Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2015 ACF OCC TA 1001
Apply for HHS 2015 ACF OCC TA 1001
- The Administration for Children and Families OCC in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Center for Early Childhood Quality Assurance" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.110 Maternal and Child Health Federal Consolidated Programs 93.575 Child Care and Development Block Grant 93.600 Head Start.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 2, 2015 and posted on May 19, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 23, 2015 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 $3,200,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: 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 Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments Independent school districts Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Special district governments Private institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Small businesses For profit organizations other than small businesses County governments.
- While all applicants are eligible to apply, consortia are encouraged however, the lead applicant will be required to assume the financial and programmatic responsibilities of the award. Faith based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity announcement. Faith based organizations are encouraged to review the ACF Policy on Grants to Faith Based Organizations at http //www.acf.hhs.gov/acf policy on grants to faith based organizations. Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Center for Early Childhood Quality Assurance grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number HHS 2015 ACF OCC TA 1001) is a discretionary cooperative agreement issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), through the Office of Child Care (OCC), in partnership with the Office of Head Start (OHS) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The purpose is to fund a single National Center that will strengthen early childhood quality assurance efforts across the country by helping states, territories, and tribes implement and sustain rigorous health, safety, and licensing standards in early care and education (ECE) settings. The project is designed to operate at a national level and to influence system-building work rather than direct service delivery, focusing on the policies, standards, supports, and technical infrastructure that make high-quality early learning environments more consistent and reliable.
ACF announced an estimated total of $3,200,000 in funding, with one expected award. The award ceiling and floor are both listed as $3,200,000, signaling an intent to make one full-scale national award at that amount rather than multiple smaller grants. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. The funding is associated with CFDA numbers 93.110 (Maternal and Child Health Federal Consolidated Programs), 93.575 (Child Care and Development Block Grant), and 93.600 (Head Start), which reflects the cross-system nature of the work: aligning child care licensing and subsidy systems with Head Start and broader early childhood health and safety priorities.
The National Center is expected to disseminate high-quality, research-informed and evidence-based resources, and to provide training and technical assistance (T/TA) that helps jurisdictions strengthen quality assurance foundations. A central emphasis is on promoting best practices that support the infrastructure of an ECE quality improvement framework, including Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS). The framing is clear that QRIS and other quality improvement strategies should rest on a base of strong licensing requirements and robust health and safety standards. In practical terms, the Center would help leaders and practitioners understand what rigorous standards look like, how to implement them consistently, and how to use them as a platform for continuous quality improvement across diverse settings.
A key expectation is alignment across ECE sectors, not treating child care, Head Start/Early Head Start, and pre-K as separate worlds. The Center is tasked with supporting partnerships and coordinated approaches that bring these settings into closer alignment so that quality improvement efforts reinforce each other and so that programs can move toward levels of quality that promote safety, healthy development, and school success. The target population for impact is children from birth to school age, explicitly including children through age 12, which reflects the inclusion of school-age child care in many state systems and licensing frameworks.
Training and technical assistance are expected to reach state child care agencies, Head Start and Early Head Start agencies, and other ECE settings across regions, states, tribes, and territories. The Center is also directed to maximize the use of previously developed web-based materials and resources that align with OHS and OCC national priorities, rather than rebuilding content from scratch. This points to an approach that curates, updates, and scales proven resources, while filling gaps with new tools only where needed. The Center must work collaboratively with other national T/TA centers funded or supported by OCC and OHS, as well as with ACF regional offices, which implies ongoing coordination, shared planning, and an expectation that the National Center fits into a broader federal technical assistance ecosystem.
Because the scope is complex and national in reach, applicants are encouraged to propose a consortium model that brings together multiple knowledgeable partners across the early childhood quality assurance field. Even though consortia are encouraged, the notice is explicit that the lead applicant must assume full financial and programmatic responsibility for the award, meaning one organization must serve as the accountable grantee and manage partners through subawards or contracts. The opportunity is open to a wide range of eligible applicants, including state and local governments, federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including those without 501(c)(3) status), public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, small businesses, and for-profit organizations (other than individuals and sole proprietorships). Faith-based and community organizations that meet eligibility requirements may apply, but applications from individuals and foreign entities are not eligible and would be disqualified from competitive review.
The announcement includes a modification to the application timeline due to scheduled Grants.gov maintenance. The original closing date was July 20, 2015, but the application due date was extended to Thursday, July 23, 2015. Electronic submissions were required by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date. The opportunity was posted May 19, 2015, with a creation date of July 2, 2015, and an archive date of August 22, 2015. For applicants needing technical help accessing the full announcement, the notice directs them to the ACF Applications Help Desk (appsupport@acf.hhs.gov).
National Center for Early Childhood Quality Assurance (HHS 2015 ACF OCC TA 1001) - FAQs
What is this grant opportunity?
This is a discretionary cooperative agreement to fund a single National Center for Early Childhood Quality Assurance. It was issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), through the Office of Child Care (OCC), in partnership with the Office of Head Start (OHS) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is HHS 2015 ACF OCC TA 1001.
What is the overall purpose of the National Center?
The purpose is to strengthen early childhood quality assurance efforts nationally by helping states, territories, and tribes implement and sustain rigorous health, safety, and licensing standards in early care and education (ECE) settings.
Is this funding intended for direct services to children and families?
No. The project is designed to operate at a national level and to influence system-building work rather than direct service delivery. The focus is on the policies, standards, supports, and technical infrastructure that make high-quality early learning environments more consistent and reliable.
How many awards are expected?
One award is expected.
What is the estimated total funding amount?
The estimated total funding amount is $3,200,000.
What are the award ceiling and award floor?
Both the award ceiling and the award floor are listed as $3,200,000, indicating an intent to make one full-scale national award at that amount rather than multiple smaller awards.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The funding is associated with CFDA 93.110 (Maternal and Child Health Federal Consolidated Programs), 93.575 (Child Care and Development Block Grant), and 93.600 (Head Start).
What kind of activities is the Center expected to carry out?
The Center is expected to disseminate high-quality, research-informed and evidence-based resources, and provide training and technical assistance (T/TA) to help jurisdictions strengthen quality assurance foundations in early care and education.
What is the role of health, safety, and licensing standards in this project?
A central emphasis is supporting rigorous health, safety, and licensing standards as the foundation for early childhood quality assurance. The Center would help leaders and practitioners understand what rigorous standards look like, how to implement them consistently, and how to use them as a platform for continuous quality improvement across diverse settings.
How does this opportunity relate to Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS)?
The Center is expected to promote best practices that support the infrastructure of an ECE quality improvement framework, including QRIS. The opportunity emphasizes that QRIS and other quality improvement strategies should rest on a base of strong licensing requirements and robust health and safety standards.
Which early childhood sectors are intended to be aligned through this work?
The work emphasizes alignment across child care, Head Start/Early Head Start, and pre-K, rather than treating them as separate systems. The Center is tasked with supporting partnerships and coordinated approaches so quality improvement efforts reinforce each other across settings.
Who is the target population for impact?
The target population is children from birth to school age, explicitly including children through age 12, reflecting the inclusion of school-age child care in many state systems and licensing frameworks.
Who are the intended recipients of training and technical assistance (T/TA)?
T/TA is expected to reach state child care agencies, Head Start and Early Head Start agencies, and other ECE settings across regions, states, tribes, and territories.
Are applicants expected to create all new training materials and resources?
No. The Center is directed to maximize the use of previously developed web-based materials and resources that align with OHS and OCC national priorities, rather than rebuilding content from scratch. The intent points to curating, updating, and scaling proven resources while filling gaps with new tools only where needed.
Does the National Center need to coordinate with other federally funded technical assistance efforts?
Yes. The Center must work collaboratively with other national T/TA centers funded or supported by OCC and OHS, as well as with ACF regional offices, implying ongoing coordination, shared planning, and participation in a broader federal technical assistance ecosystem.
Are consortium applications allowed or encouraged?
A consortium model is encouraged because the scope is complex and national in reach and may benefit from multiple knowledgeable partners across the early childhood quality assurance field.
If a consortium applies, who is responsible for the grant?
The lead applicant must assume full financial and programmatic responsibility for the award. One organization must serve as the accountable grantee and manage partners through subawards or contracts.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include state and local governments, federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including those without 501(c)(3) status), public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, small businesses, and for-profit organizations (other than individuals and sole proprietorships). Faith-based and community organizations that meet eligibility requirements may apply.
Who is not eligible to apply?
Applications from individuals and foreign entities are not eligible and would be disqualified from competitive review. Sole proprietorships are also excluded (the eligibility list specifies for-profit organizations other than individuals and sole proprietorships).
What were the key posting and archive dates for this opportunity?
The opportunity was posted on May 19, 2015. It lists a creation date of July 2, 2015, and an archive date of August 22, 2015.
What was the application due date?
The application due date was extended to Thursday, July 23, 2015 (the original closing date was July 20, 2015).
What time were applications due, and what time zone applies?
Electronic submissions were required by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.
Why was the application deadline extended?
The timeline was modified due to scheduled Grants.gov maintenance. As a result, the closing date was extended from July 20, 2015 to July 23, 2015.
Where were applications required to be submitted?
Applications were required to be submitted electronically (the notice specifies electronic submissions with a deadline time tied to the due date).
Who should applicants contact for technical help accessing the full announcement?
Applicants needing technical help were directed to the ACF Applications Help Desk at appsupport@acf.hhs.gov.
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