Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2011 ACF ACYF CG 0170
Apply for HHS 2011 ACF ACYF CG 0170
- The Administration for Children and Families in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Infant Adoption Awareness Training Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.254 Infant Adoption Awareness Training.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 5, 2011 and posted on Apr 27, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 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 $4,500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: 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.
- The statutory requirements limit eligibility to national, regional or local adoption agencies that are defined as non profit private entities. Eligibility is limited to organizations among whose primary purposes are adoption, with a particular emphasis on infant adoption, and that are knowledgeable in all elements of the adoption process and in providing adoption information and referral to pregnant women. Collaborative efforts are acceptable, but applications must identify a primary applicant responsible for administering the grant. CB will accept applications for projects of national, regional, or local scope. The Federal share of projects of national scope may not exceed 6,000,000 for the 17 month budget period. The Federal share of smaller, regional or local projects may not exceed 1,500,000 in the 17 month budget period. Applicants must clearly indicate whether their proposed project is national, regional or local. CB will consider applications that exceed the upper value of the dollar range specified as quotnon responsivequot and return them to the applicant without further review. The maximum Federal share of the project is dependent on the scope of the project proposed. The projects awarded will be for a project period of 17 months. The initial grant award will be for a 17 month budget period. 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 Infant Adoption Awareness Training Grants opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2011-ACF-ACYF-CG-0170) is a discretionary federal grant program run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF). Funding is provided through cooperative agreements, meaning awardees should expect an active federal role in shaping or coordinating aspects of the work. The core purpose is to fund adoption-focused organizations to train staff at eligible health centers so they can provide accurate adoption information and make adoption referrals to pregnant women on an equal basis with all other options discussed during nondirective pregnancy counseling. In practice, the program is designed to ensure that adoption is presented as a legitimate, fully informed choice alongside other courses of action, rather than being omitted or handled inconsistently across clinical and social service settings.
The program is specifically aimed at maximizing how widely this training reaches front-line providers who serve pregnant women. The target settings include public and nonprofit private entities that provide health services to pregnant women, such as voluntary family planning projects, community health centers, migrant health centers, and clinics serving people experiencing homelessness, residents of public housing, and school-based health clinics. The emphasis on “penetration” signals that ACF is looking for projects that can spread training broadly and effectively into real-world service sites, not just develop materials or hold isolated workshops. Grant recipients are also expected to work collectively with one another to strengthen and refine the training curriculum, especially in response to gaps or areas of need that emerge during implementation.
Eligibility is restricted by statute to adoption agencies that are nonprofit private entities whose primary mission includes adoption, with particular emphasis on infant adoption. Applicants must be knowledgeable about all elements of the adoption process and competent in providing adoption information and referrals to pregnant women. Partnerships and collaborative approaches are allowed, but the application must name a primary applicant that will be accountable for grant administration and performance. The announcement also clarifies that individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorships are not eligible. Eligible applicant types listed include nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education), but the statutory language tightens that further to qualifying nonprofit private adoption agencies as described above.
The funding profile for this opportunity anticipated up to six awards, with an estimated total of $4.5 million available. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. Awards were structured around a 17-month project period (with an initial 17-month budget period). Importantly, the maximum allowable federal share depends on the scope of the proposal. Applicants had to clearly identify whether the project was national, regional, or local in scope. For regional or local projects, the federal share could not exceed $1.5 million over the 17-month period. For national projects, the announcement indicates a much higher cap (noted as up to $6.0 million for the 17-month budget period), and it also warns that applications requesting more than the applicable maximum for their chosen scope would be deemed nonresponsive and returned without review. The listing also shows an award ceiling field of $2.5 million, but the narrative eligibility section provides the more specific scope-based caps that applicants were expected to follow.
Key administrative timing details included an original and current closing date of June 27, 2011, with electronic submissions via Grants.gov due no later than 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date. The opportunity is archived (archive date December 23, 2011), meaning it is no longer open, but the summary still captures how the program was structured and what it sought to accomplish. The CFDA program number associated with the grants is 93.254 (Infant Adoption Awareness Training).
The notice also includes several revisions to application instruction language in Section IV.2 (General Content and Form Information). In short, it removes earlier, very specific formatting and packaging rules (double spacing, margin requirements, font rules, page numbering enforcement, and prohibitions on binders/staples and other non-photocopiable items). It also replaces certain detailed instructions with references directing applicants to “See Section IV.2 The Project Description,” including under headings like Project Abstract/Summary and Logic Model. Additionally, it deletes prior text about submitting IRB certification documentation through a specific federal form for human subjects review, suggesting an update in how that compliance information would be handled or referenced in the application package.
For further details, the full announcement was available through ACF, and applicants who had trouble accessing it were directed to the ACF Applications Help Desk at appsupport@acf.hhs.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Infant Adoption Awareness Training Grants opportunity?
The Infant Adoption Awareness Training Grants opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2011-ACF-ACYF-CG-0170) is a discretionary federal grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF). The program provides funding through cooperative agreements to support training so front-line health center staff can deliver accurate adoption information and make adoption referrals during nondirective pregnancy counseling.
What does "cooperative agreement" mean for this grant?
Funding is issued as cooperative agreements, which means awardees should expect an active federal role in shaping, guiding, or coordinating aspects of the work. This is more hands-on than a standard grant relationship and can involve closer collaboration with ACF during implementation.
What is the main purpose of the program?
The core purpose is to fund adoption-focused organizations to train staff at eligible health centers so they can provide accurate adoption information and make adoption referrals to pregnant women on an equal basis with all other options discussed during nondirective pregnancy counseling. The program is designed to ensure adoption is presented as a legitimate, fully informed choice alongside other courses of action.
Who is the training intended for?
The training is intended for staff working in eligible health service settings that serve pregnant women. The focus is on front-line providers who engage directly with clients and are in a position to discuss options and provide referrals during nondirective pregnancy counseling.
What types of service sites are targeted for training?
Target settings include public and nonprofit private entities that provide health services to pregnant women, such as voluntary family planning projects, community health centers, migrant health centers, and clinics serving people experiencing homelessness, residents of public housing, and school-based health clinics.
What does ACF mean by emphasizing "penetration" of training?
The emphasis on "penetration" indicates ACF is looking for projects that spread training broadly and effectively into real-world service sites, rather than projects limited to developing materials or holding isolated workshops. The intent is wide reach and practical uptake by providers serving pregnant women.
Are grantees expected to collaborate with other recipients?
Yes. Grant recipients are expected to work collectively with one another to strengthen and refine the training curriculum, particularly as gaps or emerging needs become clear during implementation.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is restricted by statute to adoption agencies that are nonprofit private entities whose primary mission includes adoption, with particular emphasis on infant adoption. Applicants must be knowledgeable about all elements of the adoption process and competent in providing adoption information and referrals to pregnant women.
Can partnerships or collaborative applications be submitted?
Partnerships and collaborative approaches are allowed. However, the application must name a primary applicant organization that is accountable for grant administration and performance.
Are individuals eligible to apply?
No. The announcement clarifies that individuals are not eligible.
Are foreign entities eligible to apply?
No. The announcement clarifies that foreign entities are not eligible.
Are sole proprietorships eligible to apply?
No. The announcement clarifies that sole proprietorships are not eligible.
What kinds of nonprofit entities are listed as eligible applicant types?
The eligible applicant types listed include nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education). However, the statutory eligibility language further tightens eligibility to qualifying nonprofit private adoption agencies whose primary mission includes adoption, particularly infant adoption.
How many awards were anticipated?
The funding profile anticipated up to six awards.
How much total funding was estimated to be available?
The estimated total funding available was $4.5 million.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What is the project period length?
Awards were structured around a 17-month project period, with an initial 17-month budget period.
How is the maximum federal funding amount determined?
The maximum allowable federal share depends on the scope of the proposal. Applicants had to clearly identify whether the project was national, regional, or local in scope, and then stay within the applicable maximum for that scope.
What was the funding cap for regional or local projects?
For regional or local projects, the federal share could not exceed $1.5 million over the 17-month period.
What was the funding cap for national projects?
For national projects, the announcement indicates a much higher cap, noted as up to $6.0 million for the 17-month budget period.
What happens if an applicant requests more than the allowed maximum for their project scope?
Applications requesting more than the applicable maximum for the chosen scope would be deemed nonresponsive and returned without review.
Why does the opportunity mention an award ceiling of $2.5 million if other caps are listed?
The listing shows an award ceiling field of $2.5 million, while the narrative portion provides more specific scope-based caps (for national versus regional/local). The scope-based caps are described as the limits applicants were expected to follow.
What was the application deadline?
The original and current closing date was June 27, 2011.
How were applications submitted?
Electronic submissions were required via Grants.gov.
What time were electronic submissions due on the deadline date?
Applications submitted through Grants.gov were due no later than 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity is archived, with an archive date of December 23, 2011, meaning it is no longer open for applications.
What is the CFDA program number for this opportunity?
The CFDA program number associated with this opportunity is 93.254 (Infant Adoption Awareness Training).
What application instruction changes (revisions) were noted in the announcement?
The notice describes revisions to Section IV.2 (General Content and Form Information). It removed earlier, highly specific formatting and packaging rules (such as double spacing, margin requirements, font rules, strict page numbering enforcement, and prohibitions on binders/staples and other non-photocopiable items). It also replaced some detailed instructions with references directing applicants to "See Section IV.2 The Project Description," including under headings like Project Abstract/Summary and Logic Model.
Did the announcement mention anything about IRB/human subjects documentation instructions changing?
Yes. It deleted prior text about submitting IRB certification documentation through a specific federal form for human subjects review, suggesting an update in how that compliance information would be handled or referenced in the application package.
Where could applicants get help if they could not access the full announcement?
Applicants who had trouble accessing the full announcement were directed to the ACF Applications Help Desk at appsupport@acf.hhs.gov.
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