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93.570 COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT_DISCRETIONARY
AWARDS

(Community Economic Development)

FEDERAL AGENCY

ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

AUTHORIZATION

Community Opportunities, Accountability, Training, and
Educational Services Act of 1998, Title II, Section 680, Public Law
105-285.

OBJECTIVES

To support program activities to alleviate the causes of
poverty in distressed communities which: (1) assist businesses in creating
jobs for low-income individuals, i.e., develop employment and business
development opportunities for low-income individuals; (2) a better
standard of living for rural low-income individuals in terms of water and
waste water treatment.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE

Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements).

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS

Federal funds awarded under the Secretary's Discretionary
Authority may be used for activities that: improve the quality of the
economic and social environment of low-income residents by providing
resources to eligible applicants, by arresting tendencies toward
dependency, chronic unemployment and community deterioration in urban and
rural areas; address needs of water and wastewater treatment. (1) Projects
must result in direct benefits to low-income people as defined in the most
recent Department of Health and Human Services Annual Revision of Poverty
Income Guidelines, that are published in the Federal Register and
www.grants.gov. (2) Generally, the project must be capable of being
completed within 12 to 60 months of the award of the grant. Each project
will have an expiration date. (3) OCS will give favorable consideration to
projects that document public/private partnership mobilizing cash and/or
in-kind contributions; and to projects that are located in areas
characterized by poverty and other indicators of socioeconomic distress
such as poverty or TANF assistance rate of at least 20 percent,
designation as an Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community (EZ/EC), high
levels of unemployment, high levels of violence, gang activity, crime,
drug use and/or low-income noncustodial parents of children receiving
TANF.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Applicant Eligibility

For economic development projects, eligibility is
restricted to private, locally initiated, nonprofit community development
corporations (or affiliates of such corporations) governed by a board
consisting of residents of the community and business and civic leaders.

Beneficiary Eligibility

A project must be targeted to address the needs of a
specific segment of low-income individuals or families. The official
poverty line established by the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget, published annually by the Department of Health and Human Services
is used as a criterion of eligibility in the Community Services
Discretionary Grant program.

Credentials/Documentation

Costs will be determined in accordance with the provisions
of Title 45 CFR 74.

APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS

Preapplication Coordination

This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372,
"Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should
consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact
in the State for more information on the process the State requires to be
followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program
for review. The standard application forms as furnished by DHHS and
required by Title 45 CFR, Part 74 must be used. An environmental impact
statement may be required for certain projects under this program. This
program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental
Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or
official designated as the single point of contact in the State for more
information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying
for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. The
standard application forms as furnished by DHHS and required by Title 45
CFR, Part 74 must be used. An environmental impact statement may be
required for certain projects under this program.

Application Procedure

Awards are granted on a competitive basis. Announcements
concerning the availability of funds, requests for applications, along
with application form and assurance documents, are at www.grants.gov.
Applications to the Office of Community Services for grants under the
announcement should be addressed to: OCS Operations Center 1515 Wilson
Blvd., Suite 100, Arlington, Virginia 22209. Applicants are urged to
inform and coordinate application submissions with State and local
governments where such information and coordination is appropriate or
necessary for the success of the program. This program is subject to the
provisions of Title 45 CFR, Part 74 (non-governmental entities). All
applications for assistance under this program must contain: (1) SF-424,
Application for Federal Assistance; (2) SF-424A, Budget Information; (3)
SF-424B, Assurances-Non- Construction Programs; (4) Certificate Regarding
Drug Free Workplace Requirements; (5) Certification regarding
environmental tobacco smoke; (6) Certification Regarding Debarment,
Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters; and (7) Certification
Regarding Lobbying. These must be accompanied by a detailed budget, and a
program narrative submitted in accordance with the format detailed in the
program announcement.

Award Procedure

The Director, Office of Community Services, Administration
for Children and Families (ACF), will make the final decision on all grant
awards. Selection of applicants will be determined based on the review
criteria outlined in the program announcement.

Deadlines

All information and forms required to prepare a grant are
at www.grants.gov.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

From 90 to 120 days.

Appeals

Not applicable.

Renewals

Not applicable.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula or matching
requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Generally, financial assistance made available in this
program will be for a period not to exceed 12 to 60 months, and each
project will have an expiration date. Generally, funds are released in
amounts required for a 30-day period. (NOTE: Electronic fund transfer does
not require an advance or reserve for a 30 day operating period.)

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

Reports

Semi-annual progress reports, semi-annual financial reports
and a final report summarizing the activities and accomplishments of the
project in relation to the approved goals and objectives are required by
OCS.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133
(Revised June 27, 2003)," Audits of States, Local Governments and
Non-Profit Organizations," Non-Federal entities that expend $500,000 for
fiscal years ending after December 31, 2003 or more in a year in Federal
awards shall have a single or program-specific audit conducted for that
year in accordance with the provisions of this part. Non-Federal entities
that expend less than $500,000 for fiscal years ending after December 31,
2003 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements
for that year, except as noted in section .215(a), but records must be
available for review or audit by appropriate officials of the Federal
agency, pass-through entity, and General Accounting Office (GAO).

Records

Grant recipients are required to keep all financial,
business and program reports necessary for program review and audit to
insure that funds have been expended in accordance with the regulations,
grant terms and conditions of this program. Audits and supporting records
must be kept on file for at least 3 years.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Account Identification

75-1504-0-1-506.

Obligations

(Discretionary Awards - Amounts include funds for the
Community Economic Development and Rural Community Facilities) FY 05
$34,536,000; FY 06 est $34,315,000; and FY 07 est $0.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Up to $700,000.

PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

In FY 05, 56 grants were awarded in fiscal year 2005 and it
is estimated that 53 grants will be awarded in FY 06 for the Community
Economic Development and the Rural Community Facilities programs.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE

Program announcements are on the web.

INFORMATION CONTACTS

Regional or Local Office

OCS Liaisons, stationed in - ACF.

Headquarters Office

Debra Brown, Team Leader, (202)401-3446,
[email-masked], Division of Community Discretionary Programs, Office
of Community Services, Administration for Children and Families,
Department of Health and Human Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW.,
Washington, DC 20447.

Web Site Address

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs

RELATED PROGRAMS

93.593, Job Opportunities for Low-Income Individuals.

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS

SEE OCS web-site.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS

The review criteria for selecting proposals: Specific
criteria for selecting proposals for funding are stated in each program
announcement. Notice of the criteria for awarding funds is on the web. See
the information contact section for more information.

General Services Administration
Office of Chief Acquisition
Officer
Regulatory and Federal Assistance Division (VIR)