Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2015 ACF OHS HC 0996
Apply for HHS 2015 ACF OHS HC 0996
- The Administration for Children and Families OHS in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching and Learning" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 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 $14,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $14,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: County governments Independent school districts State governments City or township governments Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) For profit organizations other than small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Small businesses Private institutions of higher education 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 Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
- Eligible applicants may apply on their own or as the lead applicant for a consortium. A consortium is a project carried out by a lead applicant and one or more other organizations that are separate legal entities. Under a consortium agreement, the lead applicant must perform a substantive role in the conduct of the planned project or program activity and will not merely serve as a conduit of funds to another party or parties. The relationship between the recipient and the collaborating organizations is considered a subaward relationship. 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 on Early Childhood Development, Teaching and Learning grant opportunity (HHS 2015 ACF OHS HC 0996) is a discretionary, competitive cooperative agreement offered by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), led by the Office of Head Start (OHS) in partnership with the Office of Child Care (OCC). The federal government planned to make a single award totaling an estimated $14,000,000, with both the award ceiling and floor set at $14,000,000, meaning one applicant would be selected to operate a national center at that funding level. No cost sharing or matching was required. The funding is tied to CFDA programs 93.575 (Child Care and Development Block Grant) and 93.600 (Head Start), reflecting the intent to serve both Head Start and broader child care systems.
The purpose of the award is to create and run a national center that strengthens early childhood development, teaching, and learning for children from birth to age five across a wide range of settings and program types. The Center is expected to disseminate high-quality, research-informed resources and deliver training and technical assistance (T/TA) that supports healthy development and school readiness for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. A key theme is bridging evidence and day-to-day practice: the Center is not only expected to share research and tools, but also to help programs implement them in real classrooms and caregiving environments through practical supports.
The scope of work described in the announcement is broad and covers many of the core building blocks of early learning quality. This includes professional development for the infant/toddler and preschool workforce; promoting and supporting evidence-based curriculum and early learning standards; improving transitions (for example, movement between infant/toddler and preschool services, and on to kindergarten); strengthening screening and assessment practices; advancing culturally, linguistically, and developmentally appropriate practices; and enhancing teacher-child interactions. The Center is also expected to support networks of infant/toddler practitioners, improve services and inclusion for children with disabilities (including those served under Part C and Part B of IDEA), and help programs use data to guide continuous quality improvement. In addition, the Center is directed to make strong use of existing web-based materials that align with established OHS and OCC national messages, rather than duplicating tools that already exist and are working.
The intended recipients of the Center’s training and technical assistance include Head Start and Early Head Start agencies, state child care agencies, and other early care and education providers nationwide, spanning regions, states, tribes, and U.S. territories. The announcement emphasizes coordination: the Center is expected to work collaboratively and cooperatively with other OHS and OCC National T/TA Centers as well as ACF regional offices. Because this is a cooperative agreement (not a standard grant), applicants should expect substantial federal involvement in shaping priorities, coordination, deliverables, and alignment with national messaging and systems.
Eligibility for applicants is intentionally wide to attract a strong national operator. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city/township governments; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) nonprofits, other than IHE distinctions); for-profit organizations (including small businesses); independent school districts; tribal governments and other tribal organizations; and faith-based and community organizations that meet requirements. Applicants may apply alone or as the lead of a consortium. If proposing a consortium, the lead applicant must play a substantive role and cannot simply pass funds through; partner organizations would be supported via subawards. Individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities were explicitly ineligible and would be disqualified.
Administratively, the notice highlights a key deadline change. The original closing date was July 20, 2015, but ACF modified the FOA to extend the due date to Thursday, July 23, 2015, specifically to avoid disruption from scheduled Grants.gov maintenance running from 12:01 AM EDT on Saturday, July 18, 2015 through 6:00 AM EDT on Monday, July 20, 2015. Applications had to be submitted electronically by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the due date. The FOA was posted May 19, 2015, shows a creation date of July 2, 2015 (reflecting the modification), and an archive date of August 22, 2015. For technical access issues, applicants were directed to the ACF Applications Help Desk at appsupport@acf.hhs.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching and Learning (HHS-2015-ACF-OHS-HC-0996)
What is this grant opportunity?
This opportunity is the National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching and Learning (HHS-2015-ACF-OHS-HC-0996). It is a discretionary, competitive cooperative agreement offered by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), led by the Office of Head Start (OHS) in partnership with the Office of Child Care (OCC).
Is this a grant or a cooperative agreement?
It is a cooperative agreement. That means applicants should expect substantial federal involvement in shaping priorities, coordination, deliverables, and alignment with national messaging and systems.
How many awards were expected to be made?
The federal government planned to make a single award. One applicant would be selected to operate the national center.
What is the total funding amount for the award?
The estimated total funding was $14,000,000.
What were the award ceiling and floor?
Both the award ceiling and the award floor were set at $14,000,000, indicating the intent to fund one national center at that level.
Was cost sharing or a match required?
No. The funding did not require cost sharing or matching.
Which CFDA programs are tied to this funding?
The funding is tied to CFDA 93.575 (Child Care and Development Block Grant) and CFDA 93.600 (Head Start).
What is the purpose of the national center funded by this award?
The purpose is to create and run a national center that strengthens early childhood development, teaching, and learning for children from birth to age five across a wide range of settings and program types.
What age group is the center expected to serve?
The focus is children from birth to age five, including infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
What types of support is the center expected to provide?
The center is expected to disseminate high-quality, research-informed resources and deliver training and technical assistance (T/TA) that supports healthy development and school readiness.
What does it mean to “bridge evidence and day-to-day practice” in this FOA?
The announcement emphasizes that the center should not only share research and tools, but also help programs implement them in real classrooms and caregiving environments through practical supports.
What workforce development activities are included in the scope?
The scope includes professional development for the infant/toddler and preschool workforce.
Does the scope include curriculum and early learning standards?
Yes. The center is expected to promote and support evidence-based curriculum and early learning standards.
Are program transitions addressed in the scope of work?
Yes. The scope includes improving transitions, such as movement between infant/toddler and preschool services and transitions on to kindergarten.
Does the center address screening and assessment practices?
Yes. Strengthening screening and assessment practices is part of the described scope.
Are culturally and linguistically appropriate practices included?
Yes. The scope includes advancing culturally, linguistically, and developmentally appropriate practices.
Does the FOA focus on teacher-child interactions?
Yes. Enhancing teacher-child interactions is explicitly included in the scope of work.
Does the center support infant/toddler practitioner networks?
Yes. The center is expected to support networks of infant/toddler practitioners.
Is inclusion for children with disabilities part of the expected work?
Yes. The center is expected to improve services and inclusion for children with disabilities, including those served under Part C and Part B of IDEA.
Is continuous quality improvement (CQI) and data use included?
Yes. The center is expected to help programs use data to guide continuous quality improvement.
Is the center expected to create new tools and materials from scratch?
The FOA directs the center to make strong use of existing web-based materials that align with established OHS and OCC national messages, rather than duplicating tools that already exist and are working.
Who are the intended recipients of the training and technical assistance?
Intended recipients include Head Start and Early Head Start agencies, state child care agencies, and other early care and education providers nationwide.
Is the work national in scope?
Yes. The recipients are described as spanning regions, states, tribes, and U.S. territories.
Does the FOA emphasize coordination with other federal technical assistance centers?
Yes. The center is expected to work collaboratively and cooperatively with other OHS and OCC National T/TA Centers as well as ACF regional offices.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes: state, county, and city/township governments; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) nonprofits); for-profit organizations (including small businesses); independent school districts; tribal governments and other tribal organizations; and faith-based and community organizations that meet requirements.
Can an applicant apply as part of a consortium?
Yes. Applicants may apply alone or as the lead of a consortium.
If applying as a consortium, what is required of the lead applicant?
The lead applicant must play a substantive role and cannot simply pass funds through. Partner organizations would be supported via subawards.
Who is not eligible to apply?
Individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities were explicitly ineligible and would be disqualified.
When was the FOA originally due, and what changed?
The original closing date was July 20, 2015. ACF modified the FOA to extend the due date to Thursday, July 23, 2015.
Why was the application deadline extended?
The due date was extended to avoid disruption from scheduled Grants.gov maintenance running from 12:01 AM EDT on Saturday, July 18, 2015 through 6:00 AM EDT on Monday, July 20, 2015.
How did applicants have to submit their applications?
Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov.
What time were applications due on the deadline date?
Applications had to be submitted electronically by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the due date.
When was the FOA posted, modified, and archived?
The FOA was posted May 19, 2015. It shows a creation date of July 2, 2015 (reflecting the modification). The archive date is August 22, 2015.
Who should applicants contact for technical access issues?
For technical access issues, applicants were directed to the ACF Applications Help Desk at appsupport@acf.hhs.gov.
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