Funding Frequently Asked Question #1

September 16, 2012
Topics:
Program Funding
Types:
FAQ

Question:

How can I learn about grants funded by the Children’s Bureau?  How can I apply for a discretionary grant?

Answer:

The Children’s Bureau is responsible for assisting States in the delivery of child welfare services that are designed to protect children and strengthen families. One way that the Children’s Bureau accomplishes this is through providing grants to States, Tribes,  communities, and other organizations to operate a wide range of child welfare services that includes child protective services (CPS), family preservation and support, foster care, adoption, and independent living.

The Children’s Bureau funds two types of grant programs:  State grant and discretionary grant programs. The Children’s Bureau website at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/programs_fund/index.htm includes a brief description of each type of grant and how it is funded.

The Children’s Bureau discretionary grant funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) are published on the ACF grant opportunity page at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/foa and on the Grants.gov website at http://www.grants.gov. 

Grants.gov is the single location for all Federal grant program information. At Grants.gov you can select categories of FOAs and ask to be notified when these FOAs are published. 

To locate the Children’s Bureau FOAs on the Grants.gov site (generally released each spring), please follow these steps:

  • Once at the http://www.grants.gov site, click on Find Grant Opportunities.
  • Select Search Grant Opportunities. If you choose to Browse by Category, select Income Security and Social Services for Children’s Bureau funding opportunities; if you choose to Browse by Agency, select the Department of Health and Human Services.

To download a Children’s Bureau discretionary grant FOA, locate the appropriate announcement on the ACF grant opportunity page or in Grants.gov, click on the link to the full FOA, and download and print the announcement and the required forms. If you do not have access to the Internet, you may request printed copies of the Children’s Bureau FOA by calling the CB Operations Center at 1-866-796-1591. Both the online and print versions of the FOAs will include all of the information you will need to complete and submit your application.

In 2009, HHS launched a new tool, Grants Forecast, to provide applicants with information about forecasted HHS FOAs. Grants Forecast provides users with a list of programs that MAY provide upcoming grant funding opportunities. Each Forecast record contains estimated dates and funding levels for grants that the agency plans to award during the fiscal year. The Grants Forecast website at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/hhsgrantsforecast/index.cfm  provides an overview of the database, a glossary of terms, archives, links, and more. Please note that Forecast opportunities are subject to change.