Opportunity Information: Apply for DHS 15 CIS 010 002
Apply for DHS 15 CIS 010 002
- The Office of Procurement Operations Grants Division in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2015 Citizenship and Integration Direct Services Grant Program Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Application Services" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 97.010 Citizenship Education and Training.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 1, 2015 and posted on Apr 1, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 15, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $10,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 40 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Special district governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) State governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education City or township governments Independent school districts County governments Private institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The FY 2015 Citizenship and Integration Direct Services Grant Program (Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Application Services), Funding Opportunity Number DHS-15-CIS-010-002, is a discretionary federal grant run by the Office of Citizenship (OoC) within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Its central purpose is to expand access to high-quality citizenship preparation services for lawful permanent residents (LPRs) across the United States, with a strong emphasis on reaching low-income and other underserved communities. The program is grounded in the idea that naturalization is a major step in civic integration and that preparing for the naturalization process builds practical knowledge of English, U.S. history, and civics that helps immigrants fully participate in American civic life. The opportunity also aligns with DHS priorities laid out in the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review, specifically Mission 3 (Enforce and Administer Our Immigration Laws) and Goal 3.1 (Strengthen and Effectively Administer the Immigration System), including promoting lawful immigration, effectively administering immigration services, and supporting integration of lawful immigrants into American society.
USCIS made up to $10,000,000 available in total funding in FY 2015 and anticipated making about 40 awards. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. Awards support direct service delivery rather than general outreach alone, and applicants are expected to run programs that measurably prepare participants for naturalization. In addition to direct instruction and application help, the broader program vision encourages grantees to reduce barriers to naturalization through promising practices and innovative approaches, increase the use of technology in citizenship preparation, partner with local libraries as trusted community access points, and involve receiving communities in supporting immigrant integration.
To be competitive and compliant, proposed projects must include two required service components. First, applicants must deliver citizenship instruction that prepares LPRs for both the civics portion (U.S. history and government) and the English portion (reading, writing, and speaking) of the naturalization test. The instructional design has specific minimum standards: programs must use a nationally normed standardized English proficiency assessment to place students appropriately and measure progress over time; provide at least 40 hours of citizenship instruction delivered over an 8 to 15 week class cycle for students at or below the National Reporting System (NRS) High Intermediate level; and enroll at least 200 unduplicated LPR students in citizenship classes over the two-year performance period, with each receiving at least 40 hours of instruction. Instruction must be delivered by teachers (paid or volunteer) who have at least one year of experience teaching adult ESL or citizenship, reflecting the program emphasis on instructional quality and adult-learner competence.
Second, applicants must provide naturalization application services, and these services must be delivered within the legally authorized practice of immigration law. At a minimum, this includes naturalization eligibility screening, preparation and filing support, and ongoing case management. The program sets concrete production expectations: grantees must prepare and submit at least 200 Forms N-400 (Application for Naturalization) along with Form G-28 (Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative) over the same two-year period. A key compliance requirement is that a qualified attorney or Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) accredited representative must be involved as an employee of the applicant organization or an employee of a funded sub-awardee organization. While pro bono or volunteer attorneys may supplement capacity, the core requirement is that the attorney or BIA accredited representative signs the N-400 as the preparer, submits a G-28 with each N-400 filed under the grant, and mails the naturalization application package to USCIS on the client’s behalf. Programs may also provide additional supports such as interview preparation, representation at the naturalization interview, and related filings when needed (for example, Form N-648 for disability-based exceptions), but these are optional enhancements rather than substitutes for the required baseline services.
The grant strongly encourages partnerships, including collaborations among nonprofits, public agencies, educational institutions, and community-based organizations. However, the principal applicant must directly provide at least one of the two required direct service components (citizenship instruction and/or naturalization application services), and may provide both. If a partner organization will receive any portion of the federal funds to deliver direct or complementary citizenship instruction or application services, that partner is treated as a sub-awardee. In those cases, the applicant must execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the sub-awardee and clearly explain how it will monitor sub-awardee performance and ensure compliance with all grant conditions and data reporting requirements. Sub-awardees must have their own DUNS number and are responsible for their own financial and performance reporting, submitting required reports to the primary grantee for onward submission to DHS. If a partner does not receive grant funds, it is not considered a sub-awardee and does not need a DUNS number or an MOU under the grant rules described.
Eligibility is broad and includes many government and nonprofit entity types, such as 501(c)(3) nonprofits (excluding institutions of higher education), public and private institutions of higher education, state and local governments (including counties, cities or townships, special districts, and independent school districts), and federally recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations. The opportunity was posted April 1, 2015, with an application deadline of May 15, 2015, and it was archived June 14, 2015. The CFDA number listed is 97.010 (Citizenship Education and Training), and the activity category is Education. The administering office is USCIS/DHS (Office of Procurement Operations, Grants Division), with a listed grants officer contact (Patty Mayo) for access issues related to the full announcement.
FAQs: FY 2015 Citizenship and Integration Direct Services Grant Program (DHS-15-CIS-010-002)
What is this grant opportunity?
The FY 2015 Citizenship and Integration Direct Services Grant Program (Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Application Services) is a discretionary federal grant administered by the Office of Citizenship (OoC) within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which is part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Funding Opportunity Number is DHS-15-CIS-010-002.
What is the main purpose of the program?
The central purpose is to expand access to high-quality citizenship preparation services for lawful permanent residents (LPRs) across the United States, with a strong emphasis on reaching low-income and other underserved communities.
What kinds of services does the program aim to expand?
The program focuses on direct services that prepare participants for naturalization, specifically citizenship instruction (English and civics preparation) and naturalization application services (eligibility screening, application preparation/filing support, and case management).
How does USCIS describe the broader vision or approach of the program?
Beyond direct instruction and application help, the program vision encourages grantees to reduce barriers to naturalization using promising practices and innovative approaches, increase the use of technology in citizenship preparation, partner with local libraries as trusted community access points, and involve receiving communities in supporting immigrant integration.
What DHS priorities does this opportunity align with?
The opportunity aligns with DHS priorities in the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review, specifically Mission 3 (Enforce and Administer Our Immigration Laws) and Goal 3.1 (Strengthen and Effectively Administer the Immigration System), including promoting lawful immigration, effectively administering immigration services, and supporting integration of lawful immigrants into American society.
How much funding was available in FY 2015?
USCIS made up to $10,000,000 available in total funding in FY 2015.
How many awards did USCIS anticipate making?
USCIS anticipated making about 40 awards.
Is there a cost share or matching requirement?
No. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement described for this opportunity.
Is this grant meant for outreach activities?
The awards are intended to support direct service delivery rather than general outreach alone. Applicants are expected to operate programs that measurably prepare participants for naturalization.
What are the required components of a compliant project?
Proposed projects must include two required direct service components: (1) citizenship instruction and (2) naturalization application services. Each component has specific minimum standards and production expectations.
What must citizenship instruction cover?
Citizenship instruction must prepare LPRs for both parts of the naturalization test: the civics portion (U.S. history and government) and the English portion (reading, writing, and speaking).
Are there minimum instructional design standards?
Yes. Citizenship instruction must meet specific minimum standards, including assessment, instructional hours, class cycle length, enrollment targets, and teacher experience requirements.
What assessment requirement applies to the citizenship instruction component?
Programs must use a nationally normed standardized English proficiency assessment to place students appropriately and measure progress over time.
What is the minimum number of instructional hours per student?
For students at or below the National Reporting System (NRS) High Intermediate level, programs must provide at least 40 hours of citizenship instruction per student.
Over what timeframe must the 40 hours of instruction be delivered?
The minimum 40 hours must be delivered over an 8 to 15 week class cycle.
How many students must be served through citizenship classes?
Over the two-year performance period, programs must enroll at least 200 unduplicated LPR students in citizenship classes, and each of those students must receive at least 40 hours of instruction.
What does "unduplicated" mean in the enrollment requirement?
Based on the wording provided, the program requires counting unique LPR students served (not counting the same individual multiple times) toward the target of at least 200 students over the two-year performance period.
Who can teach the citizenship instruction classes?
Instruction must be delivered by teachers (paid or volunteer) who have at least one year of experience teaching adult ESL or citizenship.
What are the required naturalization application services?
At a minimum, naturalization application services must include naturalization eligibility screening, preparation and filing support, and ongoing case management.
Does the grant require immigration legal services to be provided in an authorized manner?
Yes. Naturalization application services must be delivered within the legally authorized practice of immigration law.
What is the minimum number of naturalization applications that must be prepared and submitted?
Grantees must prepare and submit at least 200 Forms N-400 (Application for Naturalization) over the same two-year period.
Is Form G-28 required with each application filed under this grant?
Yes. The program requires that Form G-28 (Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative) be submitted with each N-400 filed under the grant.
Who must be involved to meet the program's legal services requirement?
A qualified attorney or a Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) accredited representative must be involved as an employee of the applicant organization or an employee of a funded sub-awardee organization.
Can volunteer or pro bono attorneys be used?
They may supplement capacity, but the core requirement is that an attorney or BIA accredited representative (as described in the opportunity) is involved in the required manner for applications filed under the grant.
Who signs the Form N-400 as the preparer under this program?
The attorney or BIA accredited representative is required to sign the N-400 as the preparer for applications filed under the grant.
Who submits the naturalization application package to USCIS?
The program describes that the attorney or BIA accredited representative mails the naturalization application package to USCIS on the client’s behalf.
Are services like interview preparation or representation at the naturalization interview required?
No. The opportunity notes these as optional enhancements. Programs may provide supports such as interview preparation, representation at the naturalization interview, and related filings when needed, but these do not substitute for the required baseline services.
Does the grant mention Form N-648?
Yes. The opportunity notes that related filings may be provided when needed, giving Form N-648 (for disability-based exceptions) as an example of an optional related filing.
Are partnerships encouraged?
Yes. The grant strongly encourages partnerships, including collaborations among nonprofits, public agencies, educational institutions, and community-based organizations.
Must the principal applicant provide services directly, or can everything be done through partners?
The principal applicant must directly provide at least one of the two required direct service components (citizenship instruction and/or naturalization application services). The applicant may provide both components.
When is a partner considered a sub-awardee?
If a partner organization will receive any portion of the federal funds to deliver direct or complementary citizenship instruction or application services, that partner is treated as a sub-awardee.
What documentation is required with a funded sub-awardee?
The applicant must execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the sub-awardee and clearly explain how it will monitor sub-awardee performance and ensure compliance with all grant conditions and data reporting requirements.
Do sub-awardees need a DUNS number?
Yes. Sub-awardees must have their own DUNS number.
What are sub-awardee reporting responsibilities?
Sub-awardees are responsible for their own financial and performance reporting and must submit required reports to the primary grantee for onward submission to DHS.
If a partner does not receive grant funds, are they still a sub-awardee?
No. If a partner does not receive grant funds, the opportunity indicates it is not considered a sub-awardee and does not need a DUNS number or an MOU under the rules described.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes: 501(c)(3) nonprofits (excluding institutions of higher education), public and private institutions of higher education, state and local governments (including counties, cities or townships, special districts, and independent school districts), and federally recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations.
What is the CFDA number and activity category listed for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 97.010 (Citizenship Education and Training), and the activity category is Education.
When was the opportunity posted and what was the application deadline?
The opportunity was posted April 1, 2015, and the application deadline was May 15, 2015.
What does it mean that the opportunity was archived?
The posting indicates it was archived on June 14, 2015, meaning it is presented as a past opportunity in the provided listing.
Which USCIS office administered the grant?
The administering office is listed as USCIS/DHS (Office of Procurement Operations, Grants Division).
Is a grants officer contact listed?
Yes. A grants officer contact is listed (Patty Mayo) for access issues related to the full announcement.
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