Refugee and Entrant Assistance-Targeted Assistance (93.584)
Program
93.584 Refugee and Entrant Assistance-Targeted Assistance
Federal Agency
ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Authorization
Immigration and Nationality Act, Section 412(c)(2), as amended; Refugee Assistance Extension Act of 1986, Public Law 99-605, 8 U.S.C. 1522(c); Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980, Section 501(a), Public Law 96-422, 8 U.S.C. 1522 note; Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 1988, Section 584(c), Public Law 100-202; Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 1989, Public Law 100-461; Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 1990, Public Law 101-167; Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 1991, Public Law 101-513; and Section 107(b)(1)(a) of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, Public Law 106-386.
Program Number
93.584
Last Known Status
Active
Objectives
To provide funding for employment-related and other social services for refugees, asylees, Amerasians, victims of a severe form of trafficking, and entrants in areas of high refugee concentration and high welfare utilization.
Types of Assistance
Formula Grants.
Uses and Use Restrictions
Assistance is limited to employment- related and other social services for refugees, asylees, Amerasians, victims of a severe form of trafficking, and entrants, as defined in the authorizing Acts, supplemented by appropriate documentation provided to the refugee from the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), formerly INS.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
The State agency designated as responsible for the Refugee Resettlement Program is eligible to receive funding for assistance to counties and similar areas in States where, because of factors such as unusually large refugee or entrant populations, high refugee or entrant concentrations in relation to the overall population, and high use of public assistance by refugees, there exists a need for supplementation of available resources for services to refugees.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Persons admitted to the U.S. within the last 5 years as refugees under Section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act; granted asylum under Section 208 of the Act; Cuban and Haitian entrants, as defined in Section 501 of the Refugee Education Assistance Act; and certain Amerasians from Vietnam and their accompanying family members, as defined by Section 584(c) of the Foreign Relations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriation Act of 1988. Victims of a severe form of trafficking who have received a certified or letter of eligibility from ORR.
Credentials/Documentation
Persons for whom assistance is authorized are limited to refugees, asylees, and Amerasian immigrants with documentation from the BCIS as to their status and to Cuban and Haitian entrants with documentation from the BCIS as to status allowed under Title V of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980, and victims of a severe form of trafficking who have been certified by ORR. Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments.
Application and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
None. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure
States with qualifying counties must submit an application for funding in accordance with application requirements described in the annual notice of availability of formula allocation funding for targeted assistance grants. A State must submit a single application on behalf of all qualified counties in that State. Funding is contingent upon the submission and approval of a State application. Subsequent to the approval of the application by ORR, county governments develop local targeted assistance plans and submit them to the State.
Award Procedure
Grants are made to designated State agencies on behalf of qualifying counties. State agencies, in turn, receive, review, and determine the acceptability of individual county targeted assistance plans. Not less than 95 percent of targeted assistance funds must be allocated by the State to qualified counties.
Deadlines
The deadline for applications is 30 days from the date of publication of the final notice. Contact Headquarters Office listed below for further information.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Appeals
None.
Renewals
Grants are for annual budget period and a 3-year project period. FY 02 was the first year of the 3-year grant.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
The program provides funding, to the extent of available appropriations, for employment-related and other social services for eligible refugees, asylees, Amerasian immigrants, victims of a severe form of trafficking, and entrants. The formula for allocation is not established in legislation. Funds are distributed to States according to a formula which takes into account refugee, asylee, Amerasian, and entrant arrivals in the past five fiscal years. Procedures for documenting the number of asylees are being developed. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. Targeted assistance funds must supplement, rather than supplant, existing State and local resources.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Funds are appropriated on a yearly basis. Payments to States are made through the Payment Management System (PMS).
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Quarterly expenditure and program performance (and related statistics) reports are provided by the State agency to ORR.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit 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
Separate financial records must be maintained by State agency for 3 years after final payment or of the time period for the particular records in Parts 1-20 of Federal Procurement Regulations, whichever expires earlier.
Program Accomplishments
In fiscal year 2002, 53 qualified counties in 28 States received formula funds to provide employment-related and other social services. Fiscal year 2002 is the new budget cycle. ORR weighed both the 5-year arrival population (fiscal year 1997 through fiscal year 2001) for each county and the concentration of refugees within that county to determine eligibility for this program. In fiscal year 2003 and 2004, it is estimated that 53 qualified counties in 28 States will receive formula funds to provide employment related and other social services.
Financial Information
Account Identification
75-1503-0-1-609.
Obligations
(Grants) FY 02 $44,529,300; FY 03 est $44,239,860, and FY 04 est $44,239,860.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
$15,982 to $8,082,345; $1,535,000.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
45 CFR Subpart L- 400.310 to 400.319. Various materials are available on request from the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC 20447.
Related Programs
93.566, Refugee and Entrant Assistance_State Administered Programs; 93.576, Refugee and Entrant Assistance_Discretionary Grants; 93.567, Refugee and Entrant Assistance_Voluntary Agency Programs.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
Not applicable.
Headquarters Office
Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Refugee Assistance, 8th Floor, West, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447. Contact: Pamela Green- Smith. Telephone: (202) 401-4531. E-mail address: Pgreen smith@acf.hhs.gov.
Web Site Address
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr
Examples of Funded Projects
(1) Job development and placement; (2) on-the-job training; (3) business and employer incentives; (4) job- related and vocational English; and (5) short-term job training.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
A State with at least one qualifying county submits an application on behalf of the qualified counties in that State. Subsequent to the approval of the State's application by ORR, county governments develop local targeted assistance plans and submit them to the State.
