[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 46 (Thursday, March 8, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13931-13934]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-5654]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families

[Program Notice No. ACF/ACYF/RHYP 2001-01]


Notice of Availability of Financial Assistance for the Runaway 
and Homeless Youth Programs

AGENCY: Family and Youth Services Bureau, ACF, DHHS.

ACTION:  This Notice announces the availability of financial assistance 
for the FY 2001 Basic Center Program for Runaway and Homeless Youth 
(BCP) and FY 2001 Street Outreach Program (SOP).

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    This Notice announces the availability of the official FY 2001 
Program Announcement. The official announcement must be used to apply 
for grant funding under the competitive grant areas and is available by 
calling or writing the ACTF Operations Center (address below) or by 
downloading the announcement for the FYSB website at http:/
www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/FYSB?fund-anncmt.htm.
    Legislative Authority: Grants for Runaway and Homeless Youth 
programs

[[Page 13932]]

are authorized by the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHY Act) as 
amended by Pub. L. 106-71.
    Deadlines: The deadlines for RECEIPT of applications for new grants 
under this announcement are as follows:

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                  CFDA#                               Programs                       Deadline dates                          Deadline times
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
93.623...................................  Basic Center Program.........  May 4, 2001.........................  4:30 p.m. (EDT).
93.557...................................  Street Outreach Program......  May 4, 2001.........................  4:30 p.m. (EDT).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Mailing and Delivery Instructions: Applications must be in hard 
copy. Mailed applications and applications hand delivered by 
applicants, applicant couriers, overnight/express mail couriers or any 
other method of hand delivery shall be considered as meeting an 
announced deadline if they are received on or before the deadline, at 
the following address: ACYF Operations Center, 1815 North Fort Myer 
Drive, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22209, Telephone: 1-800-351-2293, 
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e9afb0baaba9858a8e878c9dc78a8684"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0d4b545e4f4d616e6a636879236e6260">[email protected]</span></a>.
    Applications may be hand delivered to the above address between the 
hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (EDT) Monday through Friday (excluding 
Federal Holidays.)
    Applicants are responsible for mailing and delivering applications 
well in advance of deadlines to ensure that the applications are 
received on time. Applications received after 4:30 p.m. (EDT) on the 
deadline date will be classified as late. Postmarks and other similar 
documents do not establish receipt of an application.
    ACF will not accept applications delivered by fax or e-mail 
regardless of date or time of submission and receipt.
    Late Applications: Applications which do not meet the criteria 
stated above and are not received by the deadline date and time are 
considered late applications. The Administration for Children and 
Families (ACF) will notify each late applicant that its application 
will not be considered in the current competition.
    Extension of Deadline: ACF may extend an application deadline for 
applicants affected by acts of God such as floods and hurricanes, or 
when there is widespread disruption of the mails. A determination to 
waive or extend deadline requirements rests with the Chief Grants 
Management Officer.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Grant awards for FY 2001 funds will be made 
by September 30, 2001, for the Basic Center and Street Outreach 
Programs.
    The estimated funds available for new starts and the approximate 
number of new grants that may be awarded under this program 
announcement are as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Estimated
                                                  New  start     No. of
             Competitive grant area                  funds        new
                                                   available     grants
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. BCP.........................................   $16,700,000       120
B. SOP.........................................     8,800,000        88
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In addition to the new start grants, the Administration for 
Children and Families has provided for non-competitive continuation 
funds to current grantees in the following programs:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Funds      No. of
                    Grant area                       available    grants
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. BCP...........................................   $24,997,929      241
B. SOP...........................................     4,817,193       53
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part 1. Competitive Grant Areas and Summaries of Evaluation 
Criteria

    Applicants must refer to the specific evaluation criteria for each 
competitive area contained in the official Program Announcement in 
order to adequately prepare their applications.

A. Basic Centers Program, CFDA# 93.623 (Competitive Grant Area A)

Program Purpose, Goals and Objectives
    The purpose of this program is to establish or strengthen locally 
controlled, community-based programs that address the immediate needs 
of runaway and homeless youth and their families. Services must be 
delivered outside of the law enforcement, child welfare, mental health 
and juvenile justice systems. The program goals and objectives of the 
Basic Center Program are to:
    <bullet> Alleviate problems of runaway and homeless youth;
    <bullet> Reunite youth with their families and encourage the 
resolution of intra-family problems through counseling and other 
services.
    <bullet> Strengthen family relationships and encourage stable 
living conditions for youth; and
    <bullet> Help youth decide upon constructive courses of action.
Eligible Applicants
    Any State, unit of local government, combination of units of local 
government, public or private nonprofit agency, organization or 
institution is eligible to apply for these funds. Federally recognized 
Indian Tribes are eligible to apply for Basic Center grants. Indian 
Tribes that are not federally recognized and urban Indian organizations 
are also eligible to apply for grants as private, nonprofit agencies.
    Current Basic Center grantees with project periods ending on or 
before September 30, 2001, and all other eligible applicants not 
currently receiving Basic Center funds, may apply for a new competitive 
Basic Center grant under this announcement.
    Current Basic Center Program grantees (including subgrantees) with 
one or two years remaining on their current grant and the expectation 
of continuation funding in FY 2001 may not apply for a new Basic Center 
grant for the community they currently serve. These grantees will 
receive instructions from their respective ACF Regional Offices on the 
procedures for applying for noncompetitive continuation grants.
Federal Share of Project Costs
    Priority will be given to applicants that apply for less than 
$200,000 per year. The maximum Federal share for a 3-year project 
period is $600,000.
Applicant Share of Project Costs
    Grantees must provide a non-Federal share or match of at least ten 
percent of the Federal funds awarded. The non-Federal share may be met 
by cash or in-kind contributions, although applicants are encouraged to 
meet their match requirements through cash contributions. Therefore, a 
three-year project costing $300,000 in Federal funds (based on an award 
of $100,000 per 12-month budget period) must provide a match of at 
least $30,000 ($10,000 per budget period). Grantees will be held 
accountable for commitments of non-Federal resources even if over the 
amount of the required match. Failure to provide the amount will result 
in disallowance of Federal match.
Duration of Project
    This announcement solicits applications for Basic Center programs 
of up to three years duration (36-month project periods). Initial grant 
awards,

[[Page 13933]]

made on a competitive basis, will be for one-year (12-month) budget 
periods. Applications for non-competitive continuation grants beyond 
the one-year budget periods, but within the 36-month project periods, 
will be entertained in subsequent years, subject to the availability of 
funds, satisfactory progress of the grantee and determination that 
continued funding would be in the best interest of the government.

B. Street Outreach Program, CFDA# 93.557 (Competitive Grant Area B)

Program Purpose, Goals and Objectives
    The overall purpose of SOP is to provide education and prevention 
services to runaway, homeless and street youth who have been subjected 
to or are at risk of sexual exploitation or abuse. The goal of the 
program is to establish and build relationships between street youth 
and program outreach staff in order to help youth leave the streets. 
The objective of the program is to provide support services that will 
assist the youth in moving and adjusting to a safe and appropriate 
alternative living arrangement. These services include, at a minimum, 
treatment, counseling, provision of information and referral services. 
Street outreach programs must have access to local emergency shelter 
space that is an appropriate placement for young people and that can be 
made available for youth willing to come in off the streets. In 
addition, street outreach staff must have access to the shelter in 
order to maintain interaction with the youth during the time they are 
in the shelter.
Eligible Applicants
    Any private, nonprofit agency is eligible to apply for these funds. 
Non-Federally recognized Indian Tribes and urban Indian organizations 
are eligible to apply for grants as private, non-profit agencies. 
Please note that public agencies are NOT eligible to apply for these 
funds.
    Current Street Outreach Program grantees with project periods 
ending on or before September 30, 2001, and all other eligible 
applicants not currently receiving SOP funds, may apply for a new 
competitive SOP grant under this announcement.
    Current Street Outreach Program grantees (including subgrantees) 
with one or two years remaining on their current grant and the 
expectation of continuation funding in FY 2001 may not apply for a new 
Street Outreach grant for the community they currently serve. These 
grantees will receive instructions from their respective ACF Regional 
Offices on the procedures for applying for continuation grants.
Federal Share of Project Costs
    Applicants may apply for up to $100,000 in Federal support each 
year, a maximum of $300,000 for a 3-year project period. The maximum 
Federal share of project costs is $100,000 for 12 months.
Applicant Share of Project Cost
    SOP grantees must provide a non-Federal share or match of at least 
ten percent of the Federal funds awarded. (There are certain exceptions 
for Tribes with ``638'' funding pursuant to Pub. L. 93-638, under which 
certain Federal grants may qualify as matching funds for other Federal 
grant programs, e.g., those which contribute to the purposes for which 
grants under section 638 were made.) The non-Federal share may be met 
by cash or in-kind contributions, although applicants are encouraged to 
meet their match requirements through cash contributions. For example, 
a project requesting $100,000 in Federal funds must include a match of 
at least $10,000.
Duration of Project
    This announcement solicits applications for Street Outreach Program 
projects of up to three years (36-month project periods). Initial grant 
awards, made on a competitive basis, will be for one-year (12-month) 
budget periods. Applications for non-competing continuation grants 
beyond the one-year budget periods, but within the 36-month project 
periods, will be considered subject to the availability of funds, 
satisfactory progress of the grantee and determination that continued 
funding would be in the best interest of the government.

Summary of Evaluation Criteria for Competitive Areas A and B (BCP 
and SOP)

Criterion 1: Objectives and Need for Assistance (15 points)

    Applications will be judged on how clearly they identify the 
physical, economic, social, financial, institutional, and/or other 
problem(s) requiring a solution. The need for assistance must be 
demonstrated and the principal and subordinate objectives of the 
project must be clearly stated. Applications will need to specify the 
goals and objectives of the project and how implementation will fulfill 
the purposes of the program. Applications should describe the 
conditions of youth and families in the area to be served; the 
incidence and characteristics of runaway, homeless or street youth and 
their families; the existing support systems for at-risk youth and 
families in the area, including other agencies providing services to 
runaway and homeless youth in the area.
    Applicants must refer to the specific evaluation criteria for each 
competitive area contained in the full Program Announcement in order to 
adequately prepare their applications.

Criterion 2: Results or Benefits Expected (20 points)

    Applications will be judged on how clearly they identify the 
results and benefits to be derived, specify services to be provided, 
who will receive services, where and how these services will be 
provided, and how the services will benefit the youth families and the 
community to be served.
    Applicants must refer to the specific evaluation criteria for each 
competitive area contained in the full Program Announcement in order to 
adequately prepare their applications.

Criterion 3: Approach (35 points)

    Applications will be judged on how clearly they outline a plan of 
action which: Describes the scope and detail of how the proposed work 
will be accomplished; accounts for all functions or activities 
identified in the application; cites factors which might accelerate or 
decelerate the work and reasons for taking the proposed approach rather 
than others. Applications are encouraged to describe any unusual 
features of the project such as design or technological innovations, 
reductions in cost or time, or extraordinary social and community 
involvement.
    Applicants must agree to cooperate with any research or evaluation 
efforts sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families and 
to submit the required Annual Report to the Secretary of HHS on program 
activities and accomplishments with statistical summaries and other 
required program and financial reports, as instructed by FYSB.
    Applications will be judged on the extent to which they describe 
the program's youth development approach or philosophy and indicate how 
it underlies and integrates all proposed activities. Applicants will be 
expected to list organizations, cooperating entities, consultants, or 
other key individuals who will work on the project along with a short 
description of the nature of their effort or contribution; describe 
formal service linkages and plans for coordination with other agencies; 
describe plans for conducting outreach and encouraging awareness of

[[Page 13934]]

and sensitivity to the diverse needs of runaway and homeless youth who 
represent particular ethnic and racial backgrounds and sexual 
orientations. Applicants are encouraged to describe the type, capacity 
and staff supervision of the shelter that will be available for youth.
    Applicants must refer to the specific evaluation criteria for each 
competitive area contained in the full Program Announcement in order to 
adequately prepare their applications.

Criterion 4: Staff and Position Data (10 points)

    Applicants will be judged on whether they provide a resume and 
biographical sketch for each key person appointed and a job description 
for each vacant key position. A biographical sketch will also be 
required for new key staff as appointed. Applicants will be expected to 
list organizations and consultants who will work on the program along 
with a short description of the nature of their effort or contribution.
    Applicants will be expected to provide information on plans for 
training project staff as well as staff of cooperating organizations 
and individuals and state the expected or estimated ratio of staff to 
youth.
    Applicants must refer to the specific evaluation criteria for each 
competitive area contained in the full Program Announcement in order to 
adequately prepare their applications.

Criterion 5: Organizational Profile (10 points plus 5 possible bonus 
points)

    Applicants will be expected to provide information on the applicant 
organization(s) and cooperating partners such as organizational charts, 
financial statements, audit reports or statements from CPAs/Licensed 
Public Accountants. Any non-profit organization submitting an 
application must submit proof of its non-profit status in its 
application at the time of submission. Bonus points shall be awarded to 
applicant organizations who have demonstrated experience in providing 
services to runaway, homeless and street youth.
    Applicants will be expected to provide a plan for project 
continuance beyond grant support, including a plan for securing 
resources and continuing project activities after Federal assistance 
has ceased and an annotated listing of applicant's funding sources. 
Such plans should include written agreements, if applicable, between 
grantees and subgrantees or subcontractors or other cooperating and 
letters of support and statements from community, public and commercial 
leaders that support the project proposed for funding.
    Applicants must refer to the specific evaluation criteria for each 
competitive area contained in the full Program Announcement in order to 
adequately prepare their applications.

Criterion 6: Budget and Budget Justification (10 points)

    Applicants will be expected to provide a detailed line item budget 
and a narrative budget justification that describes how the categorical 
costs are derived. Applicants will be judged on how clearly they 
discuss the necessity, reasonableness, and allocability of the proposed 
costs and how clearly they describe the fiscal control and accounting 
procedures that will be used to ensure prudent use, proper disbursement 
and accurate accounting of funds received.
    Applicants must refer to the specific evaluation criteria for each 
competitive area contained in the full Program Announcement in order to 
adequately prepare their applications.

Part 2. Required Notification of the Single Point of Contact

    Most portions of this program are covered under Executive Order 
12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs, and 45 CFR part 
100, Intergovernmental Review of Department of Health and Human 
Services Program and Activities. Under the Order, States may design 
their own processes for reviewing and commenting on proposed Federal 
assistance under covered programs.
    All States and Territories except Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, 
Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, 
Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, 
Oregon, Palau, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, 
Virginia, Washington, and American Samoa have elected to participate in 
the Executive Order process and have established Single Points of 
Contact (SPOCs). Applicants from these twenty-three jurisdictions need 
take no action regarding E.O. 12372. Applicants for projects to be 
administered by Federally-recognized Indian Tribes are also exempt from 
the requirements of E.O. 12372. Otherwise, applicants should contact 
their SPOCs as soon as possible to alert them of the prospective 
applications and receive any necessary instructions. Applicants must 
submit any required material to the SPOCs as soon as possible so that 
the program office can obtain and review SPOC comments as part of the 
award process. It is imperative that the applicant submit all required 
materials, if any, to the SPOC and indicate the date of this submittal 
(or the date of contact if no submittal is required) on the Application 
for Federal Assistance, Standard Form 424, item 16.
    Under 45 CFR 100.8(a)(2), a SPOC has 60 days from the application 
deadline to comment on proposed new or competing continuation awards. A 
list of the Single Points of Contact for each State and Territory can 
be found on the web site http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. or by calling the ACYF Operations Center at 1-800-351-2293.

    Dated: March 2, 2001.
James A. Harrell,
Acting Commissioner, Administration on Children, Youth and Families.
[FR Doc. 01-5654 Filed 3-7-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M


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