Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2011 ACF ACYF CF 0181
Apply for HHS 2011 ACF ACYF CF 0181
- The Administration for Children and Families in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Family Connection Grants Using Family Group Decision making to Build Protective Factors for Children and Families" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.605 Family Connection Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 5, 2011 and posted on Jun 10, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 27, 2011 See link to full announcement for details. IMPORTANT NOTE Applications submitted electronically via Grants.gov must be submitted no later than 430 p.m., eastern time, on the due date referenced above.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $3,300,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $550,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments County governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- Social Security Act Section 427(a) identifies eligible applicants as quotState, local, or tribal child welfare agencies, and private nonprofit organizations that have experience in working with foster children or children in kinship care arrangements.quot If the applicant is a private organization, documentation of support from the relevant local or State child welfare agency or a description of how the organization plans to coordinate its services and activities with those offered by the relevant local or State child welfare agency is required. 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 Family Connection Grants opportunity, titled "Family Connection Grants Using Family Group Decision Making to Build Protective Factors for Children and Families" (Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2011-ACF-ACYF-CF-0181), was a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families (ACF). Its central goal was to fund a small set of demonstration projects that would test how well family group decision making works as a front-end child welfare service strategy, specifically aiming to prevent children from entering foster care in the first place. A major theme of the program was reducing both foster care placement and the overall length of time children and families remain involved with the child welfare system by shifting decision making and planning toward families and their support networks, while still maintaining safety and accountability.
At the program level, the FOA emphasized building protective factors and reducing risk factors within families. In practical terms, the funded projects were expected to use family group decision making to bring together parents, children (when appropriate), extended family members, kin, and other supportive adults to create concrete plans that keep children safe at home or with kin, stabilize the family, and address the underlying issues that often drive child welfare involvement. The announcement explicitly called out connected challenges such as domestic violence, mental health needs, and substance abuse, indicating that strong applications would not treat these as side issues but would incorporate meaningful screening, referral pathways, coordination with providers, and safety planning where relevant. The overall logic was that when families are engaged as partners and supported to build resilience and practical supports, the system can reduce removals and shorten case involvement without compromising child safety.
Funding was limited and competitive. ACF anticipated making about 6 awards, with an estimated total funding amount of $3.3 million. The award ceiling was $550,000 per grant, and there was no stated award floor. The program was tied to CFDA 93.605 (Family Connection Grants). Cost sharing or matching was required, meaning applicants needed to contribute resources beyond federal dollars, either in cash or allowable in-kind support, consistent with the FOA rules. As with many federal demonstration initiatives, the expectation was that grantees would not only deliver services but also generate evidence and learning about whether and how the approach produces measurable improvements in child welfare outcomes.
Eligibility was intentionally broad across the child welfare ecosystem but still tightly connected to relevant expertise. Eligible applicants included state governments, county and city or township governments, tribal governments (including federally recognized tribal governments), other tribal organizations, and nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education in that category). The governing eligibility language referenced Social Security Act Section 427(a), which identifies eligible applicants as state, local, or tribal child welfare agencies and private nonprofit organizations with experience working with foster children or children in kinship care arrangements. For private organizations, the FOA required clear evidence of collaboration with the relevant state or local child welfare agency, either through documentation of support or a detailed description of how the applicant would coordinate with existing child welfare services. Faith-based and community organizations could apply if they met the eligibility requirements, but individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorships were not eligible.
Timing and submission rules were standard for the period but strict. The opportunity was posted June 10, 2011, with an application deadline of July 27, 2011. For electronic submissions through Grants.gov, applications had to be submitted by 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date. The opportunity later moved into archive status, with an archive date of December 23, 2011, meaning it was no longer open for new applications after that cycle. For applicants needing help accessing the announcement, ACF directed users to the ACF Applications Help Desk (appsupport@acf.hhs.gov).
In short, this FOA targeted real-world, testable implementations of family group decision making as a structured, family-centered planning approach meant to keep children safely with families whenever possible, strengthen protective factors, reduce key risks like violence and untreated behavioral health needs, and ultimately reduce foster care entries and shorten child welfare involvement. It provided moderate-sized awards to a small cohort of grantees, required matching contributions, and strongly emphasized coordination with child welfare agencies and community systems so that the demonstration projects could operate as integrated, practical alternatives to removal rather than stand-alone programs.
Family Connection Grants (HHS-2011-ACF-ACYF-CF-0181) FAQ
What is the official title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Family Connection Grants Using Family Group Decision Making to Build Protective Factors for Children and Families" (Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2011-ACF-ACYF-CF-0181).
Which federal agency ran this grant program?
It was a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF).
What was the main purpose of the Family Connection Grants program?
The central goal was to fund a small set of demonstration projects to test how well family group decision making works as a front-end child welfare service strategy, specifically to prevent children from entering foster care in the first place.
What child welfare outcomes was the program trying to improve?
The FOA emphasized reducing foster care placement and reducing the overall length of time children and families remain involved with the child welfare system, while maintaining safety and accountability.
What approach were funded projects expected to use?
Funded projects were expected to use family group decision making to bring together parents, children (when appropriate), extended family members, kin, and other supportive adults to develop concrete plans to keep children safe at home or with kin and to stabilize the family.
What does "family group decision making" mean in the context of this FOA?
In this FOA, it refers to a structured, family-centered planning approach that shifts decision making and planning toward families and their support networks, with safety and accountability still maintained.
What are "protective factors" and how did the FOA expect projects to address them?
At the program level, the FOA emphasized building protective factors and reducing risk factors within families. Practically, projects were expected to engage families and their networks to build resilience and practical supports through concrete planning designed to keep children safe and prevent removal.
Which family challenges did the FOA explicitly call out?
The announcement explicitly called out domestic violence, mental health needs, and substance abuse, and signaled that strong applications would incorporate meaningful screening, referral pathways, coordination with providers, and safety planning where relevant.
Was this a research grant or a service delivery grant?
It was a federal demonstration initiative. Grantees were expected to deliver services and also generate evidence and learning about whether and how the approach produces measurable improvements in child welfare outcomes.
How many awards did ACF expect to make?
ACF anticipated making about 6 awards.
How much total funding was anticipated across all awards?
The estimated total funding amount was $3.3 million.
What was the maximum award amount per grant?
The award ceiling was $550,000 per grant.
Was there a minimum (floor) award amount?
No stated award floor was provided in the information given.
What CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity was tied to CFDA 93.605 (Family Connection Grants).
Was cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. Cost sharing or matching was required, meaning applicants needed to contribute resources beyond federal dollars, either in cash or allowable in-kind support, consistent with the FOA rules.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants included state governments; county, city, or township governments; tribal governments (including federally recognized tribal governments); other tribal organizations; and nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) nonprofits and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education in that category).
How did the FOA describe eligible applicants under the Social Security Act?
The governing eligibility language referenced Social Security Act Section 427(a), identifying eligible applicants as state, local, or tribal child welfare agencies and private nonprofit organizations with experience working with foster children or children in kinship care arrangements.
Did nonprofit applicants need to show coordination with a child welfare agency?
Yes. For private organizations, the FOA required clear evidence of collaboration with the relevant state or local child welfare agency, either through documentation of support or a detailed description of how the applicant would coordinate with existing child welfare services.
Could faith-based or community organizations apply?
Faith-based and community organizations could apply if they met the eligibility requirements described in the FOA.
Who was not eligible to apply?
Individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorships were not eligible.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on June 10, 2011.
What was the application deadline?
The application deadline was July 27, 2011.
What was the electronic submission deadline time for Grants.gov?
For electronic submissions through Grants.gov, applications had to be submitted by 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.
Is this funding opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity moved into archive status, with an archive date of December 23, 2011, and it was no longer open for new applications after that cycle.
What did "archive status" mean here?
Archive status meant the FOA was no longer open for new applications after the 2011 cycle.
What types of family plans were projects expected to develop?
Projects were expected to facilitate concrete plans created with the family and their support network that keep children safe at home or with kin, stabilize the family, and address underlying issues that often drive child welfare involvement.
How did the FOA balance family decision making with child safety?
The FOA emphasized shifting planning toward families and their support networks while still maintaining safety and accountability, aiming to reduce removals and shorten case involvement without compromising child safety.
Where could applicants get help accessing the announcement?
ACF directed users to the ACF Applications Help Desk at appsupport@acf.hhs.gov.
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