officers (except those who are public service officers or
community liaison officers whose job it is to work with the refugee
community), fingerprinting, incarceration, etc., are outside the scope
of allowable services under the Refugee Act and will not be considered
for funding. (Activities principally focused on parole counseling or
court advocacy will not be funded.)
Program Area Two: Family Strengthening
Promotion of access to family service agencies that support
families.
Classes and activities to support parenting skills, including
information about U.S. cultural and legal issues, (e.g.), parental
interaction with schools, family recreation, discipline practices,
practices of corporal punishment, intergenerational conflict, child
abuse, child protective services.
Development of refugee families as foster parents for refugee
children.
Cross-cultural training for child protective service agencies,
courts, county agencies, private businesses, and other organizations
that work in this area.
Orientation and information regarding U.S. family structure, roles
of men and women, divorce practices, intra-family violence
intervention, sexual harassment and coercion, techniques for protection
and agencies for refuge and support.
Training for staff and/or bi-lingual staff development for domestic
violence or runaway youth shelters, etc.
Program Area Three: Community Strengthening
Operating community centers for the delivery of services to refugee
individuals and families. Centers may also be used for information and
referral services, childcare, and community gatherings. (Costs related
to construction or renovation will not be considered, and costs for
food or beverages are not allowable).
Communities might be organized for housing cooperatives, for youth
activities, for violence intervention, for volunteer ELT and literacy
services, or for crime prevention.
Development of staff in community based organizations working
directly with refugees. Such activities may include training and
professional consultation to increase knowledge and understanding of
refugee flight and distress, and how to work with people under stress,
and to increase information and understanding of how refugees are
referred to or use mental health services.
Development of training curriculum and materials for relevant staff
development.
Orientation and information for refugees to normalize the
experience of refugee flight trauma and their reactions to the trauma,
and to seek appropriate social adjustment or mental health services.
Orientation and information on refugees and resettlement for
mainstream mental health providers and professionals who may have
refugees in their care.
The above are only examples of services. They are not intended to
limit
[[Page 26228]]
potential applicants in community planning. They are listed and
generically described without regard to the population to be served. It
will be necessary in the application to describe more specifically the
target population. For example, one activity might be appropriately
designed to serve only homebound women. Another might be designed for
teenagers and their parents. Another might be for English language
training and naturalization classes. Some might be targeted for all
members of the family. Applications should correlate a planned activity
with specific target audiences and discuss the relationship between the
proposed activities and the target population.
Funds will not be awarded to applicants who propose to engage in
activities which are designed primarily to promote the preservation of
cultural heritage or which have a political objective. ORR encourages
refugee community efforts to preserve cultural heritage, but believes
communities should support these activities with alternative funding.
Review Criteria
All priority area one applications regardless of program area
designation will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
Results or Benefits Expected--The applicant clearly described the
results and benefits to be achieved. The applicant identifies how
improvement will be measured on key indicators for refugee family well-
being or community strengthening and integration, and provides
milestones indicating progress. Proposed outcomes are tangible and
achievable within the grant project period, and the proposed monitoring
and information collection is adequately planned. (30 points)
Approach--The strategy and plan is likely to achieve the proposed
results; the proposed activities and timeframes are reasonable and
feasible. The plan describes in detail how the proposed activities will
be accomplished as well as the potential for the project to have a
positive impact on the quality of life for refugee families and
communities (1) by improving refugees' abilities to access services, to
provide mutual assistance, and to demand or create services where they
are not available; and (2) by instituting changes among service
providers to make them more accessible. (25 points)
Organization Profiles--Where coalition partners are proposed, the
applicant has described the rationale for the collaboration, each
partner agency's respective role, and how the coalition will enhance
the accomplishment of the project goals. In all cases, the applicant
describes planning consultation efforts undertaken, including
consultation with the refugee community. The proposed coalition is
appropriate with respective roles and financial responsibilities
delineated. Evidence of commitment of coalition partners in
implementing the activities is demonstrated, i.e., by letters or the
terms of the signed agreement among participants.
The applicant or coalition partners provide documented experience
in performing the proposed services as well as adequate gender balance
and constituent representation on the proposed project's advisory
board.
Assurance is provided that proposed services will be delivered in a
manner that is linguistically and culturally appropriate to the target
population.
Individual organization staff including volunteers are well-
qualified. The administrative and management features of the project,
including a plan for fiscal and programmatic management of each
activity, is described in detail with proposed start-up times, ongoing
timelines, major milestones or benchmarks, a component/project
organization chart, and a staffing chart. The applicant has provided a
copy of its most recent audit report. (25 points)
Budget and Budget Justification--The budget and narrative
justification are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and
anticipated results; the applicant makes provision for cost-sharing
(i.e. leveraging ORR funds with non-Federal funds or in-kind support)
to maintain the full budget during the overall project; the plan for
the continuation of services with phase-out of ORR grant funding over
the multi-year project period is realistic; and the applicant describes
the extent to which the award is projected to be augmented or
supplemented by other funding during and beyond the grant period (i.e.
in the second and any subsequent year), or can be integrated into other
existing service systems. (20 points)
Priority Area Two: Technical Assistance for the Integration of
Refugees and Refugee Families Into American Communities
Purpose and Scope
ORR proposes to award one cooperative agreement to provide
technical assistance and training to refugees, refugee service
agencies, and other community organizations to assist in the
integration of refugees into the mainstream of American community life.
Through this project, communities and other organizations will be
assisted in helping refugees gain access to, participate in, and
contribute to, the economic, educational, social and civic life of the
community in which they live.
The objectives of this grant are:
1. To analyze the status of refugee integration in six communities
and produce a blueprint describing those factors which contribute to
refugees being accepted--or not accepted--into the community;
2. To assist selected communities in organizing to develop an
action plan for improved community integration;
3. To provide some financial assistance to enable one or more
community agencies to carry out the plan; and,
4. To analyze the results of that effort.
As a result of this project, communities and resettlement community
organizations will be better able to assist refugees in gaining access,
in measurable ways, to local economic opportunities, community health
and mental health resources, safe and affordable housing, participation
in local school systems, and continuing education and vocational
training. The technical assistance project should be designed to
promote refugees' contributions to their communities through activities
such as neighborhood revitalization and crime watch, small business
development, bilingual staffing of local community services,
naturalization rates, and participation in the community civic
activities.
Under this cooperative agreement, ORR intends to: (1) Assist in
developing key indicators of integration; (2) participate in the
selection and field reviews of the six selected community sites; (3)
review all written materials prior to their release; and (4) review and
approve proposed workshops, meetings, and agenda.
The grantee will be required to: (1) Identify community agencies
and institutions with the capacity and commitment to engage
constructively with refugee communities and to provide them services;
(2) analyze refugee community's access to services through field
interviews and other assessment strategies, and prepare a blueprint of
findings; (3) prepare, in collaboration with the community, an action
plan for mobilizing public and private community agencies, businesses,
and institutions to increase opportunities for refugees to become self-
sufficient and more fully integrated into the mainstream life of the
community; (4) provide, through a competitive process, sub-grant funds
for implementation of the action plan; and (5) prepare and disseminate
reports on
[[Page 26229]]
refugee community characteristics, achievements, and best practices.
Approximately $800,000 has been allocated for this project. Of this
amount, $350,000 has been allocated for the purposes of the technical
assistance grant. An additional $450,000 is available to the technical
assistance grantee to provide funding for a local agency or consortium
of agencies to implement the community action plan in up to three sites
at up to $150,000 per site.
Allowable Activities
Applicants may propose all or a combination of the activities
suggested below as well as other activities which support the purposes
of this priority area:
Assess the local economic and social conditions, including poverty
and isolation, transportation, health and mental health services, local
coordination of, or linkage to, resources and services, existing
housing stock, labor market opportunities, and the interaction among
refugees, immigrant communities, and other local residents.
Assess local organizational strengths and weaknesses, refugee
community needs, and the impact of refugees on the local community.
Analyze access to culturally and linguistically appropriate
services by generation cohort (elderly, youth, etc.) and gender.
Facilitate the flow and exchange of community information on
resources, services, and opportunities, developing a blueprint for
refugee integration.
Engage State and county agencies and community advocates in program
planning and community development.
Assist local organizations in developing partnerships and an action
plan for local refugee integration.
Review Criteria
Priority Area Two applications will be evaluated according to the
following criteria:
Results or Benefits Expected--The applicant clearly described the
results and benefits to be achieved, such as improvement along key
indicators for refugee integration, and the production of best
practices manuals or training materials. (25 points)
Approach--The technical assistance plan is clearly described and
appropriate; the proposed activities and timeframes are reasonable and
feasible. The plan describes in detail how the proposed activities will
be accomplished. (25 points)
Organization Profiles--The applicant demonstrates the capacity of
the organization to achieve the project's objectives. Organizational
expertise and experience in community development and in the provision
of technical assistance activities are described and are appropriate
for this project. (25 points)
Budget and Budget Justification--The budget is accurate,
reasonable, clearly presented, and cost-effective. (25 points)
Part II: The Review Process
Intergovernmental Review
This program is covered under Executive Order 12372,
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs, and 45 CFR part 100,
Intergovernmental Review of Department of Health and Human Services
Programs and Activities. Under the Order known as Single Point of
Contact or SPOC, States may design their own processes for reviewing
and commenting on proposed Federal assistance under covered programs.
As of November 20, 1998, the following jurisdictions have elected
not to participate in the Executive Order process: Alabama; Alaska;
American Samoa; Colorado; Connecticut; Kansas; Hawaii; Idaho;
Louisiana; Massachusetts; Minnesota; Montana; Nebraska; New Jersey;
Ohio; Oklahoma; Oregon; Palau; Pennsylvania; South Dakota; Tennessee;
Vermont; Virginia; and Washington. Applicants from these jurisdictions
or for projects administered by federally recognized Indian Tribes need
take no action in regard to E.O. 12372.
Applicants from participating jurisdictions should contact their
SPOCs as soon as possible to alert them of the prospective applications
and receive instructions. Applicants must submit any required material
to the SPOCs as soon as possible so that the program office can obtain
and review SPOC comments as part of the award process. The applicant
must submit any required materials to the SPOC and indicate the date of
this submittal (or the date of contact if no submittal is required) on
the Standard Form 424, item 16a.
Under 45 CFR 100.8(a)(2), a SPOC has 60 days from the application
deadline to comment on proposed new or competing continuation awards.
SPOCs are encouraged to eliminate the submission of routine
endorsements as official recommendations. Additionally, SPOCs are
requested to clearly differentiate between mere advisory comments and
those official State process recommendations which may trigger the
``accommodate or explain'' rule.
When comments are submitted directly to ACF, they should be
addressed to: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration
for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement, 370 L'Enfant
Promenade SW, 6th Floor, Washington DC, 20447 ATTN: Ms. Daphne Weeden.
A list of the Single Points of Contact for each participating State
and Territory can be found on the web at: http://www.dhhs.gov/progorg/
grantsnet/laws-reg/spoq0695.htm.
Initial ACF Screening
Each application submitted under this program announcement will
undergo a pre-review to determine that (1) the application was received
by the closing date and submitted in accordance with the instructions
in this announcement and (2) the applicant is eligible for funding.
Competitive Review and Evaluation Criteria
Applications which pass the initial ACF screening will be evaluated
and rated by an independent review panel on the basis of evaluation
criteria specified in Part I. The evaluation criteria were designed to
assess the quality of a proposed project, and to determine the
likelihood of its success. The evaluation criteria are closely related
and are considered as a whole in judging the overall quality of an
application. Points are awarded only to applications which are
responsive to the evaluation criteria within the context of this
program announcement.
Priority Area One applications will be scored and ranked in three
groups corresponding to the three program areas.
Part III: The Application
In order to be considered for a grant under this program
announcement, an application must be submitted on the forms supplied
and in the manner prescribed by ACF. Selected elements of the ACF
Uniform Project Description (UPD) relevant to this program announcement
are attached as an appendix.
Application Forms
Applicants for 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. Application materials including forms
and instructions are also available from the Contact named in the
preamble of this announcement.
[[Page 26230]]
Application Submission And Deadlines
An application with an original signature and two clearly
identified copies is required. Applicants must clearly indicate on the
SF424 the Priority Area under which the application is submitted, and
if Priority Area One, then also the Program Area under which the
project is to be considered.
The closing date for submission of applications is July 5, 2000.
Mailed applications postmarked after the closing date will be
classified as late.
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 to: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee
Resettlement, Attention: Ms. Daphne Weeden.
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 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 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., EST, at the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children
and Families, the Office of Refugee Resettlement, 6th Floor, Aerospace
Building, 901 D Street, SW, Washington, DC 20447 between Monday and
Friday (excluding Federal holidays). The address must appear on the
envelope/package containing the application with the note ``Attention:
Ms. Daphne Weeden.'' (Applicants are cautioned that express/overnight
mail services do not always deliver as agreed.)
ACF cannot accommodate transmission of applications by fax or
through other electronic media. Therefore, applications transmitted to
ACF electronically 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. Determinations to extend or
waive deadline requirements rest with the Chief Grants Management
Officer.
For Further Information on Application Deadlines Contact: Ms.
Daphne Weeden, Administration for Children and Families, Office of
Refugee Resettlement, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW, 6th Floor,
Washington, DC 20447, Telephone: (202) 401-4577.
Certifications, Assurances, and Disclosure Required for Non-
Construction Programs
Applicants requesting financial assistance for non-construction
projects must file the Standard Form 424B, ``Assurances: Non-
Construction Programs.'' Applicants must sign and return the Standard
Form 424B with their applications.
Applicants must provide a signed certification regarding lobbying
with their applications, 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 disclosure form to report lobbying.
Applicants must make the appropriate certification of their
compliance with the Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988. By signing and
submitting the application, the applicant is providing the
certification and need not mail back the certification with the
applications.
Applicants must make the appropriate certification that they are
not presently debarred, suspended or otherwise ineligible for an award.
By signing and submitting the application, the applicant is providing
the certification and need not mail back the certification with the
applications.
General Instructions for Preparing a Full Project Description
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. Applicants are encouraged
to provide information on their organizational structure, staff,
related experience, and other information considered relevant. Awarding
offices use this and other information to determine whether the
applicant has the capability and resources necessary to carry out the
proposed project. It is important, therefore, that this information be
included in the application. However, in the narrative the applicant
must distinguish between resources directly related to the proposed
project from those that will not be used in support of the specific
project for which funds are requested. Please refer to the UPD sections
in the appendix.
Length of Applications
Each application narrative should not exceed 25 double-spaced pages
in a 12-pitch font. Attachments and appendices should not exceed 25
pages and should be used only to provide supporting documentation such
as administration charts, position descriptions, resumes, and letters
of intent or partnership agreements. Each page should be numbered
sequentially, including the attachments or appendices. This limitation
of 25 pages per program area should be considered as a maximum, and not
necessarily a goal.
Please do not include books or videotapes as they are not easily
reproduced and are, therefore, inaccessible to the reviewers.
Part IV: Post-Award
Applicable Regulations--Applicable DHHS grant administration
regulations can be found in 45 CFR part 74 or 92.
Treatment of Program Income
Program income from activities funded under this program may be
retained by the recipient and added to the funds committed to the
project through cost-sharing, and used to further program objectives.
Reporting Requirements
Grantees are required to file the Financial status Report (SF-269)
and Program Performance Reports on a semi-annual basis. Funds issued
under these awards must be accounted for and reported upon separately
from all other grant activities. Although ORR does not expect the
proposed projects to include evaluation activities, it does expect
[[Page 26231]]
grantees to maintain adequate records to track and report on project
outcomes and expenditures. The official receipt point for all reports
and correspondence is the ORR Grants Officer, Ms. Daphne Weeden,
Administration for Children and Families/Office of Refugee
Resettlement, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW, 6th Floor, Washington, DC
20447, Telephone: (202) 401-4577. An original and one copy of each
report shall be submitted within 30 days of the end of each reporting
period directly to the Grants Officer.
A Final Financial and Program Report shall be due 90 days after the
project expiration date or termination of Federal budget support.
Dated: May 1, 2000.
Lavinia Limon,
Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement.
Appendix I--Uniform Project Description--Overview OMB No. 0970-0139
Expires 10/31/00
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. Applicants are encouraged to provide information on
their organizational structure, staff, related experience, and other
information considered to be relevant. Awarding offices use this and
other information to determine whether the applicant has the
capability and resources necessary to carry out the proposed
project. It is important, therefore, that this information be
included in the application. However, in the narrative the applicant
must distinguish between resources directly related to the proposed
project from those that will not be used in support of the specific
project for which funds are requested.
General Instructions
Cross-referencing should be used rather than repetition. ACF is
particularly interested in specific factual information and
statements of measurable goals in quantitative terms. Project
descriptions are evaluated on the basis of substance, not length.
Extensive exhibits are not required. (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.
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 outside the scope of the program
announcement.
Results or Benefits Expected
Identify the results and benefits to be derived. For example,
when applying for a grant to establish a neighborhood child care
center, describe who will occupy the facility, who will use the
facility, how the facility will be used, and how the facility will
benefit the community which it will serve.
Approach
Outline a plan of action which 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
which 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
microloans made. When accomplishments cannot be quantified by
activity or function, list them in chronological order to show the
schedule of accomplishments and their target dates.
Identify the kinds of data to be collected, maintained, and/or
disseminated. Note that clearance from the U.S. Office of Management
and Budget might be needed prior to a ``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.
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.
Staff and Position Data
Provide a biographical sketch for each key person appointed and
a job description for each vacant key position. A biographical
sketch will also be required for new key staff as appointed.
Organization Profiles
Provide information on the applicant organization(s) and
cooperating partners such as organizational charts, financial
statements, audit reports or statements from CPAs/Licensed Public
Accountants, Employer Identification Numbers, names of bond
carriers, contact persons and telephone numbers, child care licenses
and other documentation of professional accreditation, information
on compliance with Federal/State/local government standards,
documentation of experience in the program area, and other pertinent
information. Any non-profit organization submitting an application
must submit proof of its non-profit status in its application at the
time of submission. The non-profit agency can accomplish this by
providing a copy of the applicant's listing in the Internal Revenue
Service's (IRS) most recent list of tax-exempt organizations
described in Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code, or by providing a
copy of the currently valid IRS tax exemption certificate, or by
providing a copy of the articles of incorporation bearing the seal
of the State in which the corporation or association is domiciled.
Dissemination Plan
Provide a plan for distributing reports and other project
outputs to colleagues and the public. Applicants must provide a
description of the kind, volume and timing of distribution.
Third-Party Agreements
Include written 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.
Budget and Budget Justification
Provide 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. The detailed budget must also include
a breakout by the funding sources identified in Block 15 of the SF-
424.
Provide a narrative budget justification that describes how the
categorical costs are derived. Discuss the necessity,
reasonableness, and allocability of the proposed costs.
[[Page 26232]]
General
The following guidelines are for preparing the budget and budget
justification. Both Federal and non-Federal resources shall be
detailed and justified in the budget and narrative justification.
For purposes of preparing the budget and budget justification,
``Federal resources'' refers only to the ACF grant for which you are
applying. Non-Federal resources are all other Federal and non-
Federal resources. It is suggested that budget amounts and
computations be presented in a columnar format: first column, object
class categories; second column, Federal budget; next column(s),
non-Federal budget(s), and last column, total budget. The budget
justification should be a narrative.
Personnel
Description: Costs of employee salaries and wages.
Justification: Identify the project director or principal
investigator, if known. For each staff person, provide the title,
time commitment to the project (in months), time commitment to the
project (as a percentage or full-time equivalent), annual salary,
grant salary, wage rates, etc. Do not include the costs of
consultants or personnel costs of delegate agencies or of specific
project(s) or businesses to be financed by the applicant.
Fringe Benefits
Description: Costs of employee fringe benefits unless treated as
part of an approved indirect cost rate.
Justification: Provide a breakdown of the amounts and
percentages that comprise fringe benefit costs such as health
insurance, FICA, retirement insurance, taxes, etc.
Travel
Description: Costs of project-related travel by employees of the
applicant organization (does not include costs of consultant
travel).
Justification: For each trip, show the total number of
traveler(s), travel destination, duration of trip, per diem, mileage
allowances, if privately owned vehicles will be used, and other
transportation costs and subsistence allowances. Travel costs for
key staff to attend ACF-sponsored workshops should be detailed in
the budget.
Equipment
Description: Costs of tangible, non-expendable, personal
property, having a useful life of more than one year and an
acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit. However, an applicant
may use its own definition of equipment provided that such equipment
would at least include all equipment defined above.
Justification: For each type of equipment requested, provide a
description of the equipment, the cost per unit, the number of
units, the total cost, and a plan for use on the project, as well as
use or disposal of the equipment after the project ends. An
applicant organization that uses its own definition for equipment
should provide a copy of its policy or section of its policy which
includes the equipment definition.
Supplies
Description: Costs of all tangible personal property other than
that included under the Equipment category.
Justification: Specify general categories of supplies and their
costs. Show computations and provide other information which
supports the amount requested.
Contractual
Description: Costs of all contracts for services and goods
except for those which belong under other categories such as
equipment, supplies, construction, etc. Third-party evaluation
contracts (if applicable) and contracts with secondary recipient
organizations, including delegate agencies and specific project(s)
or businesses to be financed by the applicant, should be included
under this category.
Justification: All procurement transactions shall be conducted
in a manner to provide, to the maximum extent practical, open and
free competition. If procurement competitions were held or if
procurement without competition is being proposed, attach a list of
proposed contractors, indicating the names of the organizations, the
purposes of the contracts, the estimated dollar amounts, and the
award selection process. Justify any anticipated procurement action
that is expected to be awarded without competition and exceed the
simplified acquisition threshold fixed at 41 USC 403(11) (currently
set at Recipients might be required to make available to ACF pre-
award review and procurement documents, such as request for
proposals or invitations for bids, independent cost estimates, etc.
Note: Whenever the applicant intends to delegate part of the
project to another agency, the applicant must provide a detailed
budget and budget narrative for each delegate agency, by agency
title, along with the required supporting information referred to in
these instructions.
Other
Enter the total of all other costs. Such costs, where applicable
and appropriate, may include but are not limited to insurance, food,
medical and dental costs (noncontractual), professional services
costs, space and equipment rentals, printing and publication,
computer use, training costs, such as tuition and stipends, staff
development costs, and administrative costs.
Justification: Provide computations, a narrative description and
a justification for each cost under this category.
Indirect Charges
Description: Total amount of indirect costs. This category
should be used only when the applicant currently has an indirect
cost rate approved by the Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS) or another cognizant Federal agency.
Justification: An applicant that will charge indirect costs to
the grant must enclose a copy of the current rate agreement. If the
applicant organization is in the process of initially developing or
renegotiating a rate, it should immediately upon notification that
an award will be made, develop a tentative indirect cost rate
proposal based on its most recently completed fiscal year in
accordance with the principles set forth in the cognizant agency's
guidelines for establishing indirect cost rates, and submit it to
the cognizant agency. Applicants awaiting approval of their indirect
cost proposals may also request indirect costs. It should be noted
that when an indirect cost rate is requested, those costs included
in the indirect cost pool should not also be charged as direct costs
to the grant. Also, if the applicant is requesting a rate which is
less than what is allowed under the program, the authorized
representative of the applicant organization must submit a signed
acknowledgement that the applicant is accepting a lower rate than
allowed.
Program Income
Description: The estimated amount of income, if any, expected to
be generated from this project.
Justification: Describe the nature, source and anticipated use
of program income in the budget or refer to the pages in the
application which contain this information.
Non-Federal Resources
Description: Amounts of non-Federal resources that will be used
to support the project as identified in Block 15 of the SF-424.
Justification: The firm commitment of these resources must be
documented and submitted with the application in order to be given
credit in the review process. A detailed budget must be prepared for
each funding source.
Total Direct Charges, Total Indirect Charges, Total Project Costs
Self explanatory.
[FR Doc. 00-11258 Filed 5-4-00; 8:45 am]