Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2012 ACF OFA FZ 0540
Apply for HHS 2012 ACF OFA FZ 0540
- The Administration for Children and Families OFA in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "TANF Program Integrity Innovation Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.076 TANF Program Integrity Innovation Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 19, 2012 and posted on Jun 19, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 20, 2012 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 $3,300,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
- State (including the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) human services agencies are the only entities eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity announcement.
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Opportunity Summary:
The TANF Program Integrity Innovation Grants opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2012-ACF-OFA-FZ-0540) is a discretionary funding competition run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA). It offers cooperative agreements to support state-led pilot projects focused on strengthening the integrity of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program while also protecting and improving access for people who are eligible. In practice, the grants are aimed at helping TANF agencies reduce improper payments, streamline and improve administrative operations, and ensure that integrity-focused changes do not create unnecessary barriers for families who qualify for assistance.
The program is designed as an innovation and learning effort rather than a simple implementation grant. Applicants are expected to test practical strategies that could be scaled or replicated, and to generate evidence about what works. A key requirement is that each funded pilot must include a formal evaluation component. Importantly, because these are cooperative agreements, federal staff will be involved beyond standard grant monitoring: ACF/OFA anticipates active engagement and oversight of proposed evaluation and research methods to make sure findings are sound, tied to the pilot activities, and useful for broader state and federal TANF program integrity efforts. That structure signals that the federal government is looking not only for local improvements, but also for lessons that can inform policy and operations across jurisdictions.
Eligibility is limited to state human services agencies, including agencies in the 50 states and also the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. No cost sharing or matching funds are required. The total estimated funding available under the announcement is $3.3 million, with an expected four awards. Individual awards are anticipated to fall between $400,000 (award floor) and $1,000,000 (award ceiling), depending on the scope and ambition of the proposed pilot and evaluation design.
From a timing and administrative standpoint, the opportunity was posted on June 19, 2012, with applications due by August 20, 2012. Applications had to be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date, and the funding opportunity was archived on September 19, 2012. The CFDA number associated with this opportunity is 93.076, and the activity category is Income Security and Social Services.
For access to the official materials, the opportunity listed an additional information link on the ACF grants site. Applicants needing technical help accessing the announcement were directed to the ACF Applications Help Desk at appsupport@acf.hhs.gov.
FAQs: TANF Program Integrity Innovation Grants (HHS-2012-ACF-OFA-FZ-0540)
What is the TANF Program Integrity Innovation Grants opportunity?
This is a discretionary funding competition run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA). It provides cooperative agreements to support state-led pilot projects that strengthen TANF program integrity while protecting and improving access for people who are eligible.
What is the main purpose of these grants?
The purpose is to help TANF agencies reduce improper payments, streamline and improve administrative operations, and ensure that integrity-focused changes do not create unnecessary barriers for families who qualify for assistance.
Is this grant meant for implementation or for innovation and learning?
The opportunity is designed as an innovation and learning effort rather than a simple implementation grant. Applicants are expected to test practical strategies that could be scaled or replicated and generate evidence about what works.
What kinds of projects are these grants intended to support?
The grants support state-led pilot projects focused on strengthening TANF program integrity. In practice, this includes efforts aimed at reducing improper payments and improving administrative operations, while also safeguarding access for eligible families.
Do funded projects need to include an evaluation?
Yes. A key requirement is that each funded pilot must include a formal evaluation component.
What is a cooperative agreement in this context?
These awards are cooperative agreements, meaning federal staff will be involved beyond standard grant monitoring. ACF/OFA anticipates active engagement and oversight of proposed evaluation and research methods to ensure findings are sound, tied to the pilot activities, and useful for broader TANF program integrity efforts.
How involved will federal staff be during the project?
Federal staff involvement is expected to go beyond standard oversight. ACF/OFA anticipates active engagement and oversight of evaluation and research methods so that the results are credible, connected to the pilot activities, and useful to state and federal TANF integrity efforts.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to state human services agencies. This includes agencies in the 50 states and also the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Are local governments, nonprofits, universities, or individuals eligible to apply directly?
The eligibility described is limited to state human services agencies (including the listed territories and the District of Columbia). No additional eligible applicant types are indicated in the provided information.
Is cost sharing or a match required?
No. The opportunity states that no cost sharing or matching funds are required.
How much funding is available in total?
The total estimated funding available under the announcement is $3.3 million.
How many awards were expected?
The announcement expected four awards.
What is the anticipated award size?
Individual awards were anticipated to range from $400,000 (award floor) to $1,000,000 (award ceiling), depending on the scope and ambition of the proposed pilot and evaluation design.
What determines where an award might fall within the funding range?
The anticipated award amount depends on the scope and ambition of the proposed pilot and the evaluation design.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on June 19, 2012.
What was the application deadline?
Applications were due by August 20, 2012.
What time were applications due on the closing date?
Applications had to be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date.
Was the funding opportunity archived?
Yes. The funding opportunity was archived on September 19, 2012.
How were applications required to be submitted?
Applications had to be submitted electronically.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this announcement?
The Funding Opportunity Number is HHS-2012-ACF-OFA-FZ-0540.
Which federal agency and office administered this competition?
The competition was run by HHS, within ACF, Office of Family Assistance (OFA).
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number associated with this opportunity is 93.076.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is Income Security and Social Services.
Where could applicants find the official materials?
The opportunity listed an additional information link on the ACF grants site for access to the official materials.
Where could applicants get technical help accessing the announcement?
Applicants needing technical help accessing the announcement were directed to the ACF Applications Help Desk at appsupport@acf.hhs.gov.
What is the overall emphasis of the federal government for this grant program?
The structure signals that the federal government is looking not only for local improvements, but also for lessons that can inform policy and operations across jurisdictions, particularly around TANF program integrity and access for eligible families.
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