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> ![](media/image4.wmf){width="0.35in"
> height="0.3958333333333333in"}DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

**ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES**

**OFFICE OF FAMILYASSISTANCE CHILD CARE BUREAU**

**Table of Contents**

**Introduction** 1

**About the Child Care and Development Fund** 2

> Applying for Child Care and Development Funds 3
>
> Developing the Biennial Tribal CCDF Plan 3
>
> Funding Allocations and Reporting 5
>
> Construction and Renovation 6
>
> Public Law 102-477 7

**Program Implementation** 8

> Who is Served by CCDF? Family Eligibility Requirements 8
>
> Who Provides Child Care Services? Provider Eligibility Requirements 9
>
> Direct Services through Certificates and Contracts 10
>
> Parental Rights of Choice, Access, and Information 11
>
> Restrictions on the Use of Funds 11
>
> Health and Safety Standards 11
>
> Program Report 12
>
> Reimbursement Rates and Family Fees 13

**Financial Management** 14

> Program Budgets 14
>
> Administrative Costs 14
>
> Non-Direct Services 15
>
> Quality Activities 15

**Collaboration and Partnerships** 17

> Networking 17
>
> Partnerships 17
>
> Tribal-State Collaborations 18
>
> Learning and Sharing Opportunities for Tribal CCDF Administrators 19
>
> Keeping Connected 19

**Appendices** 20

> A. Getting Started as a New Administrator 20
>
> B. Federal CCDF Contacts and Resources 22
>
> C. Funding and Fiscal Reporting Timelines 24
>
> D. Sample Quality Activities 25
>
> E. Potential Collaborative Partners for Tribal CCDF Programs 27
>
> F. Tribal CCDF Dates to Remember Back Cover

This booklet, "***Tribal Child Care And Developmen***t\
***Fund: Guide for New Administrators***,"\
was developed in conjunction with the Child\
Care Bureau's ***Tribal CCDF Administrator***s\
***Training: Back to Basics*** in Kansas City, Missouri,\
December 12-14, 2006.

**INTRODUCTION**

Tribal Child Care and Development Fund administrators work each day to
ensure that the children and families in tribal communities have the
child care services that best meet their needs. The Child Care and
Development Fund (CCDF)[^1], a federal block grant for States, Tribes,
and Territories, is a key resource to help increase the availability,
affordability, and quality of child care services. With Child Care and
Development Funds, tribal CCDF administrators can support low-income
families, families receiving temporary public assistance, and those
transitioning from public assistance in obtaining child care services so
they may work, attend training, or participate in educational
activities.

As a supplement to the 2005 Tribal CCDF Administrator Training
CD-ROM[^2] and the new administrators training sessions at the annual
National American Indian and Alaska Native Child Care Conference, this
guide brings together the technical and practical aspects of tribal CCDF
administration and includes examples of effective program strategies.
Footnotes in each section point to sources of additional information,
including guidance documents disseminated by the Child Care Bureau and
specific sections of the federal regulations that govern the CCDF
program. Tribal CCDF administrators should always consult the
regulations and current CCDF guidance for the most comprehensive and
up-to-date information on the management of a tribal CCDF program.

**ABOUT THE CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT FUND**

The Child Care Bureau, Office of Family Assistance, Administration for
Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) supports low-income working families through child care
financial assistance and promotes children's healthy development by
improving the quality of early care and education and afterschool
programs. The Child Care Bureau administers the Child Care and
Development Fund to Tribal, State, and Territory grantees. The ACF
Regional Offices[^3] are integral partners in the administration of the
CCDF funds. Regional Offices have designated CCDF Tribal Lead Contacts
who work with tribal grantees as the Federal point of contact for CCDF
administration.

In order to qualify for CCDF funds, Tribes must be federally recognized
and the tribal population must include at least 50 children under age 13
living on or near the reservation or service area (the reservation
requirement does not apply to Tribes in Alaska, California, and
Oklahoma). A Tribe with fewer than 50 children under age 13 may
participate in a consortium of eligible tribes.[^4] Tribal grantees must
designate a **Lead Agency**[^5] to apply for funding and be accountable
for administering the CCDF program. Within the broad framework of
federal regulations governing the CCDF program, the Tribal Lead Agency
has considerable flexibility in administering and implementing the child
care program, determining the basic use of the funds, and identifying
spending priorities based on the unique and specific needs of the Indian
children and families in the tribal community.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **Key responsibilities of the Tribal Lead Agency:**                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| -   Serve as the single point of contact for administering the CCDF   |
|     program;                                                          |
|                                                                       |
| -   Create rules and regulations for the local tribal child care      |
|     program;                                                          |
|                                                                       |
| -   Submit required programmatic and fiscal reports;                  |
|                                                                       |
| -   Consult with the Tribal Council and others in the community in    |
|     the development of the CCDF Plan;                                 |
|                                                                       |
| -   Coordinate CCDF-funded services with other federal, state, local, |
|     and tribal child care and early childhood development programs,   |
|     including the CCDF State Lead Agency;                             |
|                                                                       |
| -   Develop the CCDF Plan in accordance with ACF regulations,         |
|     including holding a public hearing; and                           |
|                                                                       |
| -   May contract with other agencies to administer the child care     |
|     program, but must oversee expenditures and maintain control to    |
|     ensure compliance with CCDF regulations and the tribal CCDF Plan. |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Tribal CCDF programs can be administered in one of two ways, either
through the **traditional** grantee process or through consolidation of
CCDF with other employment and training funding sources under a **P.L.
102-477** (The Indian Employment, Training and Related Services
Demonstration Act) Plan. Much of the information in this document
focuses on the traditional method of tribal CCDF administration. Because
consolidation of CCDF under P.L. 102-477 involves different plan and
reporting requirements, programs operating under P.L. 102-477 should
refer to page 7 prior to reviewing the rest of this document. If you are
unsure about which administration mechanism your CCDF program uses,
please contact your ACF Regional Office for guidance (see Appendix B for
contact information).

**Applying for Child Care and Development Funds**

Each spring, the Child Care Bureau mails a Program Instruction[^6] to
all federally recognized Indian Tribes. The Program Instruction (PI)
describes the application procedures for the CCDF monies for the
upcoming fiscal year. The Federal Fiscal Year starts October 1 and ends
September 30. To receive Child Care and Development Funds, Tribes must
submit a Plan every two years and a funding application every year. In
years that Plans are not submitted (even-numbered calendar years are
non-Plan years), the Tribal Lead Agency shall apply for funding by
submitting a completed and signed **Child Count Declaration**. The Child
Count Declaration certifies the number of Indian children (as defined by
the Tribe) under age 13 who reside on or near the Tribe's reservation or
CCDF service area.[^7] The governing body of the Tribe or a person
authorized to act for the applicant Tribe or organization must sign
(self-certify) the Child Count Declaration. For the years in which the
Tribal Lead Agency submits the biennial CCDF Plan, the Plan itself
serves as the application and includes the Child Count Declaration. The
Child Count Declaration is then used by ACF to calculate the amount of
the grant award.

**Developing the Biennial Tribal CCDF Plan**

Every two years, as part of the application process, each eligible Tribe
or consortium submits a tribal CCDF Plan (Plans are submitted during
odd-numbered calendar years). The Child Care Bureau provides a
"preprint" of the Plan to be used as the framework for describing the
child care program and services available to the tribal community.[^8]
The Plan must be submitted to the appropriate ACF Regional Office for
review by July 1. After final review and approval, the Plan becomes
effective for a two-year period beginning on October 1 of the funding
year.

Developing the tribal CCDF Plan is an opportunity to establish the goals
and priorities for serving the children and families of the tribal
community. In the development of the CCDF Plan, Tribes are required to
coordinate with federal, state, and local programs; consult with local
government; and coordinate services with four key tribal
agencies---health services, education, employment services, and
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Additionally, the tribal
grantee must hold at least one **public** hearing[^9] to seek input from
members of the tribal community on the use of the child care funds. The
method and outreach for conducting the public hearing is determined by
each tribal grantee. Public hearings provide an opportunity to receive
input from parents of young children; other family members, such as
grandparents, aunts, and uncles; child care providers; tribal leaders;
and the broader tribal community. Public hearings can help galvanize
support for early childhood programs, build awareness of the needs of
young children, and generate public support for programs serving Indian
families. CCDF regulations require that the public hearing be held no
earlier than 9 months prior to the effective date of the CCDF Plan (that
is, no earlier than January 1 of the Plan year) and that the public be
given a minimum of 20 days notice about the hearing. The notice must be
made available across the reservation or service area.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ***Effective Program Strategy:* PUBLIC HEARING**                      |
|                                                                       |
| **Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation**            |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| In developing their CCDF Plan, the Fond du Lac Child Care Assistance  |
| Program wanted to have input from parents and providers to help       |
| improve child care programs and practices. Realizing that there were  |
| political and social challenges to conducting a formal public         |
| hearing, a creative method for getting community input was developed. |
| By adapting an existing child care needs assessment survey, the       |
| tribal CCDF administrator distributed the survey at the Early Head    |
| Start Community Baby Shower for new and expectant parents. As an      |
| incentive, parents who completed the child care survey were entered   |
| into a special drawing to win prizes specifically selected to be      |
| useful to new parents. When the surveys were collected, there was an  |
| opportunity to talk informally with the parents/parents-to-be about   |
| their child care needs and for them to share their thoughts in a      |
| one-on-one, supportive setting. In order to get input from existing   |
| child care clients, the needs assessment survey was sent out to       |
| parents with their semi-annual client satisfaction survey and         |
| provider assessment. The information that was collected showed a need |
| for additional consumer education, and better coordination with       |
| county agencies, as families did not know about, or know how to find  |
| out about, available child care services. The public hearing process  |
| improved both the quantity and the quality of input provided to the   |
| Tribal Child Care Assistance Program.                                 |
|                                                                       |
| *For more detail on this Effective Program Strategy visit:            |
| http://nccic.org/tribal/effective/fondulac/publichearing.html*        |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**Funding Allocations and Reporting**

The tribal CCDF is comprised of Federal Discretionary and Mandatory
Funds. No tribal match is required to receive and use these funds. The
Discretionary Funds include a **base amount** (\$20,000 for Tribes with
at least 50 Indian children under 13; base amounts for tribal consortia
will differ) plus a per-child amount. The base amount provides an
important source of funds that can be used for any costs that are
consistent with CCDF program parameters. The base amount can provide an
opportunity to develop the infrastructure and capacity of the Tribe to
operate a child care program and can be used for administrative costs,
direct child care services to children, non-direct services, or
quality/availability activities. Additionally, Tribes receive
Discretionary Funds earmarked specifically for school age
services---such as before- and after-school programs---and resource and
referral services, such as those that provide consumer education to help
families know about the availability of the CCDF program and how to find
child care services to meet the needs of their children. The amount of
Mandatory Funds received is calculated solely on a per-child basis. The
Mandatory and Discretionary per-child amounts are based on the
information reported in the Child Count Declaration.

CCDF funds are available to the Tribal Lead Agency each year soon after
October 1---the beginning of the Federal Fiscal Year (FY or FFY). Tribal
grantees have two years to **obligate** (commit) the funds, and an
additional year to **liquidate** (pay out) the funds. By April 1 of each
year, Tribal grantees are required to send a letter to ACF projecting
any amounts they will not be able to obligate by the end of the second
year. If certain conditions are met, these funds may then be reallocated
to other Tribes. Any funds not obligated and liquidated in the required
timeframes revert back to the Federal government. The Tribal Lead Agency
may combine the Mandatory and Discretionary funds into one operating
budget for the child care program. It is not necessary to track expenses
according to Mandatory and Discretionary categories, but it is necessary
to track expenditures by the fiscal year of the award. The Child Care
and Development Fund Financial Report is known as the **ACF-696T**.
Tribes (except those receiving CCDF funds through a P.L. 102477
consolidation plan, as described on page 6) are required to use the
ACF-696T to report expenditures for the tribal Mandatory, Discretionary,
and Construction/Renovation funds issued under the CCDF. Reports are
required to be submitted annually on or before December 29^th^, which
allows 90 days after the close of the fiscal year for
completion.[^10][^11]

CCDF funds are available for use in more than one fiscal year, allowing
for short-and long-term planning. Since grantees must report on the
unobligated balance and the unliquidated obligations for each fiscal
year, more than one ACF-696T financial report may need to be submitted
in a calendar year.

Cost categories included on the 696T financial report include:

-   Child care services (direct services to children);

-   Child care administration;

-   Non-direct services;

-   Quality activities; and

-   Construction/renovation expenditures.

**Construction and Renovation**

Tribes may use some of their CCDF funds for the construction and
major/minor renovation of child care facilities. Early in the planning
process, Tribes are advised to contact their respective ACF Regional
Office in order to determine whether or not a construction application
is required. Tribes receiving CCDF funds are required to follow ACF's
application procedures for construction or major renovation
projects.[^12] These procedures require the Tribal Lead Agency to show
that adequate child care facilities are not available and that the lack
of facilities will inhibit future program operations. A community needs
assessment is a vital tool for determining if there is a need to
construct or renovate a child care facility.[^13] Use of funds for
construction or major renovation cannot result in a decrease in the
level of child care services compared to the preceding fiscal year. If a
Tribe constructs or renovates more than one facility, it must seek ACF
approval for each project (even if the projects use identical plans and
specifications). A Tribal Lead Agency may, however, use a single
application to seek approval for more than one project, as long as all
required information is provided for each project. CCDF funds cannot be
expended for construction or major renovation costs until ACF approval
is granted.

**Public Law 102-477**[^14]

The Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Demonstration Act
of 1992 (P.L. 102-477) was enacted to:

-   Demonstrate how Indian tribal governments can integrate the
    employment, training, and related services they provide in order to
    improve the effectiveness of those services;

-   Reduce joblessness in Indian communities;

-   Foster economic development on Indian lands; and

-   Serve tribally determined goals consistent with the policy of
    self-determination and self-governance.

P.L. 102-477 permits tribal governments to consolidate a number of
federal programs into a single, coordinated comprehensive program. The
CCDF is one of the programs that Tribes may include in the operation of
a P.L. 102-477 program. The Department of the Interior serves as the
Lead Agency for all P.L. 102-477 plans. Eligible tribal applicants may
choose to streamline tribal services by submitting a consolidated plan
to the Department of the Interior.

Each spring, the Child Care Bureau mails a Program Instruction to all
federally recognized Indian Tribes that describes the procedures for
consolidating the CCDF program with other employment and training
funding sources under a P.L. 102477 plan.

To receive CCDF funding under a consolidated P.L. 102-477 plan, all
tribal grantees and tribal applicants must:

1.  Be eligible to receive CCDF funding;

2.  Have no outstanding CCDF program (ACF-700) or financial (ACF-696T)
    reports (applicable only to those Tribes submitting initial P.L.
    102-477 plans); and

3.  Have received approval from the Department of the Interior for a
    consolidated P.L. 102-477 plan that includes CCDF.

Tribes that consolidate CCDF funds under a P.L. 102-477 plan are not
required to submit the ACF-700 program data reporting form or the
ACF-696T financial reporting form. However, these grantees must submit
an annual child count to the Child Care Bureau, operate comprehensive
CCDF programs, and use all of the CCDF funds for child care purposes as
defined by CCDF. They must also conform with all P.L. 102-477 grantee
requirements, including the consolidated plan and reporting
requirements.

**PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION**

In order to best meet the needs of children and families in tribal
communities, the Child Care and Development Fund allows grantees a great
deal of flexibility and broad discretion in designing services that are
developmentally and culturally appropriate. Quality early care and
education programs can improve the developmental outcomes of young
children, producing long-term as well as short-term gains on measures of
school achievement and success in young adulthood.[^15]

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **Does Child Care Quality Matter?**                                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| "Our review of the research literature indicates that child care      |
| quality *matters* at several levels. In terms of children's everyday  |
| experiences, children appear happier and more cognitively engaged in  |
| settings in which caregivers are interacting with them in positive    |
| ways and in settings in which child \[to\] adult ratios are lower.    |
| Children who attend higher-quality child care settings (measured by   |
| caregiver behaviors, by \[the condition of \] physical facilities, by |
| age-appropriate activities, and by structural and caregiver           |
| characteristics) display better cognitive, language, and social       |
| competencies... \[T\]here is \[also\] evidence that child care        |
| quality is related to children's subsequent competencies."            |
|                                                                       |
| *Child Care Quality: Does It Matter and Does It Need to be Improved?* |
| D.L. Vandell and B. Wolfe, Institute for Research on Poverty,         |
| University of Wisconsin--Madison, 2000.                               |
|                                                                       |
| http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/ccquality00/index.htm                         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Many program options exist for developing and implementing responsive
child care services; however, there are also a number of CCDF
requirements that must be met, including requirements on the eligibility
of participating families and child care providers.

**Who is served by CCDF? *Family Eligibility Requirements***[^16]

The Child Care and Development Fund serves families with children
*under* the age of 13 (or, if the child is mentally or physically
incapable of self-care or is under court supervision, the age may be
over 13 and under 19) who meet the following eligibility criteria:

-   Children must reside with parents, or individuals acting *in loco
    parentis*, who are working or participating in education or training
    activities.

-   Family income must be at or below 85% of state or tribal median
    income; however, Tribes have the option to set a lower income
    threshold in order to target services to certain priority
    families/children.

-   Children receiving or in need of receiving protective services may
    be eligible for child care services. Tribes may also choose to
    provide respite care for children receiving protective
    services.[^17][^18]

-   Priority for CCDF services must be given to children with special
    needs.

Under CCDF, Indian children have **dual eligibility,**[^19] meaning that
a family could be eligible for services from both the state and tribal
CCDF programs, if they meet the eligibility criteria of both programs.
Therefore, States and Tribes are required to work in coordination to
provide child care services for Indian children. An Indian child cannot
receive duplicative assistance from both a tribal and a state program
for the same expense. However, States and Tribes can work together to
ensure that their separate expenditures meet the complete child care
needs of the Indian child. For example, state CCDF dollars could be used
to pay the subsidy for a particular Indian child during the hours the
child's parent is working and tribal CCDF dollars could be used to pay
the subsidy for the same child during the hours the parent is in
training. States and Tribes may make similar alternative arrangements to
cover subsidy expenses. States and Tribes have a *mutual* responsibility
to coordinate to ensure that duplication of services and expenses does
not occur.

**Who provides child care services? *Provider Eligibility Requirements
***

Child care providers who wish to serve families who participate in the
CCDF program must be operating legally within the jurisdiction in which
they operate. Providers must be licensed or regulated in their
jurisdiction under state or tribal law, or must be *legally exempt* from
regulation. For program data reporting purposes, all providers are
designated as "Licensed/Regulated" or "CCDF Provider, No License
Category Available."

CCDF regulations define four categories of care:

-   **In-home child care** -- care provided in the child's home;

-   **Family child care** -- care provided by one caregiver (family
    child care provider) in a private residence other than the child's
    residence;

-   **Group home child care** -- care provided by two or more caregivers
    in a private residence other than the child's residence; and

-   **Center-based child care** -- group care provided in a facility
    outside of the child or provider's home.

Eligible family members can provide care through tribal CCDF in any of
the four categories of care.

**Direct Services through Certificates and Contracts**[^20]

The majority of CCDF funding is spent on child care services provided
directly to eligible children. There are two approaches for families to
receive child care assistance through the subsidy system. Families may
obtain a certificate (sometimes referred to as a voucher, as explained
below) that they can use to purchase the child care of their choice
(from the full range of available providers that meet the eligibility
requirements described on page 9). Depending on the needs of the tribal
community and resources available, tribal grantees may operate a child
care facility, and/or may contract with eligible providers to have child
care available to families who participate in the child care assistance
program. Parents can then choose to use a contracted provider or a
tribal child care center instead of receiving a certificate.

Recognizing that a number of small tribal CCDF grantees do not have the
infrastructure to support certain CCDF requirements, a fiscal criterion
was established to "exempt" those Tribes from specified CCDF
requirements.[^21] Tribal Lead Agencies receiving CCDF grants of less
than \$500,000 are considered **exempt grantees**. Tribal Lead Agencies
receiving allocations equal to or greater than \$500,000 for a fiscal
year are considered **non-exempt grantees**. Exempt Tribes may choose to
spend their child care funds all on direct services provided within
tribal child care centers, all on contracts with other providers, all on
a certificate/voucher program, or a combination of these services.
Exempt Tribes do not have to offer certificates/vouchers for all four
categories of care described on page 9 (for example, an exempt grantee
does not have to offer in-home care)--- when all four categories are
offered, an exempt grantee is operating a **certificate program**; when
fewer categories of care are offered, the grantee is said to be
operating a **voucher program**.

Non-exempt Tribes are *required* to operate a certificate program, to
spend a minimum of 4% of their CCDF dollars on quality activities, and
to ensure that parents have the option of utilizing a certificate for
care or enrolling their child with a CCDF-contracted provider (if
contracts are offered). Non-exempt Tribal Lead Agencies may choose to
limit in-home care and should describe any limits and the justification
in their CCDF Plans.

**Parental Rights of Choice, Access, and Information**[^22]

Parents have the primary influence on their children's development and
are their child's first and most important teacher. Parents are
invaluable partners for working together with child care programs so
that they can meet the physical, health, emotional, social, and
cognitive needs of the children.

Parents of children participating in tribal child care should, to the
maximum extent possible, have the opportunity to choose from the full
range of eligible provider options for their children's care. Providing
a range of services and supports honors the needs and preferences of
families for their children. Once care is chosen, parents must have
unlimited access to their children during the provider's operating
hours.

The Tribal Lead Agency must maintain a record of substantiated parental
complaints associated with CCDF programs and services. The Tribal Lead
Agency must also provide parents with consumer education information to
help them make informed choices when selecting a child care provider.

**Restrictions on the Use of Funds**

For students enrolled in grades 1 through 12, Child Care and Development
Funds may not be used for school tuition or for any service provided
during the regular school day or that supplants or duplicates the
academic program of any public or private school. Funds provided under
grants or contract to providers may not be used for any sectarian
purposes. However, child care certificates may be used for sectarian
purposes when provided as part of child care services. For example, a
parent can use a CCDF certificate/voucher to pay for child care services
provided in a church facility, even when part of the child care program
includes worship or religious instruction.

**Health and Safety Standards**

Child care standards alone cannot guarantee safety or quality, however
they are an important component of safeguarding and promoting the health
and development of young children in child care settings.[^23] Health
and safety standards are established by the tribal CCDF Program for all
four categories of care, although certain relative caregivers
(grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles, and adult siblings
living in a residence other than the child's home) can be exempted from
some or all of the standards for their category. The health and safety
standards must address, at a minimum, the areas of prevention and
control of infectious diseases; building and physical premises safety;
and health and safety training.

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
(PRWORA) of 1996 required the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, to develop, in consultation with Tribes and tribal
organizations, minimum health and safety standards for tribal child care
programs. The standards were issued as guidance in 2000; they were
updated and republished as "Minimum Standards for Tribal Child Care: A
Health and Safety Guide" in 2005.[^24] These voluntary guidelines
represent the baseline from which all programs should operate to ensure
that children are cared for in healthy and safe environments. Many
Tribes are exceeding these standards or use them as the starting point
for developing their own tribal child care standards.[^25]

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ***Effective Program Strategy:* DEVELOPING TRIBAL STANDARDS**         |
|                                                                       |
| **Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe**                                     |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| The Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe's Child Care Program operates a     |
| certificate program allowing families to choose from the full-range   |
| of care options available in the community, and also offers contracts |
| with local group homes and child care centers. The Tribe sought to    |
| create a framework through which the Child Care Program staff could   |
| measure a program's level of safety. In 2000, the Tribe's Child Care  |
| staff received permission from the Tribal Council to work with their  |
| in-house attorney to incorporate the Minimum Health and Safety        |
| Standards into their tribal child care code. In addition to           |
| incorporating most of the minimum standards, the final draft of the   |
| revised code includes several higher standards, including strong      |
| standards for staff/child ratios and group sizes from a neighboring   |
| state, standards for guidance and discipline; and Indian Health       |
| Service recommendations for immunizations and sanitation. The Child   |
| Care Program staff provided technical assistance and communication to |
| the child care community throughout the process. The result of these  |
| efforts has been the improvement of the quality of care available to  |
| Sisseton-Wahpeton families.                                           |
|                                                                       |
| *For more detail on this Effective Program Strategy visit:            |
| http://nccic.org/tribal/effective/sisseton/tribalstandards.html*      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**Program Report**

On an annual basis, Tribal CCDF Lead Agencies (except those grantees
funded through P.L. 102-477) are required to submit information on the
child care services that were provided.[^26] The Tribal CCDF Annual
Report consists of two parts:

-   The **ACF-700** Form collects data on all children and families
    receiving direct CCDF-funded child care services.

-   The Supplemental Narrative Report to the ACF-700 Form requests
    descriptions of the results of specific CCDF-funded activities
    available on the Tribal Lead Agency's reservation or CCDF service
    area.

*"The narrative report is an opportunity to really tell the story of
what your program is doing...all of those things that children need to
be able to develop into healthy adults; we just have a great opportunity
to make a big impact for families."* Sherry Rackliff, Washington County
Child Care Foundation.

**Reimbursement Rates and Family Fees**

Grantees receiving Child Care and Development Funds are required to
conduct a local **market rate survey**[^27][^28] within two years of the
effective date of their currently approved CCDF Plan. A current market
rate survey is used to determine the rates charged by child care
providers and paid by the families that receive child care services,
within a certain geographical area. A tribal CCDF grantee may conduct
its own market rate survey, or---if the Tribe's service area is included
in the State's market rate survey---the Tribe may use the State's survey
results to determine the maximum rates at which it will reimburse
providers for the cost of authorized child care. The objective in
determining the market rate is to understand what the general population
is being charged for child care services, so that subsidized child care
providers can receive adequate payment rate (reimbursement rate) and
provide families who participate in the child care assistance programs
equal access to the full range of child care. When payment rates are too
low, it may negatively impact the ability of providers to serve
subsidized children.

As part of the rate structure, in addition to the amount of the subsidy,
families are required to pay a portion of the child care fee or family
co-payment. **Sliding fee scales**, defining different parent
co-payments based on family size and income, are used to help ensure
that the parent fee is affordable. While there are no regulations that
define affordability, it is suggested that co-payments which are no more
than 10 percent of family income would generally be considered
affordable.[^29] Co-payments may be waived in two circumstances: 1) for
families under the poverty level and, 2) for families whose children are
receiving protective services.[^30]

**FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT**[^31]

Effective and efficient financial management systems are an essential
part of successful CCDF program operations. A financial management
system is both a set of accounting records and the policies and
procedures used to maintain those records accurately and in a timely
fashion.

The following list describes general financial principles for
administering federally funded tribal programs:

-   Contract and compliance requirements are fulfilled.

-   Grant and contract funds are expended appropriately according to the
    intent of applicable statutes.

-   Tribal laws and procedures are followed.

-   Accounting records are maintained.

-   Assets are safeguarded.

-   Internal policies and procedures are developed and implemented and
    include a cost allocation plan.

-   Internal control systems are adequate.

-   Annual audit is conducted.

**Program Budgets**

*"The link between the budget and the program it supports must be strong
and convey the program's philosophy, as well as its future
direction"*[^32]

Budget development is a key factor to successful program operations and
acts as the road map that guides the program throughout the year. The
connection between the budget and program activities requires an
intentional effort between the program and fiscal departments to work
collaboratively to ensure that program activities are carried out within
the framework of available financial resources. Successfully putting a
budget in motion requires that programs develop and follow processes for
informing and educating staff on resource allocations and cost
constraints; routinely reviewing spending and sharing budget issues and
concerns with accounting staff; and engaging staff in budget monitoring
and cost containment efforts.

**Administrative Costs**[^33]

Tribal CCDF, and many other Federal grant programs, limit the amount of
administrative costs that can be charged. Administrative costs include
the organization--wide management functions of accounting, budgeting,
coordination, direction, and planning, as well as the management of
payroll, personnel, property, and purchasing. Such costs can be for
either for personnel or non-personnel functions.[^34] Of the total
expenditures of CCDF Mandatory and Discretionary funds, no more than 15%
can be used for administrative costs. The 15% cap applies to cumulative
expenditures over the 3-year grant liquidation period. The base amount
(described on page 5) is not subject to the administrative cap and is
excluded from the calculation.

**Non-Direct Services**[^35]

The non-direct service category is generally defined as the costs that
do not fit into the administrative, construction, quality, or direct
services cost categories. The following activities, including many
components of establishing and operating a certificate program, may be
considered non-direct costs:

-   Eligibility determination and re-determination;

-   Establishment and maintenance of computerized child care information
    systems;

-   Preparation and participation in judicial hearings;

-   Child care placement;

-   Recruitment, licensing, inspection, reviews, and supervision of
    child care placements;

-   Rate setting;

-   Resource and Referral services (may also be a quality activity); and

-   Training of child care staff (providers of direct service).

**Quality Activities**[^36]

The CCDF regulations require non-exempt Tribes (those Tribes receiving
\$500,000 or more) to spend *not less than four percent* on quality
activities. These activities may include, but are not limited to
activities designed to provide comprehensive consumer education,
increase parental choice, and improve the quality and availability of
child care services. Like administrative costs, the quality expenditures
are cumulative over the 3-year grant liquidation period and the 4%
minimum for quality applies to total funds expended, rather than to the
funds that are available but not used. Exempt grantees (those Tribes
receiving less than \$500,000) are strongly encouraged to spend CCDF
funds on quality activities but they are not required to meet this
provision.

Tribal CCDF quality expenditures can be used to embrace the vision of
the Tribe to grow and nurture young children and support their families
though the delivery of comprehensive child care services. When quality
funds are used to provide training and professional development for
child care providers to enhance their knowledge and skills, or to assist
providers in meeting health and safety standards, the result is improved
care for the children. Similarly, using quality funds to improve
provider compensation helps to build a reliable and stable workforce,
which helps to improve program quality.

Tribal CCDF programs are using quality funds to support cultural
heritage, tribal traditions, and native language acquisition within the
early childhood setting. Parents and families are their children's first
and most important teachers. CCDF quality funds may be used in ways that
support healthy parenting, and establishing meaningful and on-going
opportunities to involve families in policy decisions and program
activities.[^37]

**COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS**

Collaboration is a process of sharing both resources and power to
achieve common goals. Tribal programs are especially good at recognizing
their interdependence with one another, and understand that the more
they work together, the more they all gain. Collaboration greatly
enhances an organization's chances of success. Historically,
collaboration applies to agencies, but can also be effective among
agencies, families, and neighborhoods because it creates lasting
relationships and uses resources effectively.[^38]

**Networking**

Networking, the cultivation of productive relationships among
individuals and organizations, can be a powerful tool for forming
collaborations to maximize resources, communication, and learning.
Connecting with people who share common goals can provide an opportunity
to understand their best practices and lead to jointly creating new ways
of looking at and meeting shared goals. Gathering and sharing knowledge
by networking within and outside your tribal community can provide
valuable insight and prevent the need to "reinvent the wheel."

**Partnerships**

"*We know in child care we can't do it alone. We don't have the funds;
we need to reach out to our partners*." Linda Kills Crow, Project
Director, TriTAC

Partnerships are important to the success of tribal child care programs
and can facilitate ways to best meet the program goals for children and
families. Key program partners for tribal CCDF programs include Head
Start, TANF, employment services, public health, and other tribal and
community educational programs.[^39] Successful partnerships often
display the following partnership principles:[^40]

-   Have clearly defined goals at the outset to ensure understanding
    among partners that will help guide the partnership through
    obstacles and challenges;

-   Involve families and account for their needs and preferences when
    developing programs and services**;**

-   Include all stakeholders from the beginning and draw from a broad
    range of perspectives, resources, and expertise;

-   Involve powerful champions that make their initiatives visible to
    the public**;**

-   Aim to achieve positive results and regularly measure their
    progress;

-   Establish clear governance structures that define partner roles and
    responsibilities**;**

-   Set and adhere to ground rules that guide the partnership in its
    work**;**

-   Are flexible and adapt to changing conditions and resources;

-   Draw on the strengths of all partners and enable all partners to
    benefit; and

-   Work to maintain momentum and sustain their work over time.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ***Effective Program Strategy:* CHILD CARE/HEAD START**               |
|                                                                       |
| **Prairie Band Potawatomi**                                           |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| The Prairie Band Potawatomi early education center *Ben-no-tteh       |
| Wigwam* (House of the Child) provides full-day, year-round early care |
| and education services including child care, Head Start, Early Head   |
| Start, and Early Intervention services. The early childhood program   |
| attributes the success of its partnerships to receiving support from  |
| the tribal community; taking time to value all the players---parents, |
| teachers, and staff; and involving all the partners in program        |
| decision-making. Early childhood program staff focus on the end       |
| result, bringing together multiple programs to provide quality        |
| services to the community's children, and spur each other on by       |
| saying, "Life is short; just do it!"                                  |
|                                                                       |
| *For more detail on this Effective Program Strategy visit:            |
| http://nccic.org/tribal/effective/potawatomi/headstart.html*          |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**Tribal-State Collaborations**[^41]

In their FY 2004-2005 CCDF Plans, Tribes and States described a number
of ways they are coming together to provide services and supports. Seven
major areas of tribal/state child care coordination and collaboration
were identified, including:

-   Joint planning and policy-making;

-   Child care subsidies and dual enrollment;

-   Development of Early Learning Guidelines (ELGs);

-   Providing child care resource and referral services;

-   Child care licensing and monitoring;

-   Training and professional development; and

-   Grant and funding opportunities.

***"I really believe that the more the State and the Tribes can learn
about each other's systems and identify possible areas of
collaboration---whether to help a provider purchase necessary items to
get licensed or to combine resources for putting on a training---the
better we can work together to improve the quality and availability of
child care, especially in our rural areas. It is essential, especially
in these times of belt tightening, that we all work together towards the
common purpose of helping parents choose child care that fits their
needs and assist and support child care providers in providing quality
care. The opportunities are tremendous when we join forces; together we
can achieve so much more than our individual efforts."***

**Mary Lorence, State Child Care Administrator, Alaska**

**Learning & Sharing Opportunities for Tribal CCDF Administrators**

Throughout the year, tribal CCDF administrators have various ways to
connect, share, and learn from each other. Each spring, the Child Care
Bureau, in collaboration with the ACF Regional Offices and TriTAC,
conducts the National American Indian and Alaska Native Child Care
Conference. Training sessions designed specifically for tribal CCDF
administrators are held throughout the conference. These workshops
provide an opportunity to learn from expert trainers as well as from
experienced tribal CCDF colleagues. On-site technical assistance, also
available through TriTAC, can be provided to new tribal CCDF
administrators to give them one-on-one support as they transition into
their new role.

Several tribal CCDF programs also host annual child care conferences
that are often open to tribal CCDF administrators and staff from
neighboring Tribes and/or States.

**Keeping Connected**

As you delve into the day-to-day work of operating a tribal child care
program, your fellow tribal CCDF administrators can be a source of
creative program management ideas and problem-solving approaches. Many
experienced administrators are willing to provide peer support to new
administrators through telephone consultations and informal visits. In
addition, TriTAC has developed several publications to showcase
innovative tribal CCDF program initiatives (many of which, like the
Effective Program Strategies profiles, are highlighted in this Guide) so
that these successes can be replicated by other interested Tribes. These
publications, as well as all of the Child Care Bureau's CCDF-related
documents and the contact information for all tribal CCDF grantees, are
available through the TriTAC website at http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/tribal.

Your role as the tribal CCDF administrator and the services that you
oversee make an important contribution to the lives of the children and
families you serve and to your larger tribal community. To support you
in your work, the ACF Regional Offices and the staff of TriTAC are
available to provide you with free consultation, information services,
resource materials, and technical assistance. Contact information for
TriTAC and the ACF Regional Offices can be found in Appendix

B: Federal CCDF Contacts and Resources.

**APPENDIX A**

***Getting Started as a New Administrator***

Now that you've reviewed the basics of running a tribal CCDF program,
here are some actions you can take to help you reach your goals for
meeting the child care needs of the children and families in your tribal
community. Tips for next steps and resources are included in italics.

1.  **Review the most current CCDF Plan your Tribe has submitted**. *If
    a copy is not readily available, you may wish to contact your ACF
    Regional Office to obtain a copy. Connect with your ACF Regional
    Office so you can be sure to receive federal updates, guidance, and
    information. See Federal CCDF Contacts and Resources in Appendix B.*

2.  **Connect with the Tribal Fiscal Office and review the program
    budget** to ensure that it can support the activities described in
    the current CCDF Plan. Be familiar with timelines for funding and
    reporting. *See Funding and Fiscal Reporting Timelines in Appendix
    C.*

3.  **Review program management policies and procedures and update as
    needed.**

4.  **Review the timelines for public hearings, market rate surveys, and
    other requirements.** *See Tribal CCDF Dates to Remember in Appendix
    F.*

5.  **Get to know the needs of the families who are using child care
    services and those who may need services.**

    a.  Is there a current community needs assessment? *If your Tribe
        operates a Head Start program, review their community
        assessment. If you decide that a new community assessment needs
        to be conducted, review the suggestions in Chapter 2 of* Tribal
        Child Care Facilities: A Guide to Construction and Renovation*,
        available on the TriTAC website.*

    b.  Are child care services accessible and affordable, and do they
        provide a level of quality to ensure the developmental needs of
        the children are met?

    c.  Do the available programs and services meet the needs of working
        families?

    d.  Are families active partners in CCDF program planning and
        implementation?

    e.  Do families have the information they need to make the best
        decisions for their children's care?

6.  **Get to know the child care providers and other early childhood
    programs in the community.**

    a.  Are the services meeting the needs of infants, toddlers,
        pre-kindergarten, and school-age children so that they can
        develop to their fullest potential?

    b.  Do the programs and services incorporate native culture and
        language to preserve cultural heritage, traditions, and
        linguistic continuity?

    c.  What is needed to recruit and retain a high quality child care
        workforce?

    d.  Is there a professional development plan that enables child care
        staff and providers to increase their knowledge and
        competencies?

    e.  Is the subsidy rate paid available through contracts or
        certificates adequate to ensure that families that need care
        have available and affordable care?

7.  **Keep current on new information and resources to support tribal
    child care.** *Visit the webpages for the Child Care Bureau
    (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/) and TriTAC
    (http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/tribal) to find resources such as policy
    guidance, Effective Program Strategies, frequently asked questions
    (FAQs), and a list of all tribal CCDF Grantees.*

8.  **Build partnerships with other tribal, state, and community
    programs that serve children and families.** Take advantage of
    opportunities to network and share ideas, successes, and challenges
    with other tribal CCDF administrators. *Participate in local, state,
    regional, and national child care conferences and training
    activities.*

9.  **Take time to renew your spirit and energy**. Your health,
    strength, and wellness are vital to you, your family, and the
    children and families you work to support. By being physically and
    emotionally healthy, you will not only strengthen your ability to
    work on behalf of children and families, you will also model the
    wellness you wish to see in your staff, your clients, and your
    community.

**APPENDIX B**

**Federal CCDF Contacts and Resources**

**National Resources**

**Child Care Bureau**

Office of Family Assistance

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Portals Building, 8th Floor

1250 Maryland Ave, SW

Washington, DC 20024

Phone: (202) 690-6782

Fax: (202) 690-5600

Web site: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/

programs/ccb

**Tribal Child Care Technical**

**Assistance Center (TriTAC)**

12110 Sunset Hills Road, Suite 450

Reston, VA 20190

Phone (toll-free): 1-800-388-7670

Fax: (571) 323-2102

E-mail: tritac@namshq.com

Web site: http://nccic.org/tribal/

**Child Care Bureau Regional Program Managers**

**Region I**

*(Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts*

*New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)*

Roy Walker

HHS/ACF

JFK Federal Building, Room 2000

Boston, MA 02203

Phone: (617) 565-1152

Fax: (617) 565-2493

E-mail: roy.walker@acf.hhs.gov

**Region III**

*(Delaware, District of Columbia,*

*Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia,*

*West Virginia)*

Darlene Tart

HHS/ACF

150 S. Independence

Mall West---Suite 864

Public Ledger Bldg.

Philadelphia, PA 19106-3499

Phone: (215) 861-4060

Fax: (215) 861-4070

E-mail: darlene.tart@acf.hhs.gov

**Region II**

*(New Jersey, New York,*

*Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands)*

Nitza Lopez-Munoz

HHS/ACF

26 Federal Plaza, Room 4114

New York, NY 10278

Phone: (212) 264-2890 X182

Fax: (212) 264-4881

E-mail: nlopez-munoz@acf.hhs.gov

**Region IV**

*(Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Tennessee)*

Ramona Warren

HHS/ACF

Atlanta Federal Center

61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Suite 4M60

Atlanta, GA 30303

Phone: (404) 562-2892

Fax: (404) 562-3088

E-mail: ramona.warren@acf.hhs.gov

**Region V**

*(Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin)*

Kathleen Penak

HHS/ACF

233 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 400

Chicago, IL 60601

Phone: (312) 353-3270

Fax: (312) 886-5373

E-mail: kathleen.penak@acf.hhs.gov

**Region VII**

*(Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska)*

Betty Lammle

HHS/ACF

Federal Office Building, Room 276

601 East 12th Street

Kansas City, MO 64106

Phone: (816) 426-2264

Fax: (816) 426-2888

E-mail: betty.lammle@acf.hhs.gov

**Region IX**

*(Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii,*

*Nevada, American Samoa,*

*Commonwealth of the Northern*

*Mariana Islands)*

Robert Garcia

HHS/ACF

50 United Nations Plaza, Room 450

San Francisco, CA 94102

Phone: (415) 437-8439

Fax: (415) 437-8436

E-mail: rogarcia@acf.hhs.gov

**Region VI**

*(Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico,*

*Oklahoma, Texas)*

Gwendolyn Jones

HHS/ACF

1301 Young Street, Suite 914

Dallas, TX 75202

Phone: (214) 767-3849

Fax: (214) 767-8890

E-mail: gwendolyn.jones@acf.hhs.gov

**Region VIII**

*(Colorado, Montana, North Dakota,*

*South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming)*

Karen Knoll-Moran

HHS/ACF

Federal Office Building

1961 Stout Street, 9th Floor

Denver, CO 80294-3538

Phone: (303) 844-1164

Fax: (303) 844-3642

E-mail: kknollmoran@acf.hhs.gov

**Region X**

*(Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington)*

Paul Noski

HHS/ACF Blanchard Plaza

2201 Sixth Avenue

Room 300-MS 74

Seattle, WA 98121

Phone: (206) 615-2609

Fax: (206) 615-2574

E-mail: paul.noski@acf.hhs.gov

**APPENDIX C**

**Funding and Fiscal Reporting Timelines**

+------------------+---------------+---------------+-----------------+
| **Reports and    | **FY 2006**   | **FY 2007**   | **FY 2008**     |
| Activities**     |               |               |                 |
|                  | **(10/1/05 -- | **(10/1/06 -- | **(10/1/07 --   |
|                  | 9/30/06)**    | 9/30/07)**    | 9/30/08)**      |
|                  |               |               |                 |
|                  | **Funds**     | **Funds**     | **Funds**       |
+------------------+---------------+---------------+-----------------+
| Biennial Plan    | 7/1/2005      | 7/1/2005      | 7/1/2007        |
| Due (including   |               |               |                 |
| Tribal Child     |               |               |                 |
| Count)           |               |               |                 |
+------------------+---------------+---------------+-----------------+
| Application Due  | N/A           | 7/1/2006      | N/A             |
|                  |               |               |                 |
| (including       | (Plan serves  |               | (Plan serves as |
| Tribal Child     | as            |               | application)    |
| Count)           | application)  |               |                 |
+------------------+---------------+---------------+-----------------+
| Funds Available  | 10/1/2005     | 10/1/2006     | 10/1/2007       |
+------------------+---------------+---------------+-----------------+
| Construction     | 7/1/2006      | 7/1/2007      | 7/1/2008        |
| Application Due  |               |               |                 |
+------------------+---------------+---------------+-----------------+
| Discretionary    | 4/1/2007      | 4/1/2008      | 4/1/2009        |
| Reallotment      |               |               |                 |
| Letter           |               |               |                 |
+------------------+---------------+---------------+-----------------+
| Funds Obligated  | 9/30/2007     | 9/30/2008     | 9/30/2009       |
+------------------+---------------+---------------+-----------------+
| Funds Liquidated | 9/30/2008     | 9/30/2009     | 9/30/2010       |
+------------------+---------------+---------------+-----------------+
| Interim ACF-696T | 12/29/2006    | 12/31/2007    | 12/29/2008      |
| Fiscal Reports   |               |               |                 |
|                  | 12/31/2007    | 12/29/2008    | 12/29/2009      |
|                  |               |               |                 |
|                  | 12/29/2008    | 12/29/2009    | 12/29/2010      |
+------------------+---------------+---------------+-----------------+
| Final ACF-696T   | 12/29/2008    | 12/29/2009    | 12/29/2010      |
|                  |               |               |                 |
| Fiscal Report    |               |               |                 |
|                  |               |               |                 |
| (may be          |               |               |                 |
| submitted        |               |               |                 |
| earlier upon     |               |               |                 |
| liquidation of   |               |               |                 |
| funds)           |               |               |                 |
+------------------+---------------+---------------+-----------------+

**Notes:**

**Plan Amendments** are due to the ACF Regional Office within 60 days of
the effective date of the change.

**Audits** are required to be conducted after the close of the program
period. No later than 30 days following the completion of the audit,
Lead Agencies must submit a copy of the audit report to the Tribal
Council, to the DHHS Inspector General for Audit Services, and to ACF.

**APPENDIX D**

**Sample Quality Activities**

**The following list represents examples of quality activities shared by
Tribal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Administrators**

**Training and Professional**

**Development Opportunities**

**Training for Providers**

-   Training Topics

    -   Orientation to CCDF Program

    -   Child development

    -   Behavioral issues

    -   Cultural training

    -   Infant and toddler child care

    -   First Aid

    -   Computer skills

    -   Child Care as a business

-   Strategies for Making Training Accessible

    -   Grants to attend training events

    -   Providing transportation

    -   Providing on-site (center and home based) training

    -   Tuition for AA degree and associated school attendance costs

    -   Paid time off for training attendance

    -   Bring Child Development Associate (CDA) trainings on-site

    -   Stipend paid to providers attending training

    -   Substitute providers available

**Licensing, Monitoring, and Assisting Providers in Meeting Standards**

-   Developing provider standards

-   Background checks

-   Monitoring visits

-   Provide health and safety materials/equipment, as determined by
    inspection

-   Direct grants/mini-grants for health and safety equipment/materials

-   Providing needed materials and resources

-   Support towards cost of provider licensing

-   Immunizations

**Resource & Referral/**

**Consumer Education**

-   Contract with state to provide resource and referral services

-   Resource library for parents and providers

-   Newsletters for providers and parents

-   Parent handbooks

-   Toy lending libraries

-   Develop internet-based consumer education on quality child care

**Compensation of Staff**

-   Supplement wages of staff

-   Sign-on bonuses to recruit providers for infant/toddler care or
    other areas of provider shortages

-   Increase staff compensation in blended Head Start/Child Care program
    to equalize salaries

-   Bonuses to providers for quality programs

-   Cash and non-cash career-ladder incentives

**School-Age Activities**

-   Cultural activities with elders (i.e. regalia making)

-   Culturally based summer youth camps

-   Collaboration with Boys and Girls Clubs

-   Mentor programs

-   Drug prevention program linkages

-   Teen pregnancy prevention program for 11-13 year olds

**Health Related Activities**

-   Health consultants

-   Health screenings

-   Speech therapy

-   Nutritionist

-   Immunizations

-   Diabetes prevention services

-   Car seats

**Promoting Family Literacy**

-   Family literacy day

-   Provide early reading materials/books for children

-   Require daily reading to children

-   Book lending library for providers

-   "Father's Night Out" with storytelling, books, puppets

-   Computer labs

-   Classroom activities

**Cultural Activities**

-   Tribal language instruction

-   Storytelling

-   Training opportunities for parents and providers

-   Summer Native Culture camp for school-aged children

-   Cultural activities with elders and youth

-   Provide cultural training to non-Native providers

**Other Quality Activities**

-   Field trips

-   Funds/equipment for library/internet access

-   Establishment of intergenerational centers

**APPENDIX E**

**Potential Collaborative Partners for Tribal CCDF Programs**

**The following list represents examples of collaborative partners
shared by Tribal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Administrators**

**Early Childhood**

-   State CCDF program

-   Other tribal CCDF programs

-   Head Start programs

-   Early Head Start programs

-   Afterschool programs

-   Private preschool programs

-   Family child care home networks

-   Touchpoints

-   National organizations that support children and families

**Education**

-   Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs)

-   Other colleges and universities

-   21st Century Learning Centers

-   Tribal and local schools and school districts

-   Technical schools

-   State Department of Education

-   State Special Education Services

-   Johnson O'Malley (JOM)

**Employment and Training**

-   Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program

-   Tribal Native Employment Works (NEW) program

-   State TANF program

-   Vocational Rehabilitation programs

-   U.S. Department of Labor Summer Youth Employment programs

-   Workforce Investment Act (WIA) programs

-   State apprenticeship programs

-   Industrial parks

**Health**

-   Indian Health Service

-   Office of Environmental Health

-   U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Child and Adult Care Food
    Program (CACFP)

-   Early intervention programs

-   American Red Cross

-   Maternal and Child Health

-   Even Start

-   USDA Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program

-   Alcohol and drug abuse programs

**Other Collaborative Partners**

-   Resource and referral agencies

-   Libraries, both tribally operated and local

-   Elder programs

-   Law enforcement agencies

-   Indian Child Welfare

-   Private foundations

-   YMCA/YWCA

-   Foster Grandparent program

-   Americorps and other national and community service programs

-   Families and Work Institute

-   Housing programs

-   Parks and recreation

-   Consortia of churches and other religious organizations

-   Boys and Girls Clubs

-   T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood^®^ programs

-   Tribally funded summer programs

-   Teen pregnancy prevention programs

-   Native American cultural camps

-   Mentor programs

-   Tribal courts

-   Tribal women groups

-   Local theaters

-   Bureau of Indian Affairs Social Services programs

**APPENDIX F**

**Tribal CCDF Dates to Remember**

+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| **CCDF Administrative | **Plan Year**        | **Non-Plan Year**    |
| Tasks**               |                      |                      |
|                       | **(Odd Numbered      | **(Even Numbered     |
|                       | Calendar Year)**     | Calendar Year)**     |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Public Hearing on     | January 1-July 1     | Not Due              |
| CCDF Plan             |                      |                      |
|                       | (at least one        |                      |
| \[pg. 3\]             | hearing must be held |                      |
|                       | in                   |                      |
|                       |                      |                      |
|                       | this timeframe)      |                      |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Discretionary         | April 1              | April 1              |
| Reallotment Letter    |                      |                      |
|                       | (for funds from the  | (for funds from the  |
| \[pg. 5\]             | previous fiscal      | previous fiscal      |
|                       | year)                | year)                |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Biennial CCDF Plan    | July 1               | Not Due              |
|                       |                      |                      |
| (including Tribal     |                      |                      |
| Child Count)          |                      |                      |
|                       |                      |                      |
| \[pg. 3\]             |                      |                      |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Application/Tribal    | Not Due              | July 1               |
| Child Count           |                      |                      |
|                       |                      |                      |
| \[pg. 3\]             |                      |                      |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Construction          | July 1               | July 1               |
| Application           |                      |                      |
|                       | (for current FY      | (for current FY      |
| \[pg. 6\]             | funds only)          | funds only)          |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| O                     | September 30         | September 30         |
| bligation/Liquidation |                      |                      |
| Deadline              |                      |                      |
|                       |                      |                      |
| (see chart in         |                      |                      |
| Appendix C for        |                      |                      |
| details)              |                      |                      |
|                       |                      |                      |
| \[pg. 5\]             |                      |                      |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| New Fiscal Year Funds | October 1            | October 1            |
| Available             |                      |                      |
|                       |                      |                      |
| \[pg. 5\]             |                      |                      |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| ACF-696T Fiscal       | December 29          | December 29          |
| Reports               |                      |                      |
|                       | (for 3 previous      | (for 3 previous      |
| (final reports may be | fiscal years)        | fiscal years)        |
| submitted earlier     |                      |                      |
|                       |                      |                      |
| upon liquidation of   |                      |                      |
| funds)                |                      |                      |
|                       |                      |                      |
| \[pg. 5\]             |                      |                      |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| ACF-700 Report        | December 31          | December 31          |
|                       |                      |                      |
| \[pg. 12\]            | (covers program      | (covers program      |
|                       | activities during    | activities during    |
|                       | the prev-ious period | the prev-ious period |
|                       | of October           | of October           |
|                       | 1--September 30)     | 1--September 30)     |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Market Rate Survey    | Anytime              | Anytime              |
|                       |                      |                      |
| \[pg. 13\]            | (within 2 years of   | (within 2 years of   |
|                       | effective date of    | effective date of    |
|                       | Plan)                | Plan)                |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

This Guide was developed under GSA Contract Number GS23F0130S

for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services,

Administration for Children and Families, Child Care Bureau.

*December 2006*

[^1]: Federal Regulations that govern the Child Care and Development
    Fund: 45 CFR Parts 98 and 99; Final Rule.
    http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/policy1/current/finalrul/index.htm

[^2]: The CD-ROM is available at no cost from the Tribal Child Care
    Technical Assistance Center (TriTAC) at 1‑800‑388‑7670 or
    tritac@namshq.com.

[^3]: A list of Regional Office contacts is available in Appendix B.

[^4]: Final Rule: Grantee Eligibility: 98.80.

[^5]: Final Rule: Lead Agency Responsibilities: 98.10.

[^6]: Sample Program Instruction: CCDF-ACF-PI-2007-01 CCDF Tribal
    Application and Plan Procedures: See
    http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/law/tribal_topic.htm for the
    most current document.

[^7]: The Tribal Lead Agency defines "Indian children" and "service
    area" in Appendix 2 of its CCDF Plan. The Tribe may not count any
    children who are included in the child count of another CCDF Tribal
    Lead Agency. To ensure unduplicated counts, a Tribal Lead Agency is
    required to confer with all other Tribal CCDF Lead Agencies that
    have overlapping or neighboring service areas.

[^8]: Sample Plan Preprint: See
    http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/law/tribal_topic.htm for the
    most current document.

[^9]: Final Rule: Public Hearings: 98.14 (c) (1).

[^10]: Sample Financial Reporting for Indian Tribes, Instructions for
    Completion of Form ACF-696T: See
    http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/law/tribal_topic.htm for the
    most current document.

[^11]: Document and Reporting Submission Overview for Tribes.

    > http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/report/tr_ovrvw.htm

[^12]: Program Instruction ACYF-PI-CC-04-01, dated January 23, 2004.
    This Program Instruction is available under the "Construction and
    Renovation" section of the Child Care Bureau's Web site at
    http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/law/tribal_topic.htm.

[^13]: *Tribal Child Care Facilities: A Guide to Construction and
    Renovation*, available from TriTAC.
    http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/tribal/construction

[^14]: Program Instruction CCDF-ACF-PI-2007-02 FY 2008 Application and
    Plan procedures for 102-477 Grantees. See
    http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/law/tribal_topic.htm for the
    most current document.

[^15]: Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center, "Early Learning,
    Later Success: The Abecedarian Study," 1999; L.J. Schweinhart, et
    al., *Significant Benefits: The High Scope Perry Preschool Study
    Through Age 27*, High/Scope Press, 1993.

[^16]: Final Rule: Eligibility for Services: 98.20.

[^17]: Tribal CCDF grantees can, at their discretion, allow children in
    foster care to be included under the CCDF program's definition of
    "protective services." Tribes considering this option should
    carefully coordinate their efforts with the appropriate foster care
    agencies \[see Final Rule sections 98.20 (both the preamble and the
    amended regulations) and 98.16(f)(7), as well as Plan Preprint
    sections 3.3.4, 3.3.7, and Appendix 2\].

[^18]: Respite care in excess of 24 hours can be provided for brief,
    occasional periods for children in protective services. Respite care
    must be defined under "protective services" in the CCDF Plan \[see
    Final Rule section 98.16(f)(7), as well as Plan Preprint sections
    3.3.8 and Appendix 2).

[^19]: Program instruction, Dual Eligibility for Indian Children.
    http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/law/guidance/current/pq9701/pq9701.htm

[^20]: Final Rule: Certificates and Contracts: Section 98.2.

[^21]: Final Rule: Exempt/non-exempt: 98.83(f).

[^22]: Final Rule: 98.30-98.34 (preamble and revised regulations).

[^23]: "At-a-Glance: A Place at the Policy Table for Infants and
    Toddlers," available from the National Infant & Toddler Child Care
    Initiative, 202-857-2673.

    > http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/itcc/publications/policy.htm

[^24]: For information on Minimum Health and Safety Standards for Tribal
    Child Care, visit http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/tribal/min-std.html

[^25]: *Minimum Standards for Tribal Child Care, A Health and Safety
    Guide*, available from TriTAC.
    http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/ta/ms/ms1.htm

[^26]: Sample Program Instruction CCDF-ACF-PI-06-02, "Reporting
    Requirements and Instructions for Indian Tribes; ACF-700": See
    http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/law/tribal_topic_data.htm for
    the most current document.

[^27]: Final Rule: Market Rate Survey: 98.43(b)(2).

[^28]: For additional guidance on developing and using market rate
    surveys, see *A Guide to Market Rate Surveys For CCDF Tribal
    Entities*, available from TriTAC.

    > http://www.nccic.org/tribal/market/toc.html

[^29]: Final Rule: Preamble, Affordable co-payments: 98.43.

[^30]: Final Rule: Sliding Fee Scales: 98.42(c) and Final Rule: A
    child's eligibility for child care services: 98.20(a)(3)(ii).

[^31]: *Tribal TANF and CCDF Guide to Financial Management, Grants
    Administration, and Program Accountability*, available from TriTAC.

    > http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/ta/pubs/tanf-guide/fmgapa1.htm

[^32]: "Tribal CCDF Guide to Financial Management, Grants
    Administration, and Program Accountability" resource notebook,
    available from TriTAC.

[^33]: Final Rule: Administrative Costs: 98.83.

[^34]: *Tribal TANF and CCDF Guide to Financial Management, Grants
    Administration, and Program Accountability*, available from TriTAC.

    > http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/ta/pubs/tanf-guide/fmgapa1.htm

[^35]: Final Rule: Non-direct services: Preamble 98.52.

[^36]: Final Rule: Activities to improve the quality of child care:
    98.51.

[^37]: A list of sample quality activities is provided in Appendix D.

[^38]: Community Partnership Toolkit, W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

    > http://www.wkkf.org/Pubs/CustomPubs/CPtoolkit/cptoolkit/

[^39]: A list of potential collaborative partners can be found in
    Appendix E.

[^40]: "Principles for Success," created by the Child Care Partnership
    Project and available from the National Child Care Information
    Center at 800-616-2242.

    > http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/ccpartnerships/principles.htm

[^41]: *Tribes and States Working Together: A Guide to Tribal-State
    Child Care Coordination*, available from TriTAC.
    http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/ta/pubs/tswt/tswt1.htm