The Chronicle has identified several 2015 federal funding opportunities for child and family services providers. Following is an overview of funding leads to keep an eye on from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
Department is investing in healthy marriages, fatherhood initiatives, child abuse prevention and intervention, and sexual health education.
Tribal Youth
HHS will be releasing “Grants for Coordination of Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Child Welfare Services to Tribal Families at Risk of Child Abuse or Neglect” in early 2015.
The department plans to award 15 organizations with grants of $100,000-150,000 to provide child abuse prevention activities within tribal communities. Eligible applicants include Indian tribes and Alaska Native regional non-profits that administer a Tribal TANF program, or a consortia of two or more Indian tribes – the consortium administers a Tribal TANF program on behalf of these tribes.
Funded activities include improved case management systems for TANF-eligible tribal families, supportive services and assistance to tribal children in out-of-home placements and the tribal families caring for these children and prevention activities for families at risk of child abuse and/or neglect.
ACF (Administration for Children and Families) is especially interested in programs that increase the use of home-visiting services. As well as programs that use a collaborative approach between Child Welfare and Tribal TANF departments. An increased focus on prevention is also strongly encouraged.
The full RFP will be released sometime in January 2015, with a late March deadline.
Healthy Marriages
HHS announced an upcoming grant focusing on the promotion of Healthy Marriage. The department plans to award one grant for approximately $2 million, with no match required. This grant will be used to create a national resource center. The awardee will be responsible for the development, implementation, and management of a national resource center for Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education. The Resource Center will gather, develop and disseminate information and research related to promoting healthy marriage.
Keep a look out for the release of the RFP sometime in January, with a late March deadline. The grant is open to schools, governments, universities, nonprofits and for-profits, including small businesses. The department is encouraging faith-based organizations to apply. The program resides within the Administration for Children and Families.
Fatherhood
There are two major fatherhood initiatives coming down the pike. The first program, forcecasted for early 2015, is the Responsible Fatherhood Grant Program. These grants are designed to fund organizations that strengthen positive parental interactions. Programs can address a wide range of services including improving parenting skills, as well as job training programs to strengthen the financial well being of children and families.
ACF is particularly interested in organizations that have the capacity and proven record of accomplishment in helping low-income fathers, and comprehensive fatherhood programs that integrate robust economic stability services, healthy marriage and relationship activities, and activities designed to foster responsible parenting.
Eligibility encompasses a broad range of government, public and private entities. The department intends to award 48 organizations with grants ranging from $350,000 to $2 million. The RFP is projected to be released in January with a late March due date.
The second Fatherhood grant is titled, “Responsible Fatherhood Ex-Prisoner Reentry”. The program is intended to fund organizations that focus on innovative community-centered, pre- and post-release and supportive services to formerly incarcerated fathers.
This program is very similar in its goals to the other grants within the Fatherhood Initiative at large, with a singular focus on formerly incarcerated fathers. Funded projects will be designed to support activities that promote healthy marriage and relationships, improve parenting skills, and alleviate barriers to economic self-sufficiency. Projects should also address reducing recidivism among released fathers.
There will be four awards under this initiative, for approximately $1.5 million per grant.
Sex Education
HHS is set to release an additional grant,”Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP)”. This grant, under the Affordable Care Act, supports initiatives to provide sexual health education to youth.
The program seeks to educate youth, between the ages of 10 and 19 years, and pregnant and parenting youth under age 21, on abstinence and contraception for the prevention of pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV/AIDS.
Eligibility is limited to local organizations and entities that are located in the following states and territories: Florida, Indiana, North Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, the Marshall Islands and Palau.
There will be 30 awards, ranging from $200,000-$700,000. Local governments, school districts, private, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, tribal governments, housing authorities, faith-based organizations, nonprofit and for-profit organizations are all eligible to apply.
The RFP will be released in early February, with proposals due in April.
Later in 2015, ACF will be releasing several grants for organizations that serve homeless youth. These awards will not be released until March and due later in May. Stay tuned for The Imprint’s coverage of the next round of forecasted HHS funding.
Judith Fenlon is the money and business editor of the The Chronicle of Social Change.