Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2016 ACF ACYF CW 1126
Apply for HHS 2016 ACF ACYF CW 1126
- The HHS-ACF in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Quality Improvement Center on Tailored Services, Placement Stability and Permanency for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Children and Youth in Foster Care" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.556.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 18, 2016 and posted on Mar 18, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 17, 2016. (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 $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.
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Opportunity Summary:
This funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (HHS-ACF) seeks to establish a single National Quality Improvement Center (QIC) focused on improving placement stability and permanency for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) children and youth in foster care. The award is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the federal government expects to be actively involved in the work rather than simply providing funds and stepping back. Over a 5-year project period, the QIC is expected to partner with state child welfare systems to design, implement, and evaluate a set of coordinated projects that strengthen how child welfare agencies serve LGBTQ youth, with a strong emphasis on achieving lasting family connections and stable placements while also improving well-being outcomes.
At the center of the initiative is the requirement that the QIC conduct four to six projects in partnership with state child welfare systems (and potentially county or tribal systems as part of those partnerships). These projects are meant to go beyond small program tweaks and instead build a dedicated, evidence-based system of supports and interventions tailored to LGBTQ youth in care, including youth who may be questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity. The intent is to improve emotional, behavioral, and medical health outcomes while simultaneously increasing the likelihood that youth experience safe, affirming placements and reach permanency, whether through reunification, adoption, guardianship, or other legally permanent arrangements that provide long-term stability.
A major deliverable is rigorous evaluation. Each project site is expected to participate in strong research and evaluation activities so the QIC can document what was implemented, how it was implemented, what it cost, and what outcomes changed as a result. The opportunity calls for evaluations guided by a single, uniform theory of change and logic model across sites, with components that include process evaluation (how implementation occurred), practice evaluation (how services and interventions were delivered), cost evaluation (resources required), and outcomes evaluation (whether well-being, placement stability, and permanency improved). In addition to evaluating each site-specific project, the QIC must also complete a cross-site evaluation to identify broader lessons about what elements are most important when building effective LGBTQ-responsive child welfare practice models.
The QIC is also expected to function as a capacity-building and technical support hub for these research projects. That means helping partner systems strengthen their ability to implement and test interventions effectively, while ensuring the work builds credible evidence about what practices actually improve outcomes for LGBTQ youth. Over the course of the initiative, the QIC must produce new or refined evidence-informed and evidence-based models of support and intervention. The idea is not just to help a handful of jurisdictions, but to generate practical, replicable knowledge that other states and local child welfare agencies can use as guidance when trying to improve services for LGBTQ youth.
The announcement highlights priority areas that reflect systemic change. Proposed projects are expected to address issues such as prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; ensuring LGBTQ youth are treated with respect by agency staff and peers; increasing LGBTQ cultural competency among child welfare staff and foster parents; providing services that address the specific needs of LGBTQ youth and their families; supporting prudent parenting and access to normalcy activities in affirming homes; and improving how agencies manage sensitive information related to a young persons sexual orientation and gender identity. Collectively, these priorities point to reforms in policy, training, placement practice, service delivery, and data/information management, rather than isolated supports that do not change the underlying system.
The expected outcomes are concrete and multi-layered. First, the QIC must stand up and support four to six research projects in state, county, and tribal child welfare settings that are committed to building and testing practice models designed to improve permanency, well-being, and placement stability for LGBTQ youth in foster care. Second, the work should lead to integration of the identified effective models into the partner systems policies, programs, and everyday practices, so improvements last beyond the grant. Third, the QIC should produce promising practices and stronger evidence-informed or evidence-based approaches to engagement, services, and interventions that can be credibly linked to improved outcomes. Fourth, the initiative should show measurable improvements in permanency, well-being, and placement stability within the selected sites. Finally, the QIC must publish a catalog of LGBTQ-responsive strategies, including protocols, tools, and products that other child welfare jurisdictions can use for insight and replication, while the cross-site evaluation builds broader knowledge about what it takes to implement a comprehensive, effective model.
In terms of basic grant details, this is a discretionary funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: HHS 2016 ACF ACYF CW 1126) under CFDA 93.556, with an award ceiling of $2,000,000 and an expectation of one award total. Eligible applicants are broad and include various levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), public and private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, public housing authorities, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and independent school districts. The opportunity was posted March 18, 2016, created March 18, 2016, and had a closing date of May 17, 2016.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (HHS-ACF) to establish a single National Quality Improvement Center (QIC) focused on improving placement stability and permanency for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) children and youth in foster care.
What is the main purpose of the National Quality Improvement Center (QIC)?
The QIC is intended to partner with state child welfare systems to design, implement, and evaluate coordinated projects that strengthen how child welfare agencies serve LGBTQ youth in foster care, with an emphasis on lasting family connections, stable placements, and improved well-being outcomes.
How many awards will be made?
The opportunity anticipates one award total to establish a single National QIC.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $2,000,000.
What type of award is this?
The award is structured as a cooperative agreement, which means the federal government expects to be actively involved in the work rather than only providing funding.
How long is the project period?
The project period is 5 years.
What projects must the QIC carry out with child welfare systems?
The QIC must conduct four to six projects in partnership with state child welfare systems, and those partnerships may also include county or tribal child welfare systems as part of the project sites.
Who are the intended beneficiaries of the work?
The focus is on LGBTQ children and youth in foster care, including youth who may be questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity.
What outcomes is this opportunity trying to improve?
The effort aims to improve permanency and placement stability while also improving well-being outcomes, including emotional, behavioral, and medical health outcomes. Permanency may include reunification, adoption, guardianship, or other legally permanent arrangements that provide long-term stability.
Are the projects expected to be small program improvements or bigger system changes?
The projects are intended to go beyond small program tweaks and instead build a dedicated, evidence-based system of supports and interventions tailored to LGBTQ youth in foster care, pointing toward changes in policy, training, placement practice, service delivery, and data/information management.
What is required regarding research and evaluation?
Rigorous evaluation is a major deliverable. Each project site is expected to participate in strong research and evaluation activities so the QIC can document what was implemented, how it was implemented, what it cost, and what outcomes changed.
What evaluation components are specifically called for?
The opportunity calls for evaluations guided by a single, uniform theory of change and logic model across sites, including process evaluation (how implementation occurred), practice evaluation (how services and interventions were delivered), cost evaluation (resources required), and outcomes evaluation (whether well-being, placement stability, and permanency improved).
Is a cross-site evaluation required?
Yes. In addition to evaluating each site-specific project, the QIC must complete a cross-site evaluation to identify broader lessons about which elements are most important when building effective LGBTQ-responsive child welfare practice models.
What does it mean that the QIC is a capacity-building and technical support hub?
It means the QIC is expected to help partner systems strengthen their ability to implement and test interventions effectively, while ensuring the work builds credible evidence about what practices improve outcomes for LGBTQ youth.
What kinds of deliverables or products are expected from the QIC?
The QIC is expected to produce new or refined evidence-informed and evidence-based models of support and intervention, and publish a catalog of LGBTQ-responsive strategies, including protocols, tools, and products that other child welfare jurisdictions can use for insight and replication.
What priority areas should proposed projects address?
Priority areas include prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; ensuring LGBTQ youth are treated with respect by agency staff and peers; increasing LGBTQ cultural competency among child welfare staff and foster parents; providing services addressing the specific needs of LGBTQ youth and their families; supporting prudent parenting and access to normalcy activities in affirming homes; and improving how agencies manage sensitive information related to a young person’s sexual orientation and gender identity.
What are the expected high-level outcomes of the initiative?
Expected outcomes include: (1) establishing and supporting four to six research projects in state, county, and tribal child welfare settings; (2) integrating effective models into partner systems’ policies, programs, and everyday practices so improvements last beyond the grant; (3) producing promising practices and stronger evidence-informed or evidence-based approaches linked to improved outcomes; (4) demonstrating measurable improvements in permanency, well-being, and placement stability within selected sites; and (5) publishing a catalog of LGBTQ-responsive strategies alongside cross-site evaluation findings.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include state, county, city/township, and special district governments; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities; nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (including small businesses); and independent school districts.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is HHS 2016 ACF ACYF CW 1126.
What is the CFDA number?
The CFDA number is 93.556.
When was this opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted March 18, 2016, and the closing date was May 17, 2016.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF).
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