Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2011 ACF OCSE FI 0151
Apply for HHS 2011 ACF OCSE FI 0151
- The Administration for Children and Families in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Special Improvement Project (SIP) Projects to Address the Economic Downturn on IV D Operations" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.601 Child Support Enforcement Demonstrations and Special Projects.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 5, 2011 and posted on Apr 28, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 29, 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 $300,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility Small businesses Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education County governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses City or township governments Independent school districts Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Private institutions of higher education.
- Faith based and community organizations that meet eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity announcement. Individuals and foreign entities are not eligible for awards made under this announcement.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Special Improvement Project (SIP) grant opportunity, offered by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) through the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), was a competitive discretionary grant program aimed at helping child support (Title IV-D) operations respond to the pressures of the economic downturn. The central idea was to fund practical, innovative projects that would let state, tribal, and local child support agencies keep services moving and improve outcomes for families even as they faced staff cuts, funding reductions, and growing caseload pressures. OCSE emphasized that these projects should not only address immediate operational pain points caused by budget constraints, but also push agencies toward longer-term structural improvements that make programs more resilient, efficient, and adaptable.
The grant focused on strategies that improve how IV-D programs manage cases, exchange information, and deliver services under tight resource conditions. Examples highlighted in the announcement included building or strengthening partnerships and data-sharing interfaces with related systems and agencies such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), child welfare agencies, unemployment insurance programs, courts, departments of corrections, and linkages across state or tribal IV-D agencies. The point of these partnerships was to reduce delays, improve the quality and timeliness of information, and increase the speed and flexibility of case processing (for example, faster identification of employment changes, incarceration status, or benefit receipt that affects child support actions). Another encouraged approach was collaborating with organizations that provide online legal information, guided interviews, automated forms, and similar tools that help people who are representing themselves in court (pro se). By making forms and instructions easier to access and complete, agencies and courts can reduce back-and-forth paperwork problems and move cases forward with fewer staff hours.
OCSE also specifically called out streamlining internal processes, such as the review and adjustment workflow, so agencies could respond more quickly to changing circumstances for either parent, which became especially important during the downturn when job loss and income instability were more common. In addition, the announcement encouraged the use of automation and technology tools to boost efficiency and offset staffing reductions, with the overall goal of maintaining or improving service delivery and child support enforcement outcomes. Across these examples, the consistent theme was finding ways to do more with less by removing bottlenecks, reducing manual work, improving coordination, and modernizing high-friction steps that slow down case progress.
While the competition was open to a wide range of eligible applicants, OCSE stressed that the work ultimately needed to improve IV-D program outcomes, so applicants that were not themselves IV-D agencies needed clear cooperation from the relevant IV-D agency to successfully operate the project. For multi-organization proposals, the announcement required applicants to name a single lead organization as the official applicant and grant recipient, with other partners participating as formal co-participants or subcontractors, supported by written authorization. This structure was intended to prevent confusion over responsibility and ensure there was one accountable entity for project management, reporting, and compliance.
In terms of funding details, this opportunity was listed under Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2011-ACF-OCSE-FI-0151, within the Income Security and Social Services activity category, and tied to CFDA 93.601 (Child Support Enforcement Demonstrations and Special Projects). OCSE expected to make three awards, with an estimated total funding amount of $300,000. Individual awards had a ceiling of $100,000 and no stated minimum award floor. There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement, which lowered the barrier for agencies and partner organizations that were already strained by budget cuts. The application deadline was June 29, 2011, and the notice emphasized that electronic submissions through Grants.gov had to be received by 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date. The posting date was April 28, 2011, and the opportunity was later archived on December 23, 2011.
Eligibility was broad and included state, county, and city governments; federally recognized tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); small businesses and other for-profit organizations (with certain distinctions noted); and independent school districts. The announcement also clarified that faith-based and community organizations meeting the eligibility requirements could apply, but individuals and foreign entities were not eligible. For applicants needing assistance accessing the full announcement, the contact point provided was the ACF Applications Help Desk at appsupport@acf.hhs.gov.
Overall, this SIP opportunity was designed as a targeted, relatively small-dollar federal investment to help child support enforcement programs modernize and stabilize operations during a period of financial stress, with an emphasis on cross-agency coordination, process redesign, and automation that could produce quicker case movement and better service outcomes for families.
Special Improvement Project (SIP) Grant (OCSE/ACF) - FAQs
What is the Special Improvement Project (SIP) grant?
The Special Improvement Project (SIP) was a competitive discretionary grant opportunity offered by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) through the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE). It was designed to help child support (Title IV-D) operations keep services moving and improve outcomes for families during the pressures of the economic downturn.
What problem was this grant intended to address?
The SIP grant aimed to help IV-D programs respond to staff cuts, funding reductions, and growing caseload pressures tied to the economic downturn. OCSE emphasized projects that could address immediate operational pain points while also supporting longer-term structural improvements that make programs more resilient and efficient.
What types of projects were encouraged?
OCSE encouraged practical, innovative projects that improve how IV-D programs manage cases, exchange information, and deliver services under tight resource conditions. Common themes included removing bottlenecks, reducing manual work, improving coordination, and modernizing high-friction steps that slow down case progress.
What partnerships and data-sharing efforts did OCSE highlight as examples?
The announcement highlighted building or strengthening partnerships and data-sharing interfaces with related systems and agencies such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), child welfare agencies, unemployment insurance programs, courts, departments of corrections, and linkages across state or tribal IV-D agencies.
Why were cross-agency partnerships important for SIP projects?
These partnerships were intended to reduce delays and improve the quality and timeliness of information, increasing the speed and flexibility of case processing. Examples mentioned included faster identification of employment changes, incarceration status, or benefit receipt that could affect child support actions.
Did the opportunity support tools for people representing themselves in court (pro se)?
Yes. OCSE encouraged collaboration with organizations that provide online legal information, guided interviews, automated forms, and similar tools to help pro se litigants. The goal was to make forms and instructions easier to access and complete, reducing paperwork errors and minimizing staff time spent on back-and-forth corrections.
What internal child support processes did OCSE specifically call out for improvement?
OCSE specifically called out streamlining internal processes such as the review and adjustment workflow. This was framed as especially important during the downturn, when job loss and income instability were more common and agencies needed to respond quickly to changing circumstances for either parent.
Was the use of technology and automation encouraged?
Yes. The announcement encouraged automation and technology tools to boost efficiency and offset staffing reductions, with the overall goal of maintaining or improving service delivery and child support enforcement outcomes.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility included state, county, and city governments; federally recognized tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); small businesses and other for-profit organizations (with certain distinctions noted); and independent school districts.
Could faith-based or community organizations apply?
Yes. The announcement clarified that faith-based and community organizations could apply as long as they met the eligibility requirements.
Who was not eligible to apply?
Individuals and foreign entities were not eligible under this opportunity.
Did applicants have to be a Title IV-D agency to apply?
No. The competition was open to a wide range of eligible applicants. However, OCSE stressed that the work needed to improve IV-D program outcomes, so applicants that were not themselves IV-D agencies needed clear cooperation from the relevant IV-D agency to successfully operate the project.
What did OCSE require for multi-organization proposals?
For proposals involving multiple organizations, applicants were required to name a single lead organization as the official applicant and grant recipient. Other partners could participate as formal co-participants or subcontractors, supported by written authorization.
Why did OCSE require a single lead organization?
This structure was intended to prevent confusion over responsibility and ensure there was one accountable entity for project management, reporting, and compliance.
What was the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number was HHS-2011-ACF-OCSE-FI-0151.
What CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?
This opportunity was tied to CFDA 93.601 (Child Support Enforcement Demonstrations and Special Projects).
How many awards did OCSE expect to make?
OCSE expected to make three awards.
What was the estimated total funding amount?
The estimated total funding amount was $300,000.
What was the maximum award amount per grant?
Individual awards had a ceiling of $100,000.
Was there a minimum award amount?
No minimum award floor was stated in the information provided.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement for this opportunity.
When was the application deadline?
The application deadline was June 29, 2011.
What was the electronic submission deadline time?
The notice emphasized that electronic submissions through Grants.gov had to be received by 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.
When was the opportunity posted, and when was it archived?
The posting date was April 28, 2011, and the opportunity was later archived on December 23, 2011.
What activity category was this opportunity listed under?
This opportunity was listed under the Income Security and Social Services activity category.
Where could applicants get help accessing the full announcement?
Applicants needing assistance accessing the full announcement were directed to the ACF Applications Help Desk at appsupport@acf.hhs.gov.
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