Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2012 ACF ACYF CO 0315
Apply for HHS 2012 ACF ACYF CO 0315
- The Administration for Children and Families in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Child Welfare Early Education Partnerships to Expand Protective Factors for Children with Child Welfare Involvement" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.652 Adoption Opportunities.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 11, 2012 and posted on Apr 11, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 11, 2012 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.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: City or township governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments Small businesses For profit organizations other than small businesses County governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).
- Early Head Start agencies and Head Start agencies may apply. Faith based and community organizations that meet eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity announcement. Individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorship organizations are not eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement.
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Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity titled "Child Welfare - Early Education Partnerships to Expand Protective Factors for Children with Child Welfare Involvement" (Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2012-ACF-ACYF-CO-0315) is a discretionary grant program offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF). Its central aim is to improve the social-emotional and behavioral well-being of very young children (from birth through age 5) who are involved with child welfare systems or who are at risk of entering foster care, along with supporting their families. The program is designed around the idea that early childhood is a critical developmental window, and that coordinated, high-quality early care and education services can help buffer the effects of adversity and reduce longer-term harm.
A key requirement of this opportunity is true partnership and shared implementation between child welfare agencies and early childhood systems. Applicants are expected to show clear commitment from the appropriate state, local, or tribal child welfare agency and from one or more early care and education agencies. In practical terms, this means the proposal should not be a standalone effort by one organization; it should demonstrate a coordinated plan for how systems will work together, share responsibilities, align procedures, and sustain collaboration. The grant emphasizes building infrastructure and capacity between systems, such as improving referral pathways, coordinating case practices, creating shared protocols, and making sure children touched by child welfare have more consistent access to comprehensive, high-quality early learning environments and related supports.
The projects supported under this FOA are expected to promote multidisciplinary interventions that strengthen protective factors and reduce the impact of adverse experiences. While the announcement does not limit applicants to a single model, it encourages projects that either develop new collaborative approaches or replicate/adapt existing models that have shown promise. A strong proposal would typically focus on how partners will identify young children in need, connect them quickly to appropriate early education services, and address developmental, behavioral, and family support needs in a coordinated way. The overall orientation is prevention and early intervention: improving developmental trajectories by stabilizing care environments, strengthening caregiving capacity, and ensuring young children receive early learning opportunities that meet their needs.
Funding for the program was estimated at $2.5 million in total, with about 10 awards anticipated. Individual awards ranged from a floor of $25,000 to a ceiling of $250,000, and there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The activity category is listed under Income Security and Social Services, and the CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 93.652 (Adoption Opportunities). The funding instrument type is a grant.
Eligibility is broad and includes state governments, county and city/township governments, federally recognized tribal governments, and other tribal organizations. Eligible applicants also include nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education), small businesses, and for-profit organizations other than small businesses. The announcement explicitly states that Early Head Start and Head Start agencies may apply, and that faith-based and community organizations are eligible if they meet program requirements. At the same time, individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorship organizations are not eligible to apply.
The FOA was posted on April 11, 2012, with an application deadline of June 11, 2012, by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time for electronic submissions, and it was archived on June 12, 2012. Applicants needing help accessing the full announcement were directed to the ACF Applications Help Desk (appsupport@acf.hhs.gov). Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a systems-building grant meant to close gaps between child welfare and early childhood services, so that infants and preschool-aged children affected by maltreatment risk and foster care involvement are identified earlier, served more consistently, and supported through coordinated interventions that strengthen resilience and healthy development.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Child Welfare - Early Education Partnerships to Expand Protective Factors for Children with Child Welfare Involvement."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is HHS-2012-ACF-ACYF-CO-0315.
Which federal agency is offering this grant?
This is a discretionary grant program offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF).
What is the main purpose of the grant?
The central aim is to improve the social-emotional and behavioral well-being of very young children (birth through age 5) who are involved with child welfare systems or at risk of entering foster care, and to support their families through coordinated early care and education partnerships.
Who is the target population for services under this grant?
The focus is on children from birth through age 5 who are involved with child welfare systems or who are at risk of entering foster care, along with their families.
Why does the program focus on early childhood (birth to age 5)?
The program is built around the idea that early childhood is a critical developmental window, and that coordinated, high-quality early care and education services can buffer the effects of adversity and reduce longer-term harm.
Is this a program grant for direct services, or a systems-building grant?
Based on the description, it is best understood as a systems-building grant intended to close gaps between child welfare and early childhood services by improving infrastructure and capacity for coordinated work.
What kind of partnership is required?
A key requirement is true partnership and shared implementation between child welfare agencies and early childhood systems. Applications are expected to show clear commitment from the appropriate state, local, or tribal child welfare agency and from one or more early care and education agencies.
Can one organization apply on its own without a partner?
The description indicates proposals should not be standalone efforts by one organization. The application is expected to demonstrate a coordinated plan for joint work, shared responsibilities, and sustained collaboration across systems.
What does "shared implementation" mean in practical terms?
It means partners are expected to work together to align procedures and coordinate practice, including shared responsibilities, improving referral pathways, coordinating case practices, creating shared protocols, and sustaining collaboration so children affected by child welfare can access comprehensive early learning and related supports more consistently.
What types of activities or improvements does the grant emphasize?
The grant emphasizes building infrastructure and capacity between systems, such as improving referral pathways, coordinating case practices, creating shared protocols, and ensuring more consistent access to comprehensive, high-quality early care and education environments and related supports.
Does the FOA require a specific program model or curriculum?
No single model is required based on the description. The opportunity encourages projects that develop new collaborative approaches or replicate/adapt existing models that have shown promise.
What kinds of interventions does the grant expect projects to promote?
Projects are expected to promote multidisciplinary interventions that strengthen protective factors and reduce the impact of adverse experiences for very young children affected by child welfare involvement or risk.
What does the grant mean by prevention and early intervention?
The orientation is to improve developmental trajectories by identifying young children earlier, connecting them quickly to appropriate early education services, stabilizing care environments, strengthening caregiving capacity, and ensuring early learning opportunities that meet children’s needs.
How much total funding was expected to be available?
Total funding was estimated at $2.5 million.
How many awards were anticipated?
About 10 awards were anticipated.
What was the minimum and maximum award size?
Individual awards ranged from a floor of $25,000 to a ceiling of $250,000.
Is cost sharing or a match required?
No. The opportunity states there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
What is the funding instrument type?
The funding instrument type is a grant.
What activity category is this opportunity listed under?
The activity category is listed under Income Security and Social Services.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 93.652 (Adoption Opportunities).
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes state governments; county governments; city or township governments; federally recognized tribal governments; other tribal organizations; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education); small businesses; and for-profit organizations other than small businesses.
Are Early Head Start and Head Start agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. The announcement explicitly states that Early Head Start and Head Start agencies may apply.
Are faith-based and community organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based and community organizations are eligible if they meet program requirements.
Who is not eligible to apply?
Individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorship organizations are not eligible to apply.
When was the FOA posted?
The FOA was posted on April 11, 2012.
What was the application deadline?
The application deadline was June 11, 2012, by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time for electronic submissions.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity was archived on June 12, 2012.
Where could applicants get help accessing the full announcement?
Applicants needing help accessing the full announcement were directed to the ACF Applications Help Desk at appsupport@acf.hhs.gov.
What is the overall goal of the grant in plain language?
The overall goal is to help infants and preschool-aged children affected by maltreatment risk and foster care involvement be identified earlier, served more consistently, and supported through coordinated child welfare and early childhood interventions that strengthen resilience and healthy development.
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| Early Head Start Grantee Bronx and New York Counties, New York Apply for HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0329 Funding Number: HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0329 Agency: Administration for Children and Families Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,841,948 |
| Head Start Grantee Cities of Patterson and Prospect Park in Passaic County, New Jersey Apply for HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0326 Funding Number: HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0326 Agency: Administration for Children and Families Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $7,169,364 |
| Head Start Grantee Orleans and Genesee Counties, New York Apply for HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0332 Funding Number: HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0332 Agency: Administration for Children and Families Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,927,431 |
| Head Start Grantee Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, and Salem Counties, New Jersey Apply for HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0333 Funding Number: HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0333 Agency: Administration for Children and Families Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $10,338,849 |
| Head Start Grantee Village of Kiryas Joel in Monroe County, New York Apply for HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0335 Funding Number: HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0335 Agency: Administration for Children and Families Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,859,389 |
| Early Head Start Grantee Cities of Patterson and Prospect Park in Passaic County, New Jersey Apply for HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0355 Funding Number: HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0355 Agency: Administration for Children and Families Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $736,024 |
| Early Head Start Grantee Orleans and Genesee Counties, New York Apply for HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0358 Funding Number: HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0358 Agency: Administration for Children and Families Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $404,300 |
| Early Head Start Grantee Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem Counties and the City of Sicklerville in Camden County, New Jersey Apply for HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0360 Funding Number: HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0360 Agency: Administration for Children and Families Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,674,141 |
| Early Head Start Grantee Village of Kiryas Joel in Monroe County, New York Apply for HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0363 Funding Number: HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0363 Agency: Administration for Children and Families Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,298,424 |
| Head Start Grantee Mayaguez, Las Marias, Maricao, Hormigueros, and Anasco Municipalities, Puerto Rico Apply for HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0432 Funding Number: HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0432 Agency: Administration for Children and Families Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $8,062,720 |
| Head Start Grantee Albany County, New York Apply for HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0456 Funding Number: HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0456 Agency: Administration for Children and Families Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $4,443,799 |
| Head Start Grantee New York, Bronx, Kings, Queens and Richmond Counties, New York Apply for HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0483 Funding Number: HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R02 0483 Agency: Administration for Children and Families Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $198,860,749 |
| Head Start Grantee Brunswick, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Surry, and Sussex Counties, Virginia Apply for HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R03 0459 Funding Number: HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R03 0459 Agency: Administration for Children and Families Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,963,739 |
| Head Start Grantee City of Winchester Frederick and Clarke Counties, Virginia Apply for HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R03 0460 Funding Number: HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R03 0460 Agency: Administration for Children and Families Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,061,450 |
| Head Start Grantee Cities of Staunton, Waynesboro, and Harrisonburg, and Augusta, Bath, Highland, and Rockingham Counties, Virginia Apply for HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R03 0462 Funding Number: HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R03 0462 Agency: Administration for Children and Families Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $2,114,710 |
| Head Start Grantee Berks County, Pennsylvania Apply for HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R03 0463 Funding Number: HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R03 0463 Agency: Administration for Children and Families Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $4,604,155 |
| Head Start Grantee Calvert, Charles, and St. Marys Counties, Maryland Apply for HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R03 0466 Funding Number: HHS 2013 ACF OHS CH R03 0466 Agency: Administration for Children and Families Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $4,424,890 |
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