Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2012 ACF OPRE PH 0566
Apply for HHS 2012 ACF OPRE PH 0566
- The Administration for Children and Families in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Enhanced Employment Services for Victims of Trafficking Demonstration" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.647 Social Services Research and Demonstration.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 13, 2012 and posted on Jul 13, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 13, 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 $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 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Competition for funding under this program is open only to those voluntary agencies that already provide Voluntary Agency Matching Grant Program services through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 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 Enhanced Employment Services for Victims of Trafficking Demonstration (Funding Opportunity Number HHS 2012 ACF OPRE PH 0566) is a discretionary federal grant competition run by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is led by ACFs Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) in cooperation with the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The purpose is to fund up to two demonstration projects, structured as cooperative agreements, to test whether providing more robust employment-focused assistance earlier in the service timeline can help foreign victims of trafficking move more quickly toward jobs and long-term economic stability.
At the center of the opportunity is a service gap that exists for many trafficking survivors before they are formally certified by ORR. Once an adult trafficking victim receives an ORR Certification Letter (or a child receives an Eligibility Letter), that person can access federal and state benefits and services similarly to a refugee. For adults, that can include participation in ORRs Voluntary Agency Matching Grant Program, an employment-driven program with a strong track record of helping participants find work and achieve self-sufficiency. However, to enter the Matching Grant Program, adult trafficking victims must already have ORR certification and must enroll within 31 days of becoming eligible. Many survivors are not yet certified during the period when they most need structured employment planning, job readiness help, and a bridge to stable income, and some survivors may have work authorization but still remain ineligible for Matching Grant services. This funding opportunity is designed to examine whether enhanced services offered to these groups can improve outcomes.
The primary goal of the demonstration is to determine whether engaging trafficking victims who are expected to receive ORR certification in enhanced pre-employment services improves self-sufficiency results. In practical terms, the projects are meant to deliver more intensive employment preparation and employment navigation earlier, before certification is finalized, while making sure these services complement rather than duplicate existing case management already available through ORR-funded trafficking victim service providers and through Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) funded programs at the U.S. Department of Justice. The emphasis on complementing existing services signals that applicants must coordinate carefully with current trafficking victim case management systems, avoid overlapping responsibilities, and focus grant-funded resources on the employment and economic stabilization components that are not currently being fully addressed for these pre-certified or otherwise ineligible populations.
A secondary goal is to demonstrate and evaluate a more comprehensive package of supports, similar in spirit to the Matching Grant Program model, for foreign victims of trafficking who have work authorization but are not eligible for Matching Grant services. This component acknowledges that even with work authorization, survivors can remain outside the Matching Grant eligibility rules and still face major barriers to employment, including limited English proficiency, lack of U.S. work history, credentialing issues, trauma-related needs, transportation challenges, and unstable housing. The overall desired outcome for every participant group is self-sufficiency, meaning stable employment and reduced dependence on ongoing assistance, achieved either directly through the enhanced services provided by the project or through a successful transition into the Matching Grant Program or other employment services once eligibility changes.
Because these awards are explicitly framed as demonstration projects, evaluation is not optional. Each grantee must conduct an evaluation that looks at both implementation and results. That includes examining whether services are delivered as intended to the target populations, how well the service model operates in real-world conditions, and what self-sufficiency outcomes participants achieve. The evaluation is also expected to track what happens when participants move from the demonstration services into the Matching Grant Program or other employment programs, since a major question is whether early employment engagement improves later success. Each funded project must produce a final evaluation report, positioning the work as not just direct service delivery, but also as evidence-building for federal policy and program design.
In terms of funding and award structure, ACF anticipated making two awards with an estimated total funding level of $500,000. Individual awards were expected to range from $100,000 to $250,000, and there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically means the federal program office expects substantial involvement during the project period, such as collaboration on evaluation expectations, data elements, service model fidelity, or other oversight and technical input beyond what is common in a standard grant.
Eligibility is narrowly defined. Competition is limited to voluntary agencies that already provide Voluntary Agency Matching Grant Program services through a cooperative agreement with HHS. Faith-based and community organizations can be eligible if they meet the stated requirements, but individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorships are not eligible. This eligibility restriction reflects the intent to build on existing Matching Grant infrastructure and expertise, particularly organizations that already understand the employment-focused approach, performance expectations, and operational systems used in ORR employment programming.
Key administrative details include a posted date of July 13, 2012, an application due date (original and current) of August 13, 2012, with electronic submissions due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, and an archive date of September 12, 2012. The CFDA listing is 93.647 (Social Services Research and Demonstration), and the activity category is Income Security and Social Services. Applicants seeking the full announcement were directed to ACFs grants portal, and technical help for accessing the announcement was available through the ACF Applications Help Desk at appsupport@acf.hhs.gov.
Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a targeted test of whether earlier, stronger employment engagement for foreign trafficking survivors can close timing and eligibility gaps that otherwise delay entry into effective employment programs. It funds a small number of sites to implement enhanced employment service strategies, coordinate with existing trafficking victim case management providers, and generate credible evaluation findings that can inform how ORR and partners support survivors on a path to work and long-term economic independence.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled the Enhanced Employment Services for Victims of Trafficking Demonstration.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is HHS 2012 ACF OPRE PH 0566.
Which federal agency is running this competition?
This is a discretionary federal grant competition run by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Which offices within ACF are leading the project?
The opportunity is led by ACF's Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) in cooperation with the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).
What type of award is being offered?
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, and the projects are structured as demonstration projects.
What does it mean that the award is a "cooperative agreement"?
A cooperative agreement typically means the federal program office expects substantial involvement during the project period, such as collaboration related to evaluation expectations, data elements, service model fidelity, and other oversight and technical input beyond what is common in a standard grant.
What is the main purpose of this demonstration?
The purpose is to test whether providing more robust employment-focused assistance earlier in the service timeline can help foreign victims of trafficking move more quickly toward employment and long-term economic stability.
How many projects did ACF plan to fund?
ACF anticipated funding up to two demonstration projects.
What problem or service gap is this opportunity trying to address?
The opportunity is centered on a gap that can exist before trafficking survivors are formally certified by ORR. Many survivors may not yet be certified during the period when they most need structured employment planning, job readiness help, and a bridge to stable income. Some survivors may have work authorization but still be ineligible for Matching Grant services.
How does ORR certification affect access to benefits and services?
Once an adult trafficking victim receives an ORR Certification Letter (or a child receives an Eligibility Letter), they can access federal and state benefits and services similarly to a refugee.
What is the ORR Voluntary Agency Matching Grant Program and why is it relevant here?
For adults, ORR certification can allow participation in ORR's Voluntary Agency Matching Grant Program, an employment-driven program with a strong track record of helping participants find work and achieve self-sufficiency. This funding opportunity is designed to examine whether enhanced services can improve outcomes for survivors who are not yet able to access that program (or cannot access it under its rules).
Is there a timing rule to enroll in the Matching Grant Program?
Yes. Adult trafficking victims must already have ORR certification and must enroll within 31 days of becoming eligible to enter the Matching Grant Program.
Who is the primary target population for services under this demonstration?
The primary focus is on trafficking victims who are expected to receive ORR certification and who may benefit from enhanced pre-employment services before certification is finalized.
Is there a secondary target population described in the announcement summary?
Yes. A secondary goal is to demonstrate and evaluate a more comprehensive package of supports for foreign victims of trafficking who have work authorization but are not eligible for Matching Grant services.
What kinds of barriers to employment does the opportunity highlight for participants?
The description notes barriers including limited English proficiency, lack of U.S. work history, credentialing issues, trauma-related needs, transportation challenges, and unstable housing.
What kinds of services are projects expected to provide?
The projects are intended to deliver more intensive employment preparation and employment navigation earlier in the timeline, before ORR certification is finalized, for relevant participant groups.
Do projects replace existing trafficking victim case management services?
No. The opportunity emphasizes that enhanced employment services should complement rather than duplicate existing case management already available through ORR-funded trafficking victim service providers and through Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) funded programs at the U.S. Department of Justice.
What does "complement rather than duplicate" mean for applicants?
Based on the description, it means applicants should coordinate carefully with current trafficking victim case management systems, avoid overlapping responsibilities, and focus grant-funded resources on the employment and economic stabilization components that are not currently being fully addressed for pre-certified or otherwise ineligible populations.
What outcomes is the demonstration trying to improve?
The desired outcome is self-sufficiency. In the description, this is framed as stable employment and reduced dependence on ongoing assistance, achieved either through the enhanced services provided by the project or through a successful transition into the Matching Grant Program or other employment services once eligibility changes.
Is evaluation required?
Yes. Because these awards are demonstration projects, evaluation is required and is described as not optional.
What must the evaluation cover?
The evaluation is expected to look at both implementation and results. This includes whether services are delivered as intended to the target populations, how well the service model operates in real-world conditions, and what self-sufficiency outcomes participants achieve.
Does the evaluation need to track transitions into other programs?
Yes. The evaluation is expected to track what happens when participants move from the demonstration services into the Matching Grant Program or other employment programs.
Is a final report required?
Yes. Each funded project must produce a final evaluation report.
How much total funding was anticipated for this competition?
ACF estimated a total funding level of $500,000 for the competition.
What was the expected range for individual awards?
Individual awards were expected to range from $100,000 to $250,000.
Is there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?
No. The summary states there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to voluntary agencies that already provide Voluntary Agency Matching Grant Program services through a cooperative agreement with HHS.
Are faith-based or community organizations eligible?
Faith-based and community organizations can be eligible if they meet the stated requirements (including the requirement related to already providing Matching Grant Program services through a cooperative agreement with HHS).
Who is not eligible to apply?
Individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorships are not eligible.
Why is eligibility restricted to current Matching Grant service providers?
The summary indicates the restriction reflects an intent to build on existing Matching Grant infrastructure and expertise, especially organizations familiar with the employment-focused approach, performance expectations, and operational systems used in ORR employment programming.
When was the opportunity posted?
The posted date was July 13, 2012.
What was the application due date?
The application due date (original and current) was August 13, 2012.
What time were electronic submissions due?
Electronic submissions were due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
What is the archive date for this opportunity?
The archive date was September 12, 2012.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA listing is 93.647 (Social Services Research and Demonstration).
What activity category does this opportunity fall under?
The activity category is Income Security and Social Services.
Where were applicants directed to find the full announcement?
Applicants were directed to ACF's grants portal to access the full announcement.
Where could applicants get technical help accessing the announcement?
Technical help was available through the ACF Applications Help Desk at appsupport@acf.hhs.gov.
In plain terms, what is ACF trying to learn from these projects?
ACF is trying to test whether earlier, stronger employment engagement for foreign trafficking survivors can close timing and eligibility gaps that may delay entry into effective employment programs, and to generate evaluation findings that can inform future ORR and partner program design.
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