Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2009 ACF ACYF CA 0055

  • The Administration for Children and Families in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rigorous Evaluations of Existing Child Abuse Prevention Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.670 Child Abuse and Neglect Discretionary Activities.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Mar 5, 2009 and posted on Mar 5, 2009.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by May 4, 2009 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 $600,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) For profit organizations other than small businesses Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Small businesses County governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education City or township governments Private institutions of higher education State 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.
  • Faith based and community organizations are eligible to apply. Foreign entities are not eligible under this announcement.
Apply for HHS 2009 ACF ACYF CA 0055

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Opportunity Summary:

The Rigorous Evaluations of Existing Child Abuse Prevention Programs opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2009-ACF-ACYF-CA-0055) is a discretionary grant program offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), through the Children's Bureau. Its central goal is to strengthen child abuse and neglect prevention practice by paying specifically for high-quality, rigorous evaluations of prevention programs that are already operating but have not yet been formally evaluated. The intent is to expand the field's evidence base by moving beyond promising ideas and long-running community approaches into research that can credibly show whether programs work, for whom they work, and under what conditions they are most effective. In doing so, the Children's Bureau emphasizes the broader push toward evidence-based and evidence-informed decision-making in child welfare and prevention, and it signals that the field has asked for more practical resources to help make rigorous evaluation possible.

A key feature of this funding announcement is its strict limitation on how funds may be used. Grant dollars may be used only to support the evaluation of an existing child abuse prevention program. The funding is not meant to launch new services, expand program operations, or cover direct service delivery costs. In practical terms, applicants need to propose an evaluation plan (for example, an experimental or quasi-experimental design, strong comparison strategies, well-defined outcomes, and clear data collection methods) that can produce trustworthy findings about program effectiveness. The underlying message is that improving prevention systems requires knowing what is actually producing measurable reductions in risk factors, maltreatment incidence, or other relevant child and family outcomes, rather than assuming impact based on participation or satisfaction alone.

The program was posted on March 5, 2009, with an original and current closing date of May 4, 2009. Applications submitted through Grants.gov were required to be received no later than 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date, reflecting the standard federal emphasis on firm submission deadlines and electronic submission rules. The opportunity was later archived on June 3, 2009, meaning it was a time-limited competition and is included in public records as a past grant notice rather than an open solicitation.

Funding for this competition was modest but targeted. The estimated total funding amount was $600,000, with an expected three awards. The maximum award ceiling was $200,000 per grant, and the award floor was listed as $0, which typically indicates that awards could vary depending on project scope and quality, but would not exceed the ceiling. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, which lowers barriers for organizations that may not have access to unrestricted funds or philanthropic match dollars and allows applicants to focus resources on research design, data collection, analysis, and dissemination.

Eligibility was broad across public, nonprofit, academic, and private-sector entities involved in child and family services or evaluation work. Eligible applicants included state governments, county and city or township governments, federally recognized tribal governments, and other tribal organizations. Both public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education were eligible, reflecting the expectation that universities and research partners may be well positioned to conduct rigorous evaluations. Nonprofits were eligible whether or not they had 501(c)(3) status (as long as they were not institutions of higher education), and for-profit entities (other than small businesses) and small businesses were also listed as eligible. The announcement specifically noted that faith-based and community organizations could apply, reinforcing inclusivity for community-rooted prevention programs, while clarifying that foreign entities were not eligible under this opportunity.

From an administrative standpoint, the grant sits within the Income Security and Social Services activity category and aligns with CFDA number 93.670 (Child Abuse and Neglect Discretionary Activities). Applicants needing the complete details were directed to the full announcement link hosted by ACF. For technical issues accessing the announcement, the contact point provided was the ACF Applications Help Desk at appsupport@acf.hhs.gov, which is typical for federal grant competitions that rely on standardized electronic application systems and documentation.

Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a research-and-learning investment rather than a service expansion grant. It exists to help the child abuse prevention field move toward more defensible conclusions about what works by funding evaluations that are methodologically strong and focused on existing, real-world programs that have not yet been studied rigorously. By restricting funding to evaluation activities only, the Children's Bureau aimed to ensure that federal dollars in this competition directly produce evidence that can guide future policy, funding decisions, and replication of effective prevention strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Rigorous Evaluations of Existing Child Abuse Prevention Programs grant?

It is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), through the Children's Bureau. The program is titled "Rigorous Evaluations of Existing Child Abuse Prevention Programs" and is associated with Funding Opportunity Number (FON) HHS-2009-ACF-ACYF-CA-0055.

What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The central goal is to strengthen child abuse and neglect prevention practice by funding high-quality, rigorous evaluations of child abuse prevention programs that are already operating but have not yet been formally evaluated. The intent is to build the evidence base by generating credible findings about whether programs work, for whom they work, and under what conditions they are most effective.

Is this grant meant to support direct services or expand existing programs?

No. A strict feature of this announcement is that grant funds may be used only to support the evaluation of an existing child abuse prevention program. The funding is not intended to launch new services, expand program operations, or pay for direct service delivery costs.

What kinds of activities are allowable under this grant?

Only evaluation-related activities for an existing child abuse prevention program are allowable. The announcement emphasizes rigorous evaluation approaches, such as experimental or quasi-experimental designs, strong comparison strategies, well-defined outcomes, and clear data collection methods that can produce trustworthy findings about effectiveness.

What kinds of evaluation approaches does the opportunity emphasize?

The opportunity highlights the need for methodologically strong evaluation plans. Examples mentioned include experimental or quasi-experimental designs, strong comparison strategies, clearly defined outcomes, and clear methods for data collection to support credible conclusions about program effectiveness.

What outcomes is the evaluation expected to address?

The announcement frames the purpose as producing measurable evidence related to reductions in risk factors, maltreatment incidence, or other relevant child and family outcomes, rather than relying only on participation levels or satisfaction.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this grant?

The Funding Opportunity Number is HHS-2009-ACF-ACYF-CA-0055.

Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

The opportunity is offered by HHS through ACF, specifically via the Children's Bureau.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity aligns with CFDA 93.670 (Child Abuse and Neglect Discretionary Activities).

What is the activity category for this grant?

The grant is listed under the Income Security and Social Services activity category.

When was the opportunity posted and when was it due?

The opportunity was posted on March 5, 2009. The original and current closing date was May 4, 2009.

What was the application submission deadline time?

Applications submitted through Grants.gov were required to be received no later than 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.

Is this funding opportunity currently open?

No. The opportunity was archived on June 3, 2009, indicating it was a time-limited competition and is now a past grant notice rather than an open solicitation.

How much total funding was available under this competition?

The estimated total funding amount was $600,000.

How many awards were expected?

The announcement estimated approximately three awards.

What was the maximum award amount per grant?

The award ceiling was $200,000 per grant.

What does the award floor of $0 mean?

The award floor was listed as $0, which typically indicates awards could vary depending on the scope and quality of proposed projects but would not exceed the stated ceiling.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was broad and included state governments; county, city, or township governments; federally recognized tribal governments; and other tribal organizations. Eligible applicants also included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they were not institutions of higher education), for-profit entities (other than small businesses), and small businesses.

Are faith-based and community organizations eligible?

Yes. The announcement specifically noted that faith-based and community organizations could apply.

Are foreign entities eligible to apply?

No. The opportunity clarified that foreign entities were not eligible.

What is the grant primarily trying to produce for the field?

It is designed as a research-and-learning investment to expand the field's evidence base and support evidence-based and evidence-informed decision-making in child welfare and prevention by producing rigorous findings about what works.

Where were applicants directed to find the complete details?

Applicants were directed to the full announcement link hosted by ACF for complete details.

Who should applicants contact for technical issues accessing the announcement?

For technical issues, the contact listed was the ACF Applications Help Desk at appsupport@acf.hhs.gov.

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