Discretionary Funds for Projects to Establish Individual Development Accounts for Refugees

AGENCY:

Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), ACF, DHHS.

ACTION:

Notice of Availability of FY 2000 Discretionary Social Service Funds to Public and Private, Non-profit Agencies for Projects to Establish and Manage Individual Development Accounts for Refugees.

SUMMARY:

The Office of Refugee Resettlement invites eligible entities to submit competitive grant applications for projects to establish and manage Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) for low-income refugee participants. Eligible refugee participants who enroll in these projects will open and contribute systematically to IDAs for specified Savings Goals, including homeownership, business capitalization, and post-secondary education. Grantees may use ORR funds to provide matches for the savings in the IDAs up to $2,000 per individual refugee and $4,000 per refugee household. Applications will be screened and evaluated as indicated in this program announcement. Awards will be contingent on the outcome of the competition and the availability of funds.

DATES:

The closing date for submission of applications is May 12, 2000. See Part IV of this announcement for more information on submitting applications.

Announcement Availability: The program announcement and the application materials are available on the ORR website at www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/orr.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Henley Portner, Program Specialist, Division of Community Resettlement, Office of Refugee Resettlement, (ACF), (Telephone: (202) 401-5363; Fax: (202) 401-5772; E-mail: HPortner@ACF.DHHS.GOV).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This program announcement consists of four parts:

Part I: Background—program purpose and objectives, legislative authority, funding availability, CFDA Number, definition of terms.

Part II: Project and Applicant Eligibility—eligible applicants, project and budget periods

Part III: The Review Process—intergovernmental review, initial ACF screening, evaluation criteria and competitive review.

Part IV: The Application—application materials, application development, application submission.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13): Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average four hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. The following information collection is included in the program announcement: OMB Approval No. 0970-0139, ACF UNIFORM PROJECT DESCRIPTION (UPD), which expires 10/31/2000. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Part I. Background

Program Purpose and Objectives

The Office of Refugee Resettlement invites qualified entities to submit competing grant applications for new projects that will establish, support, and manage Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) for eligible low-income refugee individuals and families. The Refugee IDA Program represents an anti-poverty strategy built on asset accumulation for low-income refugee individuals and families with the goal of promoting refugee economic independence. In particular, the objectives of this program are to: increase the ability of low-income refugees to save; promote their participation in the financial institutions of this country; assist refugees in advancing their education; increase home ownership; and assist refugees in gaining access to capital. These new projects will accomplish these objectives by establishing programs that combine the provision of matched savings accounts with financial training and counseling.

Eligibility for this program is limited to refugees:

• who have earned income and whose household earned income at time of enrollment does not exceed 200 percent of the federal poverty level; and
• whose assets at time of enrollment do not exceed $10,000, excluding the value of a primary residence.

Grantees may target their projects to refugees with lower incomes and net worth than the limits described above. A copy of the HHS Poverty Guidelines is attached to this announcement. The Poverty Guidelines may also be found at http:/aspe.hhs.gov/.

Grantees, in partnership with qualified financial institutions, will create Individual Development Accounts for refugee participants. Refugee participants will systematically contribute to the IDAs in order to purchase specified Savings Goals. Grantees may include any or all of the following Savings Goals in their IDA program:

• Home Purchase or Renovation;
• Post-Secondary Education, Vocational Training, or Recertification;
• Microenterprise Capitalization;
• Purchase of an Automobile;
• Purchase of a Computer.

Additional information on these Savings Goals is provided in the Definition of Terms section of this announcement.

ORR encourages applicants to include in their projects commitments of additional public or private funds for matching IDA deposits, operational overhead, or training. Documentation of additional funds should be provided in the application in writing, executed with the entity providing the non-ORR contribution, on letterhead of the entity, and signed by a person authorized to make a commitment on behalf of the entity.

The grantee will establish a “Savings Plan Agreement” with each refugee participant. The Savings Plan Agreement should include:

(1) a proposed schedule of savings deposits by the participant;

(2) the rate at which participant's savings will be matched;

(3) the Savings Goal for which the account is maintained;

(4) any training or counseling which the participant agrees to attend;

(5) agreement that the participant will not withdraw funds except for the specified Savings Goal or for an emergency and only after consultation with the grantee; and

(6) a procedure for amending the Agreement.

Applicants may propose additional provisions to be included in Savings Plan Agreements.

The IDA contains only the refugee participant's deposits and interest earned on those deposits. The grantee will create a parallel account (or parallel accounts), separate from the participants' IDAs, in a qualified financial institution, in which all matching ORR grant funds will be deposited and maintained on behalf of the refugee participants.

Drawdown of the ORR grant funds and deposit of those funds into the parallel account(s) will be permitted no earlier than the time of the refugee's deposit to the IDA. Grantees must draw down ORR funds for matching IDA deposits within three months of the date that the refugee participant makes the deposit.

ORR funds may be used at a matching rate no greater than two-to-one for each dollar deposited in the IDA by the refugee participant. Grantees may choose to vary the amount of the match by type of Savings Goal and/or by income level of the refugee participants. Over the course of the five-year project period, not more than $2,000 in ORR grant funds may be provided through matching contributions to any one refugee individual and not more than $4,000 may be provided to any one refugee household.

The interest that accrues on the ORR matching funds deposited in the parallel account must be credited to the IDAs of the refugee participants. Interest on the matching funds is not subject to the $2000/$4000 limitation on total match for an individual and a household. The interest on the match funds in the parallel account may not be retained by the grantee for any purpose, including program administration, participant support services, or program data collection.

ORR strongly encourages applicants to incorporate in these projects financial training for the refugee participants. The training may be provided directly by the grantee or the grantee may choose to provide the training through subgrantees or other providers. The types of training provided by a grantee should reflect both the refugee population and the types of Savings Goals to be included in the program. Such training could include budgeting, cash management, savings, investment, and credit counseling. Specialized training and technical assistance should be provided for refugee participants whose Savings Goals are home purchase or microenterprise.

Legislative Authority

Section 412(c)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act authorizes the Director “to make grants to, and enter into contracts with, public or private nonprofit agencies for projects specifically designed—(i) to assist refugees in obtaining skills which are necessary for economic self-sufficiency, including projects for job training, employment services, day care, professional refresher training, and other recertification services; (ii) to provide training in English where necessary (regardless of whether the refugees are employed or receiving cash or other assistance); and (iii) to provide where specific needs have been shown and recognized by the Director, health (including mental health) services, social services, educational and other services.”

Funding Availability

ORR expects to award approximately $3 million in FY 2000 funds for the Refugee IDA Program among approximately eight to twelve grantees. Grants are expected to range from $100,000 to $400,000. Approximately 75-80 percent of the ORR grant funds should be designated for the purpose of providing matches for the refugee IDA accounts. The remaining 20-25 percent of ORR funds may be used for the administrative and operational costs of the project and for financial training, counseling, and technical assistance.

The Director reserves the right to award more or less than the funds described in the absence of worthy applications or such other circumstances as may be deemed to be in the best interest of the government. Applicants may be required to reduce the scope of selected projects based on the amount of the approved grant award.

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number assigned to this announcement is 93.576. The title of the program is the Refugee Individual Development Account Program.

Applicable Regulations

Applicable U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regulations can be found at 45 CFR Part 74 or Part 92.

Definition of Terms

Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) are leveraged, or matched, savings accounts. IDAs are established in insured accounts in qualified financial institutions; and the funds are intended for the Savings Goals specified in this announcement. Although the refugee participant maintains control of all funds that the participant deposits in the IDA, including all interest that may accrue on the funds, the participant must sign a Savings Plan Agreement with the grantee that specifies that the funds in the account will be used only for the participant's Savings Goal or for an emergency withdrawal. A signed Savings Plan Agreement is required for the refugee participant to be eligible for matching funds.

The Savings Goals, as specified below, are the purchases/investments for which the matching funds, and the interest on matching funds, are available when used in conjunction with the savings from the IDAs of refugee participants. The Savings Goal specified by a participant in the Savings Plan Agreement may be for the benefit of the refugee participant or of a refugee dependent of the refugee participant. Savings Goals are defined as follows:

• Home ownership: includes costs of a principal residence including the downpayment and closing costs when purchasing a home; also renovation costs of a new home or of an existing primary residence. In the case of acquisition, the purchaser must be a first-time homebuyer.
• Microenterprise capitalization: means costs described in a qualified business plan, such as capital, plant, equipment, working capital, and inventory expenses. The business plan must be approved by a financial institution, a microenterprise development organization, or a nonprofit loan fund. The plan must also describe services or goods to be sold and include a marketing plan and projected financial statements. Also included in microenterprise capitalization are expenditures for a business expansion.
• Post-secondary Education, Vocational Training, and Recertification: Tuition or fees, professional recertification fees, books, supplies, and equipment related to the enrollment or attendance of a refugee student at an educational institution.
• Purchase of an Automobile: if necessary for the purpose of maintaining or upgrading employment.
• Purchase of a Computer: including hardware and software, to support a refugee student's enrollment in an educational, vocational, or recertification institution or for a microenterprise.
• Qualified financial institution means a Federally insured bank, credit union, or savings and loan institution or a State-insured bank, credit union, or savings and loan institution if no Federally insured bank, credit union, or savings and loan institution is available.
• A parallel account is an insured account (or accounts) opened by the grantee in a qualified financial institution for the purpose of depositing the matching funds for the savings deposited by refugee participants in their individual IDAs. Interest earned on the matching funds must remain in the parallel account and be credited to the refugee participants. Both the matching funds and the interest earned on those funds must be made available to the refugee participant at the time that the participant purchases the Savings Goal. The matching funds and the interest on the matching funds in the parallel account are not available to the refugee participant except for the Savings Goals defined in this announcement.
• An emergency withdrawal is a withdrawal of funds, or a portion of funds, deposited by the refugee participant in his/her Individual Development Account. The withdrawal may also include any of the interest that may have accrued to the participant's savings in the account. Such a withdrawal must be approved by the project grantee and be consistent with the terms of the Savings Plan Agreement between the grantee and the refugee participant. Causes for emergency withdrawals include, but are not limited to, medical expenses, payments to prevent eviction or foreclosure, or payments for necessary living expenses. If funds withdrawn for emergency purposes are not repaid within 12 months, the refugee participant forfeits the match on those funds. Emergency withdrawals may never be authorized from the parallel account(s).

Part II. Project and Applicant Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

To be eligible for funding under this announcement, projects must meet the following requirements. Eligible applicants for these funds include States and private, non-profit organizations. Applicants may request funding to administer a refugee IDA project directly with refugee participants or as an intermediary agency which will administer multiple projects through participating community-based organizations. Private, non-profit agency applicants must provide documentation of their 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status at the time of the application submission.

Applicants must also provide documentation of participation of a qualified financial institution(s) in the project. This documentation must be in writing, on letterhead of the financial institution, and signed by a person authorized to make the commitment on behalf of the financial institution. The documentation must include a commitment by the financial institution to establish IDAs for the refugee participants, to establish a parallel account (or accounts) for the matching funds, and to provide the grantee with account activity data on the IDAs and the parallel account(s) in a timely manner.

Project and Budget Periods

This announcement invites applications for project periods up to five years. Awards, on a competitive basis, will be for a one-year budget period. Applications for continuation grants funded under these awards beyond the first one-year budget period but within the five-year project period will be entertained in subsequent years on a noncompetitive basis, subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the grantee, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the Government.

Under these projects, grantees should schedule their account activities so that all IDA accounts reach their maximum savings, and refugee participants have purchased their Savings Goal, within the five-year project period. Applicants should include in their applications their proposal for handling accounts in the event that any refugee participant has not completed the Savings Goal purchase by the end of the five-year project period. (For instance, applicants may consider creating an escrow account for each participant's matching funds.)

Part III. The Review Process

A. Intergovernmental Review

This program is covered under Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,” and 45 CFR Part 100, “Intergovernmental Review of Department of Health and Human Services Programs and Activities.” Under the Order, States may design their own processes for reviewing and commenting on proposed Federal assistance under covered programs.

As of November 20, 1998, the following jurisdictions have elected not to participate in the Executive Order process. Applicants from these jurisdictions need take no action in regard to E.O. 12372: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Palau, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.

Although the jurisdictions listed above no longer participate in the process, entities which have met the eligibility criteria of the program may still apply for a grant even if a State, Territory, Commonwealth, etc., does not have a Single Point of Contact (SPOC). All remaining jurisdictions participate in the Executive Order process and have established SPOCs. Applicants from participating jurisdictions should contact their SPOCs as soon as possible to alert them of the prospective applications and receive 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. The applicant must 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 Standard Form 424, item 16a. 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. SPOCs are encouraged to eliminate the submission of routine endorsements as official recommendations. Additionally, SPOCs are requested to differentiate clearly between mere advisory comments and those official State process recommendations, which may trigger the “accommodate or explain” rule.

When comments are submitted directly to ACF, they should be addressed to: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement, Attention: Daphne Weeden, ORR Grants Officer, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20447.

A list of the Single Points of Contact for each State and Territory is included with the application materials for this program announcement.

B. Initial ACF Screening

Each application submitted under this program announcement will undergo a pre-review to determine that (1) the application was received by the closing date and submitted in accordance with the instructions in this announcement; and (2) the applicant is eligible for funding.

C. Competitive Review and Evaluation Criteria

Applications that pass the initial ACF screening will be evaluated and rated by an independent review panel on the basis of specific evaluation criteria. The evaluation criteria were designed to assess the quality of a proposed project and to determine the likelihood of its success. The evaluation criteria are closely related and are considered as a whole in judging the overall quality of an application. Points are awarded only to applications that are responsive to the evaluation criteria within the context of this program announcement. Proposed projects will be reviewed using the following evaluation criteria:

1. Objectives and Need for Assistance

The application identifies the refugee population to be assisted by this project and describes the need for assistance of this population. Indicators of the need for assistance include low rates of: use of financial institutions, home ownership, education, and access to capital; and high rates of: reliance on public assistance and incomes below 200 percent of the Federal poverty level. (15 points)

2. Approach

The application provides a clear explanation of a feasible, appropriate, and complete plan for establishing and managing IDAs for the refugee participants. The plan clearly describes the structure, uses, requirements, and management of the IDAs and includes procedures for: managing the parallel account(s); ensuring that interest on the matches is correctly credited to individual refugee participants; and providing financial training appropriate to the refugee population and to the Savings Goals included in the project. (25 points)

3. Organizational Profiles

Applicant organization and staff and partner organizations have demonstrated capability to implement and manage new programs and to recruit and work with the refugee population. The applicant has developed a partnership with a financial institution(s) to implement the IDAs. (25 points)

4. Results or Benefits Expected

The outcomes and benefits proposed are reasonable and reflect the objectives of this announcement. The methodology proposed for collecting outcome data is reasonable. (20 points)

5. Budget and Budget Justification

The budget is reasonable and clearly justified. The methodologies for estimating the number of refugee participants and amount of matching funds are reasonable. (15 points)

Part IV. The Application

A. Application Development

In order to be considered for a grant under this program announcement, an application must be submitted on the Standard Form 424 and in the manner prescribed by ACF. Application materials including forms and instructions are available from the contact named under the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT section in the preamble of this announcement.

General Guidelines for Preparing a Project Description

Purpose: The project description provides a major means by which an application is evaluated and ranked to compete with other applications for available assistance. The project description should be concise and complete and should address the activity for which Federal funds are being requested. Supporting documents should be included where they can present information clearly and succinctly. Applicants are encouraged to provide information on their organizational structure, staff, related experience, and other information considered to be relevant. Awarding offices use this and other information to determine whether the applicant has the capability and resources necessary to carry out the proposed project. It is important, therefore, that this information be included in the application. However, in the narrative, the applicant must distinguish between resources directly related to the proposed project from those that will not be used in support of the specific project for which funds are requested.

General Instructions: Cross-referencing should be used rather than repetition. ACF is particularly interested in specific factual information and statements of measurable goals in quantitative terms. Project descriptions are evaluated on the basis of substance, not length. Extensive exhibits are not required. (Supporting information concerning activities that will not be directly funded by the grant or information that does not directly pertain to an integral part of the grant-funded activity should be placed in an appendix.) Pages should be numbered and a table of contents should be included for easy reference.

Project Summary/Abstract: Provide a summary of the project description (a page or less) with reference to the funding request.

Objectives and Need for Assistance: Clearly identify the 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; supporting documentation, such as letters of support and testimonials from concerned interests other than the applicant, may be included. Any relevant data based on planning studies should be included or referred to in the endnotes/footnotes. Incorporate demographic data and participant/beneficiary information, as needed. In developing the project description, the applicant may volunteer, or be requested to provide, information on the total range of projects currently being conducted and supported (or to be initiated), some of which may be outside the scope of the program announcement.

Results or Benefits Expected: Identify the results and benefits to be derived from this project. ORR is particularly interested in the projected outcomes for the refugee groups, including the number of IDAs opened, rate of growth in savings, number and size of withdrawals for each of the Savings Goals, and the impact of the purchase of the Savings Goal on the participant's movement toward self-sufficiency.

Approach: Outline a plan of action that describes the scope and detail of how the proposed work will be accomplished. Account for all functions or activities identified in the application. Cite factors which might accelerate or decelerate the work and state your reason for taking the proposed approach rather than others. Describe any unusual features of the project such as design or technological innovations, reductions in cost or time, or extraordinary social and community involvement. Provide quantitative monthly or quarterly projections of the accomplishments to be achieved for each function or activity in such terms as the number of people to be served and the number of IDAs to be opened. When accomplishments cannot be quantified by activity or function, list them in chronological order to show the schedule of accomplishments and their target dates. Identify the kinds of data to be collected, maintained, and/or disseminated. Note that clearance from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget might be needed prior to a “collection of information” that is “conducted or sponsored” by ACF. 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.

Geographic Location: Describe the precise location of the project and boundaries of the area to be served by the proposed project. Maps or other graphic aids may be attached.

Additional Information: Following is a description of additional information that should be placed in the appendix to the application.

Staff and Position Data: Provide a 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.

Organization Profiles: 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, Employer Identification Numbers, names of bond carriers, contact persons and telephone numbers, child care licenses and other documentation of professional accreditation, information on compliance with Federal/State/local government standards, documentation of experience in the program area, and other pertinent information. Any non-profit organization submitting an application must submit proof of its non-profit status in its application at the time of submission. The non-profit agency can accomplish this by providing a copy of the applicant's listing in the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) most recent list of tax-exempt organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code or by providing a copy of the currently valid IRS tax exemption certificate or by providing a copy of the articles of incorporation bearing the seal of the State in which the corporation or association is domiciled.

Third-Party Agreements: Include written agreements between grantees and subgrantees or subcontractors or other cooperating entities. These agreements must detail scope of work to be performed, work schedules, remuneration, and other terms and conditions that structure or define the relationship.

Letters of Support: Provide statements from community, public, and commercial leaders that support the project proposed for funding.

Budget and Budget Justification

Provide line item detail and detailed calculations for each budget object class identified on the Budget Information form. Detailed calculations must include estimation methods, quantities, unit costs, and other similar quantitative detail sufficient for the calculation to be duplicated. The detailed budget must also include a breakout by the funding sources identified in Block 15 of the SF-424. Provide a narrative budget justification that describes how the categorical costs are derived. Discuss the necessity, reasonableness, and allocability of the proposed costs.

General

The following guidelines are for preparing the budget and budget justification. Both Federal and non-Federal resources shall be detailed and justified in the budget and narrative justification. For purposes of preparing the budget and budget justification, “Federal resources” refers only to the ACF grant for which you are applying. Non-Federal resources are all other Federal and non-Federal resources. It is suggested that budget amounts and computations be presented in a columnar format: first column, object class categories; second column, Federal budget; next column(s), non-Federal budget(s), and last column, total budget. The budget justification should be a narrative.

Personnel

Description: Costs of employee salaries and wages.

Justification: Identify the project director or principal investigator, if known. For each staff person, provide the title, time commitment to the project (in months), time commitment to the project (as a percentage or full-time equivalent), annual salary, grant salary, wage rates, etc. Do not include the costs of consultants or personnel costs of delegate agencies or of specific project(s) or businesses to be financed by the applicant.

Fringe Benefits

Description: Costs of employee fringe benefits unless treated as part of an approved indirect cost rate.

Justification: Provide a breakdown of the amounts and percentages that comprise fringe benefit costs such as health insurance, FICA, retirement insurance, taxes, etc.

Travel

Description: Costs of project-related travel by employees of the applicant organization (does not include costs of consultant travel).

Justification: For each trip, show the total number of traveler(s), travel destination, duration of trip, per diem, mileage allowances, if privately owned vehicles will be used, and other transportation costs and subsistence allowances. Travel costs for key staff to attend ORR-sponsored conferences should be detailed in the budget.

Equipment

Description: Costs of tangible, non-expendable, personal property, having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit. However, an applicant may use its own definition of equipment provided that such equipment would at least include all equipment defined above.

Justification: For each type of equipment requested, provide a description of the equipment, the cost per unit, the number of units, the total cost, and a plan for use on the project, as well as use or disposal of the equipment after the project ends. An applicant organization that uses its own definition for equipment should provide a copy of its policy or section of its policy which includes the equipment definition.

Supplies

Description: Costs of all tangible personal property other than that included under the Equipment category.

Justification: Specify general categories of supplies and their costs. Show computations and provide other information, which supports the amount requested.

Other

Enter the total of all other costs. Such costs, where applicable and appropriate, may include but are not limited to insurance, food, medical and dental costs (noncontractual), professional services costs, space and equipment rentals, printing and publication, computer use, training costs, such as tuition and stipends, staff development costs, and administrative costs.

Justification: Provide computations, a narrative description and a justification for each cost under this category.

Indirect Costs

Description: Total amount of indirect costs. This category should be used only when the applicant currently has an indirect cost rate approved by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or another cognizant Federal agency.

Justification: An applicant that will charge indirect costs to the grant must enclose a copy of the current rate agreement. If the applicant organization is in the process of initially developing or renegotiating a rate, it should immediately upon notification that an award will be made, develop a tentative indirect cost rate proposal based on its most recently completed fiscal year in accordance with the principles set forth in the cognizant agency's guidelines for establishing indirect cost rates, and submit it to the cognizant agency. Applicants awaiting approval of their indirect cost proposals may also request indirect costs. It should be noted that when an indirect cost rate is requested, those costs included in the indirect cost pool should not also be charged as direct costs to the grant. Also, if the applicant is requesting a rate which is less than what is allowed under the program, the authorized representative of the applicant organization must submit a signed acknowledgment that the applicant is accepting a lower rate than allowed.

Program Income

Description: The estimated amount of income, if any, expected to be generated from this project.

Justification: Describe the nature, source and anticipated use of program income in the budget or refer to the pages in the application, which contain this information.

Non-Federal Resources

Description: Amounts of non-Federal resources that will be used to support the project as identified in Block 15 of the SF-424.

Justification: The firm commitment of these resources must be documented and submitted with the application in order to be given credit in the review process. A detailed budget must be prepared for each funding source.

Total Direct Charges, Total Indirect Charges, Total Project Costs

Self-explanatory

B. Application Submission

1. Mailed applications postmarked after the closing date will be classified as late.

2. Deadline. Mailed applications shall be considered as meeting an announced deadline if they are either received on or before the deadline date or sent on or before the deadline date and received by ACF in time for the independent review to: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement, Attention: Daphne Weeden, ORR Grants Officer, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20447. Applicants must ensure that a legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark or a legibly dated, machine produced postmark of a commercial mail service is affixed to the envelope/package containing the application(s). To be acceptable as proof of timely mailing, a postmark from a commercial mail service must include the logo/emblem of the commercial mail service company and must reflect the date the package was received by the commercial mail service company from the applicant. Private metered postmarks shall not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing. (Applicants are cautioned that express/overnight mail services do not always deliver as agreed.) Applications handcarried by applicants, applicant couriers, or by other representatives of the applicant shall be considered as meeting an announced deadline if they are received on or before the deadline date, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., EST, at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement, ACF Mailroom, Second Floor (near loading dock), Aerospace Center, 901 D Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024, between Monday and Friday (excluding Federal holidays). The address must appear on the envelope/package containing the application with the note “Attention: Daphne Weeden, ORR Grants Officer.” ACF cannot accommodate transmission of applications by fax or through other electronic media. Therefore, applications transmitted to ACF electronically will not be accepted regardless of date or time of submission and time of receipt.

3. Late applications. Applications that do not meet the criteria above are considered late applications. ACF shall notify each late applicant that its application will not be considered in the current competition.

4. Extension of deadlines. ACF may extend an application deadline when circumstances such as acts of God (floods, hurricanes, etc.) occur, or when there is widespread disruption of the mail service, or in other rare cases. Determinations to extend or waive deadline requirements rest with ACF's Chief Grants Management Officer.

Reporting Requirements

Grantees under this program announcement will be required to provide quarterly program narrative reports, describing outcomes and activities under the grant. Grantees will also be required to submit semi-annual financial reports using the Financial Status Report (SF-269). A final financial and narrative report shall be due 90 days after the end of the Grant Project Period (i.e., after the final budget period).