93.605

93.605 FAMILY CONNECTION GRANTS

FEDERAL AGENCY:

ADMINISTRATON FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE

AUTHORIZATION:

Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008, Public

Law 110-351.

OBJECTIVES:

To provide matching grants to State, local or tribal child welfare agencies and

private nonprofit organizations that have experience in working with foster

children or children in kinship care arrangements for the purpose of helping

children who are in, or at risk of entering, foster care to reconnect with family

members.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Project Grants.

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

Grants are provided for services or activities that are consistent with the purpose

of section 102, Public Law 110-351, and may include the following: (1) a

kinship navigator program to assist kinship caregivers in learning about, finding

and using programs and services to meet the needs of the children they are

raising and their own needs, and to promote effective partnerships among public

and private agencies to ensure kinship caregiver families are served; (2)

intensive family-finding efforts that utilize search technology to find biological

family members for children in the child welfare system; (3) family group

decision-making meetings for children in the child welfare system that enable

families to make decisions and develop plans that nurture children and protect

them from abuse and neglect; and (4) residential family treatment program that

enable parent and their children to live in a safe environment for a period of not

less than 6 months.

Applicant Eligibility:

State, local or tribal child welfare agencies and private nonprofit organizations

that have experience in working with foster children or children in kinship care

arrangements.

Beneficiary Eligibility:

Public or private nonprofit agencies or organizations or tribal child welfare

agencies working with foster children or children in kinship care arrangements

or children at risk of entering foster care that help the children reconnect with

family members.

Credentials/Documentation:

Nonprofit agencies must submit proof of nonprofit status. Applicable costs and

administrative procedures will be determined in accordance with Parts 74 and 92

of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Preapplication Coordination:

Standard application forms as furnished by HHS must be used for this program.

This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:

Announcement of availability of funds is posted to www.Grants.gov. Eligible

applicants submit applications by specified deadlines.

Award Procedure:

Grant applications are reviewed by a panel of non-federal professionals with

expertise in the field of child welfare, particularly foster and kinship care.

Deadlines:

The deadline for the receipt of applications is stated in the Program

Announcement.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:

From 3 to 6 months.

Appeals:

Appeals are processed in accordance with HHS regulations in 45 CFR Part 16.

Renewals:

Projects are awarded with a provision for non-competitive renewal during the

approved award period (one to three years).

Formula and Matching Requirements:

The required match must increase over the course of the grant period, such that

grantees must contribute 25 percent of the program costs for the first and second

year of the grant and 50 percent of the program costs for the third year of the

three year grant. (Section 427(d) of the Social Security Act).

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:

Grants are available for not less than one year and not more than three years.

Renewal funding for multiple-year grants is dependent upon grantee

performance and availability of funds.

Reports:

Financial and program reports are required semiannually with a final report at

completion of the project. In addition, grants must select and track performance

indictors that measure the extent to which grant-funded activities and services

enhance the safety, permanency and well-being of children and their families.

Audits:

Audits are conducted in accordance with requirements in 45 CFR 74 and 92.

Records:

All financial records are to be maintained for 3 years after termination of the

project or until audit is completed, whichever comes first.

Account Identification:

75-1512-0-1-609.

Obligation:

FY 08 $0; FY 09 $15,000,000; and FY 10 $15,000,000. (Note: The funds in

this program are also available for contracts. The amounts for contracts cannot

be predetermined.)

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:

Up to $400,000 per grant.

PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

None. New program for FY 2009.

REGULATONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

Specific program requirements are contained in the Funding Opportunity

Announcement, the application instructions, and the HHS Grants Policy

Statement. The HHS Grants Policy Statement can be found at:

http://www.hhs.gov/grantsnet/.

Regional or Local Office:

None.

Headquarter Office:

Patricia Campiglia, Federal Project Officer, Division of Research and

Innovation, Children's Bureau, 1250 Maryland Avenue, S.W., 8th Floor,

Washington, DC 20024; Telephone: (202) 205-8060; Cathy Overbagh, Federal

Project Officer, Division of Research and Innovation, Children's Bureau, 1250

Maryland Avenue, S.W., 8th Floor, Washington, DC 20024; Telephone:

(202)205-7273.

Web site Address:

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

RELATED PROGRAMS:

93.648, Children Welfare Services Training Grants; 93.669, Child Abuse and

Neglect State Grants; 93.670, Child Abuse and Neglect Discretionary Activities;

93.645, Child Welfare Services State Grants; 93.652, Adoption Opportunities.

EAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

None.

CRITIERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:

.Applications are evaluated on the basis of the degree to which proposals meet

specific objectives defined in the program announcement including, but not

limited to: (1) organizational capacity to collaborate with other service

providers; (2) relevance of proposed services and activities in enhancing the

well-being of children in foster care, in kinship care arrangements, or at risk of

foster care and in helping the children reconnect with family members; and (3)

demonstrated ability to conduct a kinship navigator program; provide intensive

family-finding efforts that utilize search technology; conduct family group-decision

making efforts and provide residential family treatment programs.