Child Support Enforcement Research (93.564)
Program
93.564 Child Support Enforcement Research
Federal Agency
Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: Administration For Children And Families
Authorization
Social Security, Title IV, Part D, Section 1115, 42 U.S.C 1315.
Program Number
93.564
Last Known Status
Active
Objectives
To discover, test, demonstrate, and promote utilization of new concepts which will increase cost effectiveness, reduce welfare dependency, and increase child support collections from absent parents.
Types of Assistance
PROJECT GRANTS
Uses and Use Restrictions
Grants are awarded for innovative research and demonstrations of regional and national significance that are responsive to program priorities in Child Support Enforcement, and for coordination, administration and provision of services to target populations. All applications must meet standards of excellence in research and evaluation design.
Funds authorized under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act are limited to State agencies administering the Child Support Enforcement Program or their umbrella agencies.
All applications must outline explicitly the information sought about the administration, or effects of the proposed research and how the activity will be evaluated. Funds may not be used for construction. A Section 1115 waiver of any of the State Plan requirements under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act may be granted in connection with any experimental pilot or demonstration project that will assist in promoting the objectives of the Child Support Enforcement program and meets certain conditions.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
Section 1115 grants may be made only to State Child Support Enforcement agencies or their umbrella agencies.
Beneficiary Eligibility
State agencies, local governments, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit organizations.
Credentials/Documentation
When appropriate, applicants should present written evidence of other agencies' willingness to cooperate when the project involves their cooperation or the utilization of their facilities or service. Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments and federally-recognized tribal governments. For other grantees, costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-21 for educational institutions, OMB Circular No. A-122 for nonprofit organizations, and any amendments to the aforementioned. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.
Application and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure
OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. This program is subject to the provisions of OMB Circulars No. A-102 and No. A-110, as appropriate. The standard application forms, as furnished by DHHS and required by OMB Circular No. A-102, must be used for this program. Application kits which contain the prescribed application forms and supplemental descriptive information on the priority projects are available from: Administration for Children and Families, Office of Grants Management, Director, Division of Discretionary Grants, 6th Floor East, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447. Telephone: (202) 401-4577. Contact: Daphne Weeden, Director, Division of Discretionary Grants. Applications also may be submitted on grants.gov. To be considered for a grant award, all applications must be submitted on the prescribed application forms and submitted to the Division of Grants Management. The application shall be executed by an individual authorized to act for the applicant agency or organization and to assume for the agency or organization the obligations imposed by the terms and conditions of the grant. As part of the project title (page 1 of the application form, Form SF-424) the applicant must clearly indicate whether the application submitted is in response to a priority project identified in a program announcement and must reference the unique project identifier (e.g., OCSE-84) for which the application is to compete. Applications are initially screened for relevance to program interests of the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE). Ineligible applications will be returned to the applicant. Eligible applications are reviewed and evaluated by a review panel of not less than three knowledgeable people. A limited number of projects may be approved pending available funds and will compete with other nonpriority projects. Written assessment of each application is made. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Award Procedure
Official notice of approved grant applications is made through issuance of a Notice of Grant Award. This provides the amount of funds awarded, the purpose of the award, the term and conditions of the award, the budget period for which support is given, the total project period for which support is contemplated, and the total grantee participation.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
From 30 to 120 days. Generally, solicited grants will be acted upon within 90 days.
Appeals
There are no formal appeals procedures. If an application for a grant is disapproved,applicants may request the reasons for disapproval. In the case of unsolicited proposals, applicants are free to resubmit applications with attention to the changes suggested by the reasons for disapproval.
Renewals
Extensions and continuations of grants with 1-year project periods are generally not available except under extreme circumstances. If an application is recommended for approval for 2 or more years, the grantee must submit a formal request for continuation each year accompanied by a progress report which will be evaluated prior to a recommendation of continuation.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
This program has no statutory formula.
Matching Requirements: Percent: 5.%. This program has no statutory formula. An administrative match is required. Grantees must contribute at least 5% of the total project costs.
This program has MOE requirements, see funding agency for further details.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Grants are typically three years in length. For multi-year projects, support beyond the first year is contingent upon acceptable evidence of satisfactory progress and availability of funds. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: by letter of credit.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Quarterly narrative reports are required for all grant projects. Semi-annual expenditure reports are required for all projects. Quarterly reports are required. Semi-annual expenditure reports are required. Periodic audit reports are made and montoring is conducted by the Federal Project Officer.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. All fiscal transactions identifiable to Federal financial assistance are subject to audit by the HHS audit agency, and other Federal officials. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Records
Proper accounting records, identifiable by grant number act number and including all receipts and expenditures must be maintained for 3 years in accordance with 45 CFR Part 92. Subsequent to audit, they must be maintained until all questions are resolved, or at the end of the regular 3-year period, whichever is later.
Program Accomplishments
Fiscal Year 2008: Eight new grants were awarded and 12 grants were continued in FY 08. Fiscal Year 2009: It is estimated that up to 45 new grants will be awarded and 8 will continue for a second year funding in FY 2009. Fiscal Year 2010: In FY 2010, OCSE expects to award approximately $1.8 million in new grants.
Financial Information
Account Identification
75-1501-0-1-609.
Obligations
(Project Grants) FY 08 $1,800,000; FY 09 est $4,000,000; FY 10 est $1,800,000 - OCSE and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have historically shared $4,000,000 in Section 1115 funds. In FY 2009, CMS declined to award grant opportunities under Section 1115 grant program and relinquished their share of funding for additional OCSE grants.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
FY 09 $60,000 to $300,000.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
The pamphlets "Research Grants in Social Security," "Grants Administration Policies," and application kits may be obtained from the ACF, Office of Grants Management, Division of Discretionary Grants, 4th Floor, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447.
Related Programs
93.558 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; 93.563 Child Support Enforcement; 93.597 Grants to States for Access and Visitation Programs; 93.601 Child Support Enforcement Demonstrations and Special Projects; 93.647 Social Services Research and Demonstration; 93.779 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Research, Demonstrations and Evaluations
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
See Regional Agency Offices. Regional Administrators. (See Appendix IV of the Catalog for Regional Offices).
Headquarters Office
Karen Anthony 370 L' Enfant Promenade, S.W., Washington, District of Columbia 20447 Email: karenanthony@acf.hhs.gov Phone: (202) 690-6275
Web Site Address
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse.
Examples of Funded Projects
Fiscal Year 2008: In FY 2008, 8 projects were funded in the following areas: streamlining review and adjustment processes; automation and data warehousing; incarceration and re-entry. Fiscal Year 2009: Under review are projects in these subject areas: prisoner reentry (in collaboration with Department of Justice and Labor); family centered services; arrears management, and projects to increase collections. Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
(1) Objectives and need for assistance; (2) approach; (3) competence of staff; (4) independent evaluation; and (5) reasonableness of budget.
