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4184-01P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
[Program Announcement No. ACYF-PA-CC-2000-01]
ACTION: Fiscal Year 2000 Discretionary Announcement of the availability of
funds and request for applications for Field Initiated Child Care Research
Projects, Child Care Policy Research Partnerships, Child Care Research
Scholars, and the Child Care Research Fellowship Program.
AGENCY: Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF), ACF, DHHS.
NOTICE: The fiscal year (FY) 1999 Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency
Supplemental Appropriation Act (P.L. 105-277) provides $10 million in FY 2000
funds for child care research, demonstration, and evaluation activities to be used
directly or through grants or contracts. This first-ever appropriation for child care
research occurred at the request of President Clinton and reflects Congressional
recognition of the importance of child care issues. In this notice, ACF announces
the availability of these funds and requests child care research applications. It is
anticipated that approximately $4.3 million will be distributed through this
Announcement. Universities and colleges, public agencies, non-profit
organizations, and for-profit organizations agreeing to waive their fees are invited
to submit applications for Field Initiated Child Care Research Projects, Child
Care Policy Research Partnerships, and implementation of the Child Care
Research Fellowship Program. Accredited universities and colleges may submit
a Child Care Research Scholar application on behalf of a doctoral candidate who
has a dissertation proposal approved by their doctoral committee.
SUMMARY: This solicitation announces competition for funding in four priority
areas: (1) Field Initiated Child Care Research Projects; (2) Child Care Policy
1
Research Partnerships; (3) Child Care Research Scholars; and (4) the Child
Care Research Fellowship Program. Projects funded under each of these
priority areas are expected to address critical questions with implications for
children and families, especially low-income working families and families
transitioning off welfare. In addition, projects will contribute to a comprehensive
research agenda designed to increase the capacity for child care research at
national, State, and local levels and promote better linkages among research,
policy, practice, and outcomes for children and families.
The Child Care Bureau's research agenda is designed to help answer five key
questions:
1) What does child care look like today? What are the variations in child
care by type, quality, number and ages of children in care, cost,
availability of subsidies, early childhood workforce, family-work issues,
and community supports? How do child care demand and supply
interact? How do the major variations relate to quality and outcomes for
children and families R 77 who is being served 6g fiderel subsidy funds used
How are federal quah subsidees, for funds teing
2) How do the variations in child care including quality, cost, types of care,
administrative strategies, and characteristics of the child care workforce
influence children's development and well-being, including school
readiness?
3) How do the variations in child care including types of care, cost, quality,
availability of subsidies, and flexibility relate to the ability of parents to
provide for their families and successfully manage family and work
responsibilities? Do difficulties in paying for child care affect family well-
being in other areas such as housing, health care, and employment
stability?
4) How do the answers to these broad questions translate into specific child
care policies and program choices at national, State and local levels?
2
What is the interaction between subsidy utilization rates and policies
related to eligibility, rates, and co-payments? What effects do policy
innovations involving provider compensation, training, and incentives for
quality (such as tiered reimbursement rates and licensing) have on
improving the quality and availability of care for children and families?
5) How do the answers to all of these questions differ for key sub-groups of
children and families? Current research suggests that certain sub-
groups of families (for instance, low-income, non-English speaking, and
those that include an infant or a child with special needs) may have
differing child care preferences or face extraordinary challenges as
compared to other families. What are these variations and challenges
and how do they affect children and families? What are the policy and
programmatic implications?
DEADLINE: The closing time and date for receipt of applications is 4:30 p.m.
(Eastern Standard Time) on March 31, 2000. Applications received after this
time will be classified as late and eliminated from competition.
ADDRESS: All applications must be delivered to the ACYF Operations Center,
Laurel Consulting Group, 1825 North Fort Myer Drive, Suite 300, Arlington,
Virginia 22209 (Attention: Child Care Research Priority Area
)
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: For questions regarding application
requirements of this program announcement, please contact the ACYF
Operations Center Technical Assistance Team at 1-800-351-2293 or send an
Email to [email protected]. For programmatic questions, please contact Dr. Patricia
L. Divine, Program Specialist, Child Care Bureau at 202-690-6705 or Karen
Tvedt, Policy Division Director, Child Care Bureau at 202-401-5130, or send an
Email to [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Announcement includes the
instructions needed to apply for: (1) Field Initiated Child Care Research Projects;
3
(2) Child Care Policy Research Partnerships; (3) Child Care Research Scholars;
or (4) the Child Care Research Fellowship Program. The Standard Federal
Forms that must be included in applications can be downloaded from the internet
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ofs/form.htm. For each priority area, the
required Standard Federal Forms are identified under "Project Description and
Application Requirements."
This Announcement includes five parts. Part I provides information about the
Child Care Bureau, its research agenda and strategies, priority areas to be
funded under this Annoucement, and instructions for submitting an application.
Part II describes key research questions in the Child Care Bureau's broad
research agenda. Part III provides background information, instructions for
completing applications, evaluation criteria, and funding procedures for Field
Initiated Child Care Research Projects (Priority Area 1) and Child Care Policy
Research Partnerships (Priority Area 2). Part IV provides background
information, instructions for completing applications, and evaluation criteria and
funding procedures for Child Care Research Scholars (Priority Area 3). Part V
provides background information, instructions for completing applications, and
evaluation criteria and funding procedures for implementation of the Child Care
Research Fellowship Program (Priority Area 4). The contents are outlined below:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I. GENERAL INFORMATION
A. Purpose
B. Context
C. The Child Care Bureau
D. Need for Child Care Research
E. Research Agenda
4
F. Research Goals
G. Research Activities
H. Priority Areas to be Funded under this Announcement
I. Submission of Applications
J. Citations
K. Number of Awards, Duration, and Funding Levels
PART II. RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND PRIORITIES
PART III. FIELD INITIATED CHILD CARE RESEARCH PROJECTS AND
CHILD CARE POLICY RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS
PRIORITY AREA 1. FIELD INITIATED RESEARCH PROJECTS
A. Purpose
B. Priorities
C. Number of Awards
D. Project Duration, Funding Levels, and Budget Periods
E. Federal and Non-Federal Share
F. Eligible Applicants
G. Data Ownership
PRIORITY AREA 2. CHILD CARE POLICY RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS
A. Purpose
B. Priorities
5
C. Number of Awards
D. Project Duration, Funding Levels, and Budget Periods
E. Federal Share
F. Eligible Applicants
G. Data Ownership
PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
A. Contents and Format of the Application
B. Project Narrative Statement
EVALUATION AND SELECTION
A. Screening and Panel Review
B. Evaluation Criteria
C. The Selection Process
D. Funding Date
PART IV. PRIORITY AREA 3: CHILD CARE RESEARCH SCHOLARS
A. Purpose
B. Number of Awards
C. Project Period
D. Funding Levels
E. Matching Requirements and Non-Federal Share
F. Maximum Federal Share
6
G. Eligible Applicants
H. Additional Requirements
I. Project Description and Application Requirements
J. Evaluation and Selection
K. Evaluation Criteria
L. The Selection Process
M. Funding Date
PART V. PRIORITY AREA 4: CHILD CARE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP
PROGRAM
A. Purpose
B. Priorities
C. Number of Awards
D. Project Period
E. Funding Levels
F. Matching Requirements and Non-Federal Share
G. Maximum Federal Share
H. Eligible Applicants
I. Project Description and Application Requirements
J. Evaluation and Selection
K. Evaluation Criteria
7
L. The Selection Process
M. Funding Date
PART I. GENERAL INFORMATION
A. Purpose
The child care research grants to be funded under this Announcement will
increase the capacity for child care research at national, State, and local levels
while simultaneously answering critical questions with implications for children
and families, particularly low-income working families and families transitioning
off welfare.
B. Context
These child care research grants are being funded at a time when more than half
of infants, toddlers, and preschool children are in child care and only 14 percent
of children stay at home full time with their primary caregivers during their first
three years (NICHD). In 1998, 96 percent of fathers and 65 percent of mothers
with children under the age of six worked. During this same period, nearly 78
percent of mothers with children between the ages of six and 17 were in the paid
labor force full or part-time. Welfare reform and the consistently strong and
growing economy have contributed to dramatic increases in the number of low-
income mothers in the paid labor market. The percentage of single mothers with
incomes under 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level who are employed rose
from 44 percent in 1992 to 57 percent in 1999 (U.S. Bureau of the Census). As
increasing numbers of parents work and children experience non-parental care at
younger and younger ages, questions about the availability, quality, and cost of
child care and their effects on child care family outcomes take on new urgency.
The projects to be funded under this Announcement build on significant child
care research already in progress with support from the Department of Health
and Human Services (DHHS), the Administration for Children and Families
8
(ACF), and other funding agencies. "A National Study of Child Care for Low-
Income Families," being conducted by Abt Associates in cooperation with the
National Center for Children in Poverty at Columbia University is but one
example of important studies now in progress. This study will provide information
about the employment and child care decisions of low-income families, the
characteristics and functioning of family child care, the experiences children and
families have with family child care, and the effects of policies and programs on
the child care market. The Child Care Bureau's Child Care Policy Research
Consortium, comprised of five currently-funded Child Care Policy Research
Partnerships and ten states, is actively engaged in research, much of which
involves analysis of administrative data. These studies are designed to address
issues such as unmet need, subsidies, TANF, the working poor, waiting lists, and
quality of care. Information about these and other studies is available at
http://www.aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/cyp/ccresinv.html
Additional studies being conducted with ACF participation include "The Role of
Child Care in Low Income Families' Labor Force Participation," the "Study of
Infant Care under Welfare Reform" (both being conducted by Mathematica
Policy Research), the "Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Birth Cohort (ECLS-
B)," and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's "Study
of Early Child Care." In addition, DHHS is supporting efforts by States to monitor
the well-being of children in the context of welfare reform, child care, and other
policy changes. In the "Project on State-Level Child Outcomes," ACF and the
DHHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (OASPE)
are supporting efforts in five States to improve the measurement of family and
child health and well-being in State welfare evaluations. Technical assistance to
States in conducting these evaluations is being provided through Child Trends,
Inc. In addition to the child impact projects, ACF and ASPE have funded a
separate, complementary project in 13 states called, "Advancing States' Child
Indicator Initiatives," which supports the development and use of indicators for
children's health and well-being in areas such as child care and school
9
readiness. For a description of these State projects, visit
http://www.aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/cyp/cindicators.htm
While important child care research has been conducted over the past two
decades and important research is now in progress, some studies need to be
updated and new studies are required to examine the emerging child care
landscape. Welfare reform and increased federal child care funding provide
further urgency to building the child care research infrastructure and being able
to answer important questions about child care and its impact on children and
families. For example, information is limited with regard to unregulated care,
quality and quality incentives, and child care and its relationship to specific sub-
groups of families such as non-English-speaking families and families which
include a child with special needs.
C. The Child Care Bureau
The Child Care Bureau was established by ACF in 1994 to provide leadership to
efforts to enhance the quality, affordability, and supply of child care available for
all families. The Child Care Bureau administers the Child Care and Development
Fund (CCDF), a $3.5 billion child care program which includes funding for child
care subsidies and activities to improve the quality and availability of child care.
(CCDF was created after amendments to ACF child care programs by Title VI of
the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 and
consolidated four Federal child care funding streams including the Child Care
and Development Block Grant, AFDC/JOBS Child Care, Transitional Child Care,
and At-Risk Child Care.) The Bureau works closely with ACF Regions, States,
Territories, and Tribes to assist with, oversee, and document implementation of
new policies and programs in support of State, local, and private sector
administration of child care services and systems. In addition, the Bureau
collaborates extensively with other offices throughout the Federal government to
promote integrated, family-focused services and coordinated child care delivery
systems. In all of these activities, the Bureau seeks to enhance the quality,
10
availability, and affordability of child care services, support children's healthy
growth and development in safe child care environments, enhance parental
choice and involvement in their children's care, and facilitate the linkage of child
care with other community services.
D. Need for Child Care Research
Child care research and evaluation are critical to understanding child care and its
implications for children and families. Under Federal legislation governing welfare
and child care, States have the opportunity to craft programs directly suited to
their citizens; however, they are also faced with unprecedented challenges in
meeting the needs of low-income, under-served, and other vulnerable
populations. Public agencies are under enormous pressure to use their child
care dollars as effectively as possible. Yet, existing research and administrative
data cannot easily be used for planning and policy making. In addition, there is
little detailed understanding of how the child care market operates within the
context of changing policies and population dynamics or what outcomes for
children and families can be achieved under new policy opportunities and
constraints. There is, therefore, a growing consensus about the critical need for
more valid, reliable and integrated knowledge to guide child care services, inform
policy debates, and assist in developing solutions to complex child care issues.
E. Research Agenda
The fiscal year (FY) 1999 Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental
Appropriation Act (P. L. 105-277) provides $10 million in FY 2000 funds for child
care research, demonstration, and evaluation activities. This appropriation is
particularly significant as the first federal funding specifically designated for child
care research. These funds provide the catalyst for the research agenda that
frames the goals and priorities contained in this Announcement. Developed by
the Child Care Bureau, the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE),
and other offices within ACF, this agenda is the result of a collaborative planning
11
process which includes other Federal partners, State and local agencies,
researchers, professional organizations, and other stakeholders.
Instrumental to the development of the research agenda was a two-day Child
Care Research Leadership Forum in which researchers, policy-makers and
practitioners considered what is currently known and what needs to be learned
about critical child care issues. Forum participants identified an urgent need for
immediate short-term answers to policy questions, intermediate-term research on
the complexities of child care in different kinds of markets, and longitudinal
studies to determine macro trends and long-range outcomes for children, families
and communities.
Following the Child Care Research Forum, the Child Care Bureau and OPRE
jointly sent letters to more than 700 individuals and organizations to further
identify critical information gaps and policy research needs. Responses were
received from 21 universities, colleges, and research organizations as well as
many child care and human service agencies, national professional
organizations, child care resource and referral agencies, and individuals. Among
those commenting, 58 percent noted the the need to better understand the
dynamics of child care quality, cost, and availability. Forty-nine percent argued
for strengthening the research infrastructure, and 37 percent mentioned the
importance of developing an improved understanding of the interrelationships
among child care, employment, and self-sufficiency.
This process affirmed the need for better descriptions of local child care
populations, services, and outcomes; development of interactive models to
understand complex causal relationships; updated national profiles of child care
supply and demand; and greater attention to specific policy questions in the
arena of State child care regulations, subsidy programs, and welfare reform.
ACF was urged to fund projects that will contribute to an increased national
capacity for research and help build a sound infrastructure for emerging
knowledge. At the same time, we were encouraged to fund studies that will
12
provide short-term answers to pressing questions and yield timely, useful
information for policy makers.
F. Research Goals
The Child Care Bureau's research agenda is characterized by two major goals.
These goals reflect the need to be able to answer critical questions while
simultaneously developing a sound research infrastructure for new knowledge.
All research funded in FY 2000 will support both goals. Several of these efforts
will be carried out through projects described in this Announcement. Others will
be funded through separate contracts, grants, interagency agreements, or other
appropriate funding mechanisms.
Goal 1. Answering Critical Questions
Our first goal for child care research is to address immediate information needs.
Organizations and individual scholars will conduct research activities to provide
timely answers to critical questions, improve the quality of knowledge within the
child care field, and promote a more integrated understanding of the
interrelationships among research, policy, practice, and outcomes for children
and families. Research initiatives to be undertaken as part of the Child Care
Bureau's research agenda are designed to address the five key questions
outlined in the Summary and detailed in Part II of this Announcement.
Goal 2. Capacity Building
Our goal for capacity building includes a broad range of objectives to be
addressed at national, state, and local levels. In particular we hope to:
1) Increase the comparability of administrative data and expand the analysis
of policy variables (e.g., types of care, quality of care, number of families
and children using care, family payments for care, subsidy amounts and
duration, and characteristics of the child care workforce).
13
2) Ensure that researchers have easy access to data for a wide variety of
analyses.
3) Stimulate growth in the field, including the recruitment and training of
additional researchers.
4) Develop the partnerships among researchers, practitioners, and
academics that are critical to success in this research.
5) Ensure that the research infrastructure supports national, state, and local
studies.
G. Research Activities
The Child Care Bureau plans to undertake an array of activities to achieve its
research goals including the initiatives covered by this Announcement and other
activities to be funded through separate procurement processes. The priorities
covered under this Announcement include Field Initiated Child Care Research
Projects, Child Care Policy Research Partnerships, Child Care Research
Scholars, and the Child Care Research Fellowship Program. In addition, ACF
anticipates funding additional activities toward building the research infrastructure
as well as other Federal early childhood research projects. Activities likely to be
funded separately from this Announcement include:
Provide Additional Support to Developing the Research Infrastructure
The Bureau intends to promote access to data, provide technical assistance,
perform special analyses, and track Federally- and non Federally-funded child
care research. This initiative will create a national child care data archive, assist
researchers with secondary analyses of completed data sets, contribute to
research dissemination, and coordinate sharing of research information among
Child Care Bureau grantees.
14
Support Other Federal Early Childhood Research
Some FY 2000 child care research funds will be used for interagency
agreements to support other Federal research related to child care and early
childhood issues. Partnerships are being explored with the Department of
Education, National Center for Educational Statistics and the DHHS National
Institute for Child Health and Human Development.
H. Priority Areas to be Funded Under This Announcement
Projects funded under each priority area will contribute to the Child Care
Bureau's research goals, provide timely answers to critical questions, and
expand research capacity. The four priority areas identified for this
Announcement include:
1) Field Initiated Child Care Research Projects are being funded to
stimulate research that is responsive to the consultation we received
through the leadership forum and comment process, including the need to
support studies that examine interrelationships within child care systems.
Projects will support the Bureau's research agenda and provide timely and
relevant data on issues faced by policy makers, practitioners, parents, and
the general public. While projects may involve analysis of national or
State data sets, we expect that most of these studies will address
community issues. Since child care markets are local, there is a need to
understand market dynamics, how child care demand and supply interact,
how child care arrangements intersect with family, work, school, and other
institutions in the community and how these factors relate to outcomes.
The following are issues of special priority for Field Initiated Child Care
Research Projects: culturally and ethnically diverse populations and
cultural influences on child care; child care for infants and toddlers; child
care for children with disabilities, chronic illnesses, and other special
needs; issues related to children's out-of-school time; informal care
15
provided by relatives, friends, neighbors, and other community caregivers
operating outside the formal system; issues related to health, safety, and
quality of care; children's development and well-being in care; and, social
and emotional supports needed for a healthy child care environment.
Applications dealing with other important issues are also invited.
2) Child Care Policy Research Partnerships expand on a strategy that has
proven successful in facilitating cross-state research and providing rapid
responses to State child care administrators' questions. The Child Care
Bureau has funded two waves of Child Care Research Partnerships which
operate as a Child Care Policy Research Consortium. New partnerships
will be funded to build collaboration and systemic links among
researchers, policy makers and practitioners toward addressing complex
problems concerning child care quality, outcomes, and unmet needs.
Other areas of special priority for new Child Care Policy Research
Partnerships are subsidies, waiting lists, duration of care, quality
initiatives, low-income families, and families transitioning off welfare, and
artnerships among child care, Head Start, and State pre-kindergarten
programs toward providing full-day, full-year services. The new
partnerships will participate with earlier partnerships in the activities of the
Child Care Policy Research Consortium.
3) Child Care Research Scholars will provide support for doctoral
candidates in conducting dissertation research on child care issues under
the auspices of the Child Care Bureau and the educational institution in
which the student is enrolled. Dissertation applications must have been
approved by the student's doctoral committee by the time the scholarship
is awarded and the dissertation expected to be completed within the two
year scholarship period. Issues of special priority for Child Care Research
Scholarships include those listed for Field Initiated Child Care Research
Projects and Child Care Policy Research Partnerships.
16
4) The Child Care Fellowship Program will bring early-to-mid career
professionals in the fields of child care, early childhood education, and
research to the Child Care Bureau. Through this Announcement, we
intend to select an organization to work in partnership with the Child Care
Bureau to design and implement the Child Care Fellowship Program. This
program will promote integrated leadership in child care research and
policy through intensive involvement with Child Care Bureau and Senior
ACF officials, State-level policy makers, members of Federally-funded
research projects, and others with a role in national issues for child care
research. Fellows will work on assignments designed to further their
potential as researchers in the areas of child care, child development,
child care policy, and administration of subsidy programs.
1. Submission of Applications
1) Number of Applications: Only one priority area may be included in each
application. Applicants, depending on eligibility requirements for the
specific priority area, may apply for more than one priority area with
separate applications. However, applicants submitting in more than one
priority area will be eligible for only one award. The cover letter for each
application must state all priority areas in which applications are being
submitted.
2) Notice of Intent to Submit an Application: In order to anticipate
workload, including the number of outside reviewers required, ACF would
appreciate an early estimate of the number of applications to be expected.
If you intend to submit an application, please notify the ACYF Operations
Center eight weeks prior to the submission deadline. (This information will
also be used to update mailing lists for future annoucements.) In the
notification, please include the following information:
(a) Announcement Number, Title and Priority Area
17
(b) Primary Contact Person (Project Director or Principal
investigator)
(c) Organization
(d) Street address
(e) Mailing address
(f) E-mail address
(g) Phone number
(h) Fax number
If the primary contact person is difficult to reach, please include an
alternate contact. Your notification may be through e-mail at
[email protected], telephone (1-800-351-2293), or post card to the
ACYF Operations Center, Laurel Consulting Group, 1825 Fort Myer Drive,
Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22209: Attention Child Care Research.
3) Deadline: The closing time and date for receipt of applications is 4:30
p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on March 31, 2000.
4) Late Applications: If your application is received by the ACYF Operations
Center after the deadline, it will be classified as late and eliminated from
the competition. Applicants whose packages arrive late will be notified.
5) Extension of Deadlines: ACF may extend the deadline for all applicants
because of acts of God such as floods or hurricanes or when there is wide
disruption of the mails. However, if ACF does not extend the deadline for
all applicants, it may not extend the deadline for any applicant.
6) Address for Submission: All applications must be delivered to the
following address:
18
ACYF Operations Center
Laurel Consulting Group
1825 North Fort Myer Drive, Suite 300
Arlington, Virginia 22209
Attention: Child Care Research, Priority Area
Phone: 1-800-351-2293
7) Method of Submission
a) Mailed Submissions: Applications sent first class or priority mail
should be sent well in advance to ensure that applications are received
by the ACYF Operations Center on or before the deadline. When
mailed applications are received after the closing date, date of
postmark will not be considered as meeting the deadline.
b) Hand Delivered Submissions: Applications hand carried by applicants,
their representatives, couriers, or overnight mail services must be
received on or before the deadline by the ACYF Operations Center.
Applications will be accepted between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30
p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (excluding Federal
Holidays). Applicants are cautioned that overnight and express mail
services do not always deliver as promised. Failure of a delivery
service to meet the deadline will cause an application to be classified
as late and eliminated from competition.
c) Electronic Submissions: ACYF cannot accommodate transmission of
applications by fax, e-mail attachment, or other electronic media.
Therefore, applications transmitted electronically will not be accepted,
regardless of date or time of submission and receipt.
19
8) Notification Of Receipt: Applicants will be notified automatically about
the receipt and status of their application. Applications that are received
on or before the deadline will be assigned a four-digit identification
number. This number and the priority area must be included in all
subsequent communication concerning the application. If you do not
receive acknowledgment of your application within eight weeks after the
deadline date, please notify the ACYF Operations Center by telephone at
1-800-351-2293.
J. Citations
1) Statutory Authority: Department of Labor, Health and Human Services,
and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 1999.
2) Catalog Of Federal Domestic Assistance: The Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance number for all priority areas is 93.647.
3) State Single Point Of Contact: 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 Program and Activities." SPOC requirements and
instructions are listed in Appendix A at the end of this Announcement.
4) Paperwork Reduction Act Of 1995: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), the Department is required to submit to OMB for
review and approval any reporting and record keeping requirements or
program announcements. The following ACF Uniform Project Description
has been approved for ACF grant applications under OMB Control
Number 0970-0139.
K. Number of Awards, Duration, and Funding Levels
Approximately 19-23 grants, for all priority areas, will be awarded in Fiscal Year
2000 (ending September 30, 2000), subject to results of the competitive review
20
process and availability of funds. Continuation of grants beyond the initial budget
period will depend strongly on the specific reauthorization of child care research
funds for FY 2001. Should additional funds be available in FY 2001, ACF also
reserves the right to fund additional projects from among the applications
received through this procurement.
1) Priority Area 1, Field Initiated Child Care Research Projects.
Approximately 8-10 grants will be awarded for an initial 17-month budget
period with the possibility of continuation funding for up to a total of 41
months. Funding for Field Initiated Child Care Research Projects is
expected to range between $150,000 and $300,000 for the first budget
period and up to $200,000 per year (12 months) in subsequent periods.
Applications for continuation grants funded beyond the 17-month budget
period, but within the 41-month project period, will be entertained in the
subsequent year on a noncompetitive basis, subject to the availability of
funds from future appropriations, satisfactory progress of the grantee, and
a determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the
government. Significant findings by the end of the first budget period will
be necessary to demonstrate satisfactory progress on the part of the
grantee.
2) Priority Area 2, Child Care Policy Research Partnership Projects.
Approximately 4-6 grants will be awarded for an initial 17-month budget
period with the possibility of continuation funding for up to 41 months.
Funding for Child Care Policy Research Partnership Projects will be up to
$300,000 for the first 17-month budget period and up to $200,000 per year
(12 months) in subsequent periods. Applications for continuation grants
funded beyond the 17-month budget period, but within the 41-month
project period, will be entertained in the subsequent year on a
noncompetitive basis, subject to the availability of funds from future
appropriations, satisfactory progress of the grantee, and a determination
that continued funding is in the best interest of the government.
21
Significant findings by the end of the first budget period will be necessary
to demonstrate satisfactory progress on the part of the grantee.
3) Priority Area 3, Child Care Research Scholars. Approximately six
institutions of higher learning will be awarded Child Care Research
Scholar grants for an initial 17-month budget period with the possibility of
continuation funding for an additional 12 months. Funding is expected to
be up to $40,000 for the first 17-month budget period with the possibility of
up to $30,000 for one additional year (12 months). Applications for
continuation grants funded beyond the 17-month budget period, but within
the 29-month project period, will be entertained in the subsequent year on
a noncompetitive basis, subject to the availability of funds from future
appropriations, satisfactory progress of the grantee, and a determination
that continued funding is in the best interest of the government.
Significant findings by the end of the first budget period will be necessary
to demonstrate satisfactory progress on the part of the grantee.
4) Priority Area 4, Child Care Research Fellowship Program. Through a
cooperative agreement, ACF anticipates funding an organization to work
in partnership with the Child Care Bureau to design and implement the
Child Care Research Fellowship Program. This program will enable mid-
career professionals to participate in two-year research fellowships with
the Child Care Bureau. During the first budget period, an anticipated three
to five fellows will be chosen to participate. The expected funding level for
the cooperative agreement is $500,000 for the first 17-month budget
period with the the possibility of up to $375,000 for two subsequent years.
Applications for continuation grants funded beyond the 17-month budget
period, but within the 41-month project period, will be entertained in the
subsequent year on a noncompetitive basis, subject to the availability of
funds from future appropriations, satisfactory progress of the grantee, and
a determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the
government.
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PART II. RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND PRIORITIES
As a result of major social change, shifting cultural patterns, and new legislation,
child care has changed dramatically over the past decade. It is now apparent
that child care markets are local, but influenced by State and national policies
and trends. In addition, child care now touches many different aspects of
contemporary life with implications for children, parents, educators, employers,
communities, and society as a whole. Nonetheless, current knowledge in this
area remains largely fragmented and piecemeal; there is little integration of
information emerging from the various academic disciplines and child care
sectors.
In our consultations with experts in the field, we were told that it is crucial to
understand the interplay between child care supply and demand in different
communities, population groups, and policy contexts. As more knowledge is
gained about child development and well-being in contemporary environments,
there is a need for better understanding of how child care affects the growing
child. As more is known about the growing diversity in family values, child
rearing strategies, preferences, and needs, questions arise as to how child care
policies and programs affect the ability of parents to make wise decisions for their
children. Better understanding of child care is also critical to employment goals
for adults, particularly in the arena of welfare reform and economic self-reliance.
In addition, there is a need for better information about how child care can help
parents manage the difficulties of balancing work and family life, especially when
resources are scarce.
This section describes five broad research questions that the Child Care
Bureau's research agenda seeks to address. These questions are designed to
provide descriptive profiles of child care supply and demand, examine major
variations and their outcomes, explore the interrelationships among child care
market forces, policies and programs, and determine how these factors play out
among different populations of children and families.
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1. What does child care look like today?
2. How do the variations in child care affect children?
3. How do the variations in child care affect parents?
4. How do the answers to these broad questions translate into specific policy
and program choices at the state and local levels?
5. How do the answers to all the questions above differ for sub-groups of
children and families?
These five questions and their sub-questions were developed from the
comments and suggestions of researchers, policy makers, and practitioners
during the development of the research agenda. We are particularly interested in
these questions as they relate to low-income families, including those who are
transitioning from welfare to work, working families who were formerly on welfare,
and working families who have not been a part of the welfare system. We are
also concerned with the many issues of unmet need, quality of care, policy
relevance, and outcomes as these themes play out in different social, cultural,
and linguistic contexts.
Each question contains several illustrative sub-questions. No individual research
project will address all of these questions; a project may focus on a particular,
essential issue or explore a more complex set. However, each project should
contribute to the larger context of interrelated child care issues.
Question 1. What Does Child Care Look Like Today?
The first research question is intended to broadly describe child care today.
What types of care do families use? What quality of care do children receive?
What does child care cost and how much do parents pay? Who are the
providers of child care and what are their characteristics? The answers to these
descriptive questions will form the basis for more detailed exploration of
24
interrelationships among child care market forces, social and cultural influences,
policies, programs, and outcomes.
Types of Care
How many families rely exclusively on their own members for the care of
children at different ages? How many parents provide all of the care for their
children? How may rely on other adult relatives including grandparents?
How many allow children to care for themselves or their younger siblings?
How many families rely largely on care in the community? How many use
some combination of care within the family and the community? Are there
common usage pattems or transitions between family and community care?
How is the community supply of care distributed across different types of
care: child care centers and other early childhood programs, group child care
homes, family child care homes, and arrangements in the child's own home
(nannies or sitters)?
Within the formal child care sector, how is the supply of care distributed
across regulated family child care homes and center-based programs? To
what extent do family child care homes operate as part of networks? Within
the informal care sector, how is the supply distributed among relatives (kin),
individuals within close social networks (kith), legally operating non-regulated
care offered in the community, and "underground" or illegally operating
services?
Quality of Care
What are the elements of quality in the care of infants, toddlers, and
preschoolers? What constitutes quality in programs serving six-to-twelve
year old children during their out-of-school time? How do child care
professionals and informal providers define high-quality and low-quality care?
How do parents define quality? What do school-age children have to say
25
about their own needs and preferences in the use of out-of-school time? How
do the same or similar dimensions of quality change when applied to children
in different developmental stages?
What are the key indicators of high quality in different types of environments?
Of low quality? How does structural quality (e.g., caregiver-to-child ratios,
group size and professional qualifications) relate to process quality (what
happens in the child care environment) and quality as measured by interviews
with parents, providers or other professionals?
What is the range of quality within a given type of care according to a variety
of approaches and measures? What aspects of quality appear to be most
prevalent or lacking in center-based settings and home-based environments?
In formal care programs and informal arrangements?
How do variables related to the distribution of child care relate to families and
their experiences? For example, how many and what types of care do
children experience throughout the day? How many arrangements do they
have over the course of a year? How do elements of care stability, continuity,
and transition affect the quality of their care in different types of settings?
Costs of Care and Subsidies
What are the costs of care provided in different types of settings? What does
care actually cost to provide? What do providers charge? How much do
parents pay?
To what extent are subsidies available and accessible to eligible families and
children? To what extent are subsidies used? Which eligible families use
subsidies and which do not? What do eligible families do when subsidies are
not available?
How do child care subsidies affect the price of care purchased by low-income
parents? Do parents who receive child care subsidies make different choices
26
than low-income parents without subsidies? What is the quality of care
purchased by families with the help of subsidies?
How does the utilization of subsidized child care shift during the transition
from welfare-to-work? How does use of subsidies vary among current TANF
recipients, former TANF recipients, and other working poor families? What
are the interrelationships among welfare status, employment, child care
subsidy, price of care, and family income?
Do subsidies affect the likelihood of working, the number of hours worked, the
types of jobs obtained, or the level of earnings? Do subsidies affect the
stability and progression of employment and earnings?
What are the interrelationships among child care cost, subsidy, and quality?
Do subsidies affect the quality, safety, and stability of care that children
receive?
Characteristics of the Child Care Workforce
Who is caring for children? How do characteristics of the child care workforce
vary by type of care, regulatory status, demographic characteristics of the
population, type of neighborhood, and other important variables?
What are the demographic characteristics, professional characteristics, and
motivations of individuals who work in child care and early education
programs? What is the current salary and benefit structure for child care
center staff, preschool teachers and other early childhood professionals?
How do provider education, training, experience affect salaries and benefits?
What factors make a difference for staff turnover, continuity of care, and the
quality of services provided? What are the challenges to retention of qualified
staff? How do quality enhancements such as accreditation affect the quality
of services received? Do accredited programs maintain higher levels of
quality over time?
27
What are the demographic characteristics, background, training, skills, and
motivations of licensed family child care providers, license-exempt caregivers,
and other unregulated providers in the community? What types of supports
are available and used by caregivers who are part of a formal system and
those who operate informally?
Question 2. How do the major variations in child care affect children?
This set of questions examines how children develop in different care
environments, how various features of child care affect children, and how child
care relates to other important factors such as school readiness and
achievement.
What components of healthy development are most affected by child care?
How do emotional, cognitive, and social variables interact in the developing
child? How do early experiences in child care help to shape development?
What are the implications of different aspects and levels of child care quality
for growth and development throughout childhood?
How do structural variables of quality (regulatory status, staff/child ratio, group
size, caregiver training, etc) relate to caregiver behaviors and outcomes for
children? For example, do informal caregivers provide safety, stability,
continuity, and developmentally appropriate experiences?
How do other features of child care environments, such as type of care, cost,
administrative strategies, and characteristics of the child care workforce affect
outcomes in children?
What are the interrelationships among types of setting, quality of child care
and school readiness? What are the linkages between child care, children's
development, school readiness, and later school performance? How do
programs serving older children during out-of-school time influence their
academic performance and developmental well-being?
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How many children are in high-quality care environments that promote their
healthy development? How many are in poor quality settings that threaten to
impair their development? What are the most important factors?
Are there important interrelationships between child care quality and the
quality of children's other environments? For example, does the availability of
high child care quality mitigate against violence in the home and community?
Does a generally low level of child care quality care increase the risk? In
what ways?
Question 3. How do the major variations in child care affect parents?
This set of questions examines the interrelationships among market forces,
workplace factors, child care policies and programs, community supports, and
outcomes for parents.
What is the relationship between parents' perceptions of quality care, their
goals around child literacy, and the child care decisions they make? Do they
choose care that is consistent with their values and expectations?
Do families with more choices receive better quality? Do those with fewer
choices receive care of lower quality? What is the impact on parents when
they can't find or afford high quality care for their children?
What do parents know about the availability of child care options, subsidies
and other resources in their community? Are there groups of parents who are
better informed than others? How do resource and referral services or other
community supports influence the choices and quality of care experienced by
families. How does information influence decision-making?
Is there an unmet need for subsidies? Which factors appear to influence
subsidy use when subsidies are available? What happens to eligible families
when child care subsidies are not available? What are the cultural, social,
29
economic and institutional constraints on the demand for child care
subsidies?
To what extent do child care problems and instability affect workplace
productivity, absenteeism, tardiness, and tumover? How are employers
dealing with these problems? To what extent do employers provide
assistance for child care through on- or near-site programs, dependent care
plans, purchase of slots?
To what extent do workplace policies and personnel practices affect parents'
ability to successfully work and care for their children? How do parents deal
with tensions and conflict between child care and work demands?
How do variations in type of care, quality, cost, use of subsidy, characteristics
of the child care workforce, and other important features affect the ability of
families to meet basic needs? What are the effects on employment, earnings,
family income and career progression?
How do policies and practices concerning flexibility of child care interact with
workplace policies concerning flexibility for workers and flexibility within the
family? How do particular patterns of flexibility and rigidity enhance or limit the
ability of parents to successfully manage family and work responsibilities?
Where do parents find the flexibility they need?
How affordable is child care for low-income parents? What proportion of
family income goes for child care in various types of families?
What trade-offs do parents make among child care cost, quality and flexibility
or convenience? How do they make these decisions? What are the most
important elements in formulating complex choices?
Question 4. How do the answers to these broad questions translate into
specific policy and program choices at State and local levels?
30
This set of questions explores interrelationships among market forces, policies,
and programs carried out by states and local communities, along with the
outcomes of these factors for children and families.
How are the roles of local stakeholders (advocates, providers, parents,
schools, businesses, etc.) in child care changing? Are the stakeholders
changing? If so, how? How do changing roles affect the overall child care
system?
What roles do resource and referral programs play? Does the presence of
resource and referral services influence the supply of care? In areas where
no such program is available, how do providers and parents learn about
resources such as training, subsidies, and the community supply of care?
What roles do employers play? To what extent do employers participate in
the community infrastructure for support of the child care industry through
resource and referral, training or technical assistance for providers, parent
education and consumer information, or transportation for children?
How do child care regulations, subsidies and other policies affect the
availability of care in low-income neighborhoods? What is the relationship
between the overall supply of care in a community and the care used by
subsidized families?
What are the interrelationships among local market rates, child care
subsidies, and what parents pay? How do child care subsidies and co-
payment rates affect the cost of care in local markets? How do required CO-
payments and additional fees charged by providers affect subsidy utilization
and choices made by parents?
What are the interrelationships among parents' judgments, providers'
judgments, professional observations of care environments, and children's
experiences? Are there innovative methods that States and communities can
31
use to identify need, improve responsiveness to families, leverage resources,
and improve the quality of services?
Within the specific types of care, what aspects need improvement? How can
States assess and improve the quality of care within each type?
N
How do public and private child care programs, Head Start, kindergarten and
pre-kindergarten programs, before-and after-school programs, and other child
development programs fit into the community-level infrastructure? To what
extent do community child care centers, Head Start programs, State pre-
kindergarten programs and other early childhood programs collaborate?
What are the challenges to collaboration? Are there successful models of
statewide or local collaboration? Are there specific policies that make a
difference?
How do States and localities fund child care and other early childhood
education programs? What innovations are being explored? What are the
funding barriers to a seamless system? How are funds being blended at the
State and local levels? How do various financing strategies affect the
availability and access to high quality care in different communities?
How do State and local regulations affect quality in various child care
settings? How is this process mediated by institutional and community
factors? How have States used their quality improvement funds? What are
the results of these initiatives? Have they made a difference for children and
families?
How do State and local policy variations affect the utilization of subsidized
care? Why don't some eligible families apply for subsidies? What happens to
eligible families who apply for but do not receive subsidized care?
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How do child care policies affect welfare families, those moving off welfare,
and the working poor who are not part of the welfare system? How are
working class and middle-income families affected by child care policies?
How do child care subsidy policies affect the availability and quality of care?
For example how do eligibility requirements, co-payment requirements and
reimbursement rates interact to affect supply of care in local markets? Are
market rate surveys useful in assessing the cost of care and the appropriate
levels of reimbursement? To what extent do market rate surveys reward the
more affluent urban providers while penalizing providers in poorer counties?
Do differences in how subsidies and licensing are administered influence
child care supply and demand and the use of subsidies?
Question 5. How do the answers to all the questions above differ for sub-
groups of children and families?
This set of questions examines how different groups of children and families are
being affected by the major variations in child care market structures, policies
and programs in the light of social and cultural trends.
Family Structure and Characteristics of Children
What are the variations in services and outcomes when viewed through the
lens of family structure and child characteristics?
Do different types of providers serve different child populations? What
services are available and utilized for the care for infants, toddlers, and
preschoolers, young school-age children and those in the upper elementary
grades? For children with disabilities or chronic illness? Abused and
neglected children?
Do single parents, two parent families and extended families make different
arrangements for the care of their children?
Demographic and Cultural Factors
33
What demographic, cultural and linguistic factors influence the availability,
utilization, cost, and quality of care? How are population demographics
changing in local communities, and how does increasing ethnic and linguistic
diversity affect child care services?
How do demographic, cultural and linguistic factors affect parental selection
and utilization patterns? What are the determinants of parental choice in
different cultural and ethnic groups? What family- and community-level
factors shape the type and quality of care selected by low-income parents in
different cultural and linguistic contexts?
Do parents with different personal characteristics, family structures, financial
resources, and employment patterns make different child care choices? Do
some families have more or better options? Are some families able to make
better use of their perceived options? How do geographic, community or
cultural factors affect parent's decisions, utilization patterns and outcomes?
What is the availability, accessibility, cost and quality of care for children from
various ethnic groups, especially Native American children, recent
immigrants, and non-English speaking children? Are there shortages of care
for children in some age groups, ethnic groups, or special circumstances?
What are the outcomes for these different groups of children?
Community and Neighborhood Factors
What are the major variations when viewed through the lens of community
and neighborhood? How does the availability of care vary in different types of
communities and neighborhoods? Is the distribution of care different in
neighborhoods with large welfare populations, neighborhoods with large
numbers of low-income working families, and more affluent neighborhoods?
What community factors are important? How do child care market forces,
policies, programs and outcomes vary in different kinds of communities,
34
including rural areas, inner cities, small towns, and economically distressed
neighborhoods?
Policy Variations in the Social and Cultural Context
How do State and local child care policies and programs affect the choices
parents make and are able to sustain?
How do state and local policies affect child care availability, accessibility,
affordability, utilization and outcomes for current TANF recipients, former
TANF recipients, low-income families who are not part of the welfare system?
How do policies and programs affect teen parents, recent immigrants, families
who work non-standard hours, single parents, parents with significant health
problems and others for whom child care can make a critical difference?
What are the outcomes for different groups of parents in terms of education,
employment, wage progression and job stability? What are their outcomes in
terms of family variables?
PART III. FIELD INITIATED CHILD CARE RESEARCH PROJECTS AND
CHILD CARE POLICY RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS
Part III includes descriptions and requirements for Field Initiated Child Care
Research Projects (Priority Area 1) and Child Care Policy Research Partnerships
(Priority Area 2). Instructions for completing applications are included, as are
evaluation criteria and funding procedures.
PRIORITY AREA I. FIELD INITIATED RESEARCH PROJECTS
A. Purpose
The purpose of this priority area is to stimulate child care research that helps
States, communities, and the Child Care Bureau respond to emerging issues and
questions in a timely and direct manner. Projects funded under this priority area
35
must contribute significantly to the overall research agenda, help build the
research infrastructure, and lay the foundation for informed policy and practices.
Grantees will be expected to produce significant findings by the end of the first
budget period.
B. Priorities
Field Initiated Child Care Research Projects are expected to focus on one or
more of the questions included in Part 11. These questions were developed from
input received from researchers, policy makers and practitioners during the
research planning process described in Part 1.
There is the particular need to study important issues faced by local communities
in order to understand the characteristics of child care today. Child care markets
operate at the local level. We want to better understand market dynamics, how
child care demand and supply interact, and how child care intersects with family,
work, school, and other community institutions.
Field Initiated Child Care Research Projects will focus largely on local-level
issues in order to understand the intricacies of child care demand, supply, quality
and unmet need in different types of communities, cultural contexts, policy
contexts, and populations. Projects may be stand-alone studies or may link with
other studies to add sites, expand samples, add study components, add
populations, or conduct special analyses. In addition, Field Initiated Child Care
Research Projects may involve secondary analyses of completed data sets,
including those from state or national studies when appropriate. Partnerships are
not required for projects in this category but are encouraged if the resulting
research will be more significant or complete than could be accomplished by a
single organization. Projects will also be encouraged to take advantage of
"natural experiments" to better understand how changes in state and local child
care policy (such as devolution of responsibility for subsidy programs to local
offices) may be affecting child care patterns and outcomes in different policy
contexts.
36
The Child Care Bureau is especially interested in funding projects that address
local issues of national significance where information is particularly lacking. For
example, there is very limited information about informal care provided by
relatives, friends, neighbors, and other community caregivers operating outside
the formal system. Very little is known about the characteristics of providers in all
types of facilities, how they view their work, or the nature of children's care
experiences. Additionally, some populations of children and families are
underrepresented in existing research.
The following are issues of special priority for Field Initiated Child Care Research
Projects: culturally and linguistically diverse populations and cultural influences
on child care; child care for infants and toddlers; child care for children with
disabilities, chronic illnesses, and other special needs; issues related to
children's out-of-school time; informal care provided by relatives, friends,
neighbors, and other community caregivers operating outside the formal system;
issues related to health, safety, and quality of care; children's development and
well-being in care; and, social and emotional supports needed for a healthy child
care environment. Applications dealing with other important issues are also
invited.
C. Number of Awards
Approximately 8-10 Field Initiated Research Projects will be funded in Fiscal
Year 2000, ending September 30, 2000, subject to the availability of funds and
results of the evaluation process.
D. Project Duration, Funding Levels and Budget Periods
Field Initiated Child Care Research Projects will be awarded for project periods of
up to three years. The Child Care Bureau expects to invest an average of
$225,000 per project for the initial 17-month budget period, with a range of
approximately $150,000 - $300,000 for each project. Non-competitive
applications for continuation of Field Initiated Child Care Research Projects will
37
be considered in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 with up to $200,000 per project
being available for a twelve-month period. Applications for continuation grants
funded beyond the 17-month budget period, but within the 41-month project
period, will be entertained in the subsequent year on a noncompetitive basis,
subject to the availability of funds from future appropriations, satisfactory
progress of the grantee, and a determination that continued funding is in the best
interest of the government.
E. Federal Share
To maximize the Federal investment in Field Initiated Child Care Research
Projects and in the interest of project sustainability, a financial commitment by
the applicant organization (or other participating entities) is required. The
Federal share may comprise no more than 80 percent of total project costs.
Grantee contributions may be in cash or in-kind contributions of staff time,
employee benefits, facilities, utilities, equipment, materials, supplies or other
forms of project support.
F. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include public agencies, non-profit organizations, and for-profit
entities that agree to waive their fees.
1) Public agencies include state or local child care agencies; education
agencies, welfare or other human services agencies, public schools,
colleges and universities; and other public agencies with an interest in
child care.
2) Non-profit agencies include, but are not limited to, community child care
and early childhood programs, child care resource and referral programs,
professional organizations, schools, colleges and universities, civic and
community groups, and foundations.
38
3) For-profit entities include, but are not limited to, child care businesses,
private research corporations, and other profit-making organizations.
These entities are only eligible to receive a grant directly if they agree to
waive their fees. However, they may participate in projects as partners
without such a waiver.
G. Data Ownership
Raw data are the property of the agency or organization where the data reside
(for instance, the State agency or resource and referral entity.) Working data
files constructed for research belong to the grantee carrying-out the research, but
analyses of those data cannot be released without the approval of the agency
that owns the original data. Once a study has been completed and released,
clean, documented public use files must be prepared and archived according to
specifications supplied by the Child Care Bureau. These public use data files will
be the property of the Federal government and will remain in the public domain
for secondary analysis by other researchers.
PRIORITY AREA 2. CHILD CARE POLICY RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS
A. Purpose
The Child Care Policy Research Partnerships expand upon a strategy that has
proven successful in stimulating collaboration among researchers, policy makers
and practitioners, facilitating interdisciplinary approaches and cross-state
research on critical issues, and providing rapid responses to State child care
administrators' questions.
The Child Care Bureau has funded two waves of Child Care Research
Partnerships which collectively operate as the Child Care Policy Research
Consortium. The purpose of the Consortium is to increase and strengthen
capacity for cross-cutting research on critical child care issues. Partners are
working to better understand issues concerning: (1) the child care needs,
utilization patterns, and outcomes for low-income families, including welfare
39
recipients, those moving from welfare to work, and the working poor; (2) the child
care opportunities and constraints which affect low-income families and children
under new welfare policies, changing State and local child care systems, and
emerging market conditions; and (3) the availability, cost, quality, and other
critical features of subsidized child care services. Information about the
Consortium, including project descriptions and publications, can be found on the
Child Care Bureau's web page at http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ccb
The new Child Care Policy Research Partnerships will expand the Child Care
Policy Research Consortium and contribute to ongoing activities. This approach
is intended to help the Child Care Bureau build a sound research infrastructure,
identify and respond to critical issues from a variety of professional perspectives,
and develop cross-cutting strategies for research. Partnerships funded under
this priority area must also contribute significantly to the broader research
agenda and help lay the foundation for informed policy and practice. Grantees
will be expected to produce significant findings by the end of their first 17-month
budget period.
B. Priorities
The Child Care Bureau is particularly interested in partnerships that can help
address important policy issues faced by State administrators who must make
immediate decisions regarding the allocation of child care resources, achieve
employment-related goals for parents, and meet growing needs. Applicants are
referred to the key questions in Part II and asked to develop their applications
around statewide or cross-state issues such as unmet need or quality.
The second goal for the new partnerships is to stimulate greater collaboration
and interdisciplinary research on critical issues for child care policies, programs
and outcomes affecting children and families. For example, two or more states
might produce comparable analyses to better understand child care in inner
cities, rural areas, or selected populations, or to address some other cross-
cutting theme. A third goal is to develop longitudinal data sets from child care
40
subsidy programs, regulatory information systems, resource and referral data
systems, and other administrative systems. It is hoped that these new
partnerships will also help increase the comparability of information made
available through different data systems and improve methods for linkage and
secondary analysis of completed data sets.
Ongoing studies might also be replicated, expanded, linked, or otherwise utilized
in the development of a comprehensive and cohesive research strategy. Among
the existing partnerships, for example, a Florida study looked at where parents
receiving child care assistance work (Chipty and Witte). This study led to the
creation of a program in Florida in which funds were appropriated to match
employer child care contributions. Alabama, California, Massachusetts, Oregon,
and Washington, D.C. have replicated this study. Partnerships may also take on
new data collection activities and efforts to improve research methods and
measures.
Other areas of special priority for new Child Care Policy Research Partnerships
are subsidies, waiting lists, duration of care, quality initiatives, low-income
families, and families transitioning off welfare, and partnerships among child
care, Head Start, and State pre-kindergarten programs toward providing full-day,
full-year services.
C. Number of Awards
Four-to-six Child Care Policy Research Projects will be funded in Fiscal Year
2000, ending September 30, 2000, subject to the availability of funds and results
of the evaluation process.
D. Project Duration, Funding Levels and Budget Periods
Child Care Policy Research Projects will be awarded for project periods of up to
three years. The Child Care Bureau expects to invest up to $300,000 during the
initial 17-month funding period for each project. Initial grant awards will be for a
17-month budget period. Non-competitive applications for continuation of Child
41
Care Policy Research Projects will be considered for in fiscal years 2002 and
2003 with up to $200,000 per project being available for a twelve-month period.
Applications for continuation grants funded beyond the 17-month budget period,
but within the 41-month project period, will be entertained in the subsequent year
on a noncompetitive basis, subject to the availability of funds from future
appropriations, satisfactory progress of the grantee, and a determination that
continued funding is in the best interest of the government.
E. Federal Share
To maximize the Federal investment in Child Care Policy Research Partnership
Projects and in the interest of project sustainability, a financial commitment by
the applicant organization (or other participating entities) is required. The
Federal share may comprise no more than 80 percent of total project costs.
Grantee contributions may be in cash or in-kind contributions of staff time,
employee benefits, facilities, utilities, equipment, materials, supplies or other
forms of project support.
E. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include public agencies, non-profit organizations, and for-profit
entities that agree to waive their fees. The State agency that administers the
Child Care and Development Fund must be included in the partnership.
Additionally, at least one member must be a research group affiliated with an
accredited university or four-year college. Broadly-based partnerships are
encouraged. For example, the following entitites may be included: (1) child care
regulatory agencies and agencies that administer child care programs for low-
income children and families; (2) resource and referral organizations which
collect and maintain an ongoing data base of local or statewide information on
child care demand and supply; (3) planning councils, commissions, advisory
groups, and other organizations that participate in child care planning and policy
making; (4) non-academic research organizations that conduct studies on child
care markets, populations, services, policies or other relevant aspects of child
42
care; (5) Tribal, county or local agencies that administer child care subsidy
programs; (6) early childhood programs such as public or private child care
centers or Head Start; (7) family child care providers or networks of family child
care homes; (8) professional organizations and associations; (9) providers or
supportive services such as provider training, technical assistance, or consumer
education; (10) civic groups and community organizations; (11) foundations and
charitable organizations; and (12) other appropriate organizations and
individuals.
G. Data Ownership
Raw data are the property of the agency or organization where the data reside
(for instance, the State agency or resource and referral entity.) Working data
files constructed for research belong to the grantee that is carrying-out the
research, but analyses of those data may not be released without the approval of
the agency that owns the original data. Once a study has been completed and
released, clean, documented public use files must be prepared and archived
according to specifications supplied by the Child Care Bureau. These public use
data files will be the property of the Federal government and will remain in the
public domain for secondary analysis by other researchers.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
This section contains requirements for both Field Initiated Research Projects
(Priority Area 1) and Child Care Policy Research Partnerships (Priority Area 2).
Applicants in each of these priority areas should follow the same set of formatting
instructions, but tailor their Project Narrative Statements to the specific priority
area in which they are submitting an application.
A. Contents and Format of the Application
Applicants are cautioned to include all required forms and materials, organized
according to the required format. The application packet must include the
following items in order:
43
A cover letter that includes the announcement number, priority area and contact
information.
1) Standard Federal Forms
a) Standard Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424 face sheet and
SF 424A) must be included with the application.
b) Standard Form 424B, "Assurances: Non-Construction Programs."
Applicants must sign and return the Standard Form 424B with their
applications.
c) Certifications Regarding Lobbying. Applicants must provide a
certification regarding lobbying when applying for an award in excess
of $100,000. Applicants must sign and return the certification with their
applications.
d) Disclosure of Lobbying Activities. Applicants must disclose lobbying
activities on the Standard Form LLL when applying for an award in
excess of $100,000. Applicants who have used non-Federal funds for
lobbying activities in connection with receiving assistance under this
announcement shall complete a disclosure form to report lobbying.
Applicants must sign and return the disclosure form, if applicable, with
their applications.
e) Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements.
Applicants must make the appropriate certification of their compliance
with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988. By signing and submitting
the application, the applicant is providing the certification and need not
mail back the certification with the application.
f) Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other
Responsibility Matters. Applicants must make the appropriate
certification that they are not presently debarred, suspended, or
44
otherwise ineligible for an award. By signing and submitting the
application, the applicant is providing the certification and need not
mail back the certification with the application.
g) Protection of Human Subjects: Assurance, Identification, Certification,
and Declaration.
h) Certification Regarding Environmental Tobacco Smoke. Applicants
must make the appropriate certification of their compliance. By signing
and submitting the application, the applicant is providing the
certification and need not mail back the certification with the
application.
2) For-profit entities wishing to receive a grant directly must provide a letter
indicating their willingness to waive their fees. Non-profit organizations
must submit proof of non-profit status in the application at the time of
submission. The applicant can demonstrate proof of non-profit status in
any one of three ways:
a) By providing a copy of the organization's listing in the Internal Revenue
Service's (IRS) most recent list of tax-exempt organizations described
in Section 501(c3) of the IRS code;
b) By providing a copy of the currently valid IRS tax exemption certificate;
or
c) By providing a copy of the articles of incorporation bearing the seal of
the State in which the corporation or association is domiciled.
3) Executive Order 12372 - Single Point of Contact. Where appropriate,
include a competed SPOC certification with the date of SPOC contact
entered on page 1, line 16 of the SF424 face sheet.
4) Table of Contents
45
5) Project Abstract (not to exceed one page) for use in official briefings,
decision packages, and public announcement of awards
6) Project Narrative Statement
a) Issues, Objectives and Significance
b) Research Design and Methodology
c) Management Plan
d) Staff Qualifications and Commitment
e) Organizational Capability
f) Fiscal Resources and Project Budget
7) Appendices: All supporting materials and documents should be organized
into appropriate appendices and securely bound in to the application
package. Applicants are reminded that the total page limitation applies to
both narrative text and supporting materials.
a) Contact Information for all Key Staff
b) Resumes
c) Letters of Support, if appropriate
d) Other
8) Number of Copies and Binding: An original and two copies of the
complete application packet must be submitted. Each copy of the
application should be securely stapled in the upper left-hand corner,
clipped, or enclosed in a quick-release binder. Because each application
will be duplicated for the review panel, do not use non-removable binders.
Do not include tabs, plastic inserts, brochures, videos, or any other items
that cannot be photocopied.
46
B. Project Narrative Statement
The Project Narrative Statement contains most of the information on which
applications will be competitively reviewed. The Project Narrative should be
carefully developed in accordance with the research goals and expectations
described for the priority area in which the applicant is submitting a proposal, the
requirements described in this section, and the evaluation criteria and selection
factors described below.
The Project Narrative sets forth the technical proposal and describes how it will
be carried out. This statement should be organized as follows: (1) Issues,
Objectives, and Significance; (2) Research Design and Methodology; (3)
Management Plan; (4) Staff Qualifications and Commitment; (5) Organizational
Capability; and, (6) Fiscal Resources and Project Budget.
Clarity and conciseness are of utmost importance. ACYF strongly encourages
applicants to limit their applications to 200 pages, double-spaced, with standard
one-inch margins and 12 point fonts. This includes the entire Project Narrative
Statement including text, tables, charts, graphs, resumes, corporate statements
and appendices.
1) Issues, Objectives, and Significance
In this section, applicants demonstrate their understanding of the relevant
literature on critical issues and existing knowledge, describe their
objectives, and demonstrate the significance of their proposal.
Applicants are expected to show how their proposal will address the Child
Care Bureau's research agenda, answer key questions, and contribute to
the child care research infrastructure. Specifically, applicants are
expected to demonstrate a command of the policy and research literature
in child care, as well as emerging issues. The proposal is expected to
demonstrate understanding of current policies and programs, to show how
47
the proposed research would further understanding, and to suggest
practical applications which might be derived from the findings.
Applications should clearly show how the research would build on the
current knowledge base and contribute to policy, practice and future
research. Applicants are asked to consider the significance, reliability,
and validity of existing data pertaining to key questions. In addition,
applicants should identify important gaps in the literature and areas in
which findings are contradictory or ambiguous. It will also be important to
consider what demographic, economic, and social data are available as a
context for the proposed child care research. A bibliography of relevant
literature must be supplied.
2) Research Design and Methodology
This section of the Project Narrative Statement requires that the applicant
describe the technical approach for addressing issues and achieving
objectives described in the previous section (B.1). In this section the
applicant should clearly demonstrate their ability to produce significant and
usable results within the first 17-month budget period in the event that
Federal funding is not available for subsequent periods. How these early
findings would influence decisions about subsequent stages of the
research and contribute to an ongoing project should be addressed.
The methodological discussion must include technical details of the
proposed research design, including (as relevant): (a) conceptual
framework for the research; (b) research questions, hypotheses, and
variables; (c) data sources and sampling plan; (d) new data on human
subjects; (e) administrative data; (f) secondary analysis of existing data
sets; (g) linkages with other research; (h) data collection; (i) data
processing and statistical analysis; and, (j) product development and
information dissemination. Qualitative studies with well-defined
methodology are invited as well as those that use quantitative
48
methodology. As part of the design section, applicants should discuss the
strengths and limitations of all proposed approaches and techniques.
Applicants are also asked to provide a flow chart or table showing
interrelationships among the proposed research issues, questions,
variables, and data elements.
a) Conceptual Framework for the Research
Based on the issues and objectives described in B.1, present the
conceptual framework for the proposed research, including the
approach to be taken and why this approach was chosen.
b) Research Questions, Hypotheses and Variables
Based on the conceptual framework for the research, present: (a)
areas of inquiry to be explored; (b) specific research questions and
hypotheses; and (c) research variables and constructs. This
discussion should relate back to the earlier discussion of Issues,
Objectives and Significance (B.1) and lead into the design elements
that follow.
c) Data Sources and Sampling Plan
This section should include a detailed plan for identifying data sources
and obtaining an appropriate sample to achieve objectives of the
proposed research.
d) New Data on Human Subjects
If new data are to be collected on human subjects, either
independently or in conjunction with another ongoing study (e.g., by
adding a new sample or an additional measure), describe the
characteristics of the target population and provide a rationale for any
sample stratification based on personal characteristics of individuals
(such as ethnicity, income, marital status, or age of child.)
49
e) Administrative Data
If data would be compiled from service delivery records of State or
local agencies, from resource and referral files, from records
maintained by child care facilities, or from other primary data sources,
describe the nature of the data and how they would be accessed,
characteristics of the sample and how it would be constructed, and
how confidentiality of individual records would be maintained.
f) Secondary Analysis of Existing Data Sets
If secondary analyses would be conducted on completed data sets,
describe the original research, its appropriateness and limitations for
this study. Describe the nature, scope and representativeness of the
original sample and characteristics of the data (including data quality).
Applicants who propose to conduct secondary analyses on large data
sets, such as those from the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor
Statistics, and other statistical organizations are expected to discuss
how their analyses could be used to help profile national, regional or
state-level child care market parameters and trends. If data sets from
completed child care studies are to be analyzed, applicants are asked
to suggest ways in which such data could be used by others to amplify
or extend the proposed research.
g) Linkages With Other Research
If the proposed project would involve linkage with ongoing research,
describe the ongoing research design and status, how the proposed
study would benefit from and contribute to it, how the technical aspects
of the linkage would be structured and carried out, and how the linked
studies would address the goals of this announcement. Describe how
the proposed research will make a distinct contribution while building
on ongoing research. Include a letter of cooperation from the
50
individual/organization conducting the research which details the status
of the data collection, procedures to ensure data quality, timeliness of
data availability and applicant access.
h) Data Collection
Describe data collection procedures and safeguards for data quality.
Discuss procedures to protect human subjects, to maintain
confidentiality of data, and to obtain consent for participation (if
applicable).
i) Data Processing and Statistical Analysis
Include a detailed plan for processing and analyzing data from all
sources which illustrates how the analyses will meet the goals of this
research. Discuss the procedures which would be used to clean data,
ensure data quality, and prepare data tapes. Discuss plans for the
analysis of data, including units of analysis, analytic techniques to be
used with various types of data, statistical considerations including, but
not limited to power analysis, attrition, response rates, etc., and the
linkage of data sets, where appropriate. Describe documentation of
the final data set and preparation of data for archiving by the Child
Care Bureau.
j) Product Development and Information Dissemination
Include a product development schedule and information
dissemination plan which describes the products to be generated
during the course of this research (such as technical papers or reports,
summaries, briefings, conference presentations, doctoral dissertations,
journal articles, internet applications, software and public use data
tapes, and the final report). Describe the audiences for various
products and the dissemination strategies that will be employed.
51
Discuss which products might be collaboratively developed or
disseminated to intended audiences.
3) Management Plan
a) The Management Plan is expected to describe a sound and workable
plan of action for how the proposed project will be carried out. This
section should detail how the project will be structured and managed,
how the timeliness of activities will be ensured, how quality control will
be maintained, and how costs will be controlled. Applicants should
discuss their management of the project as a whole, and the
management and coordinating roles of any partners.
b) Provide a diagram showing the organizational structure of the project
and the functional relationships among components.
c) If the project is a partnership, describe how the project will be
managed by the lead organization to ensure that members of the
partnership operate as a cohesive research team and that cross-
cutting goals of the project are carried out efficiently and cost-
effectively.
d) Describe the make-up and role of any steering or management
committees, technical work groups, advisory panels, and other
coordinating bodies.
e) Produce a project management chart that lays out sequence and
timing of the major tasks and subtasks, responsibilities and time
commitments of staff, important milestones, reports, and completion
dates.
f) Discuss potential problems or difficulties with the proposed
management approach, including factors which may affect the quality
of the research or its outcomes, may undermine the ability of partners
52
to collaborate effectively, and may hinder the early sharing, review and
dissemination of information.
4) Staff Qualifications and Commitment
In this section, applicants must provide evidence that project staff have the
experience, expertise and commitment of sufficient time to carry out the
proposed project on time, within budget, and with a high degree of quality.
a) Identify all key staff positions for this project, the professional
requirements for each, the proportion of time staff holding these
positions will be committed to the project, the period of time they will be
employed, and whether their continued employment will be dependent
solely on the funds to be awarded under this announcement.
b) Provide evidence that individuals proposed for key positions have the
necessary technical skill and experience to successfully carry out their
assigned roles.
c) Where key positions are currently vacant, include a position description
outlining the qualifications necessary to carry out the duties and
responsibilities of each. Include letters of commitment from any key
individuals who have been selected but not yet hired.
d) If a data collection team must be assembled, describe the makeup of
the team, what expertise will be represented, and how individuals will
be selected.
e) Identify all proposed consultants or advisors, document their expertise,
and describe how their services will be utilized. Include letters of
commitment or intent if possible.
f) Identify the authors of the proposal and describe their continuing role in
the project if funded.
53
5) Organizational Capacity and Fiscal Resources
In this section, the applicant must demonstrate that the official grantee has
the organizational capacity and fiscal resources to successfully carry-out
the project on time and to a high standard of quality, including the capacity
to resolve a wide variety of technical and management problems that may
occur.
a) Provide evidence of sufficient organizational resources to ensure
successful project management, compliance with terms and conditions
of the grant, and oversight of the proper use of Federal funds.
b) If the project is a partnership, provide evidence that all partners have
the ability, willingness and flexibility to collaborate effectively with one
another in carrying out the proposed project, and that the partnership
as a whole could effectively participate in a larger research consortium.
Include examples of past or current partnerships that demonstrate the
ability to carry out collaborative research. Describe how each partner
was included in the planning of the project. Include letters of specific
commitment or support from each partner. Describe all cooperative
agreements, subcontracts and other formal relationships within the
partnership. Partners who will provide access to data or records must
provide a letter stipulating the terms of their agreement with the
researchers. Describe the future commitment each partner will make
to ensure success of the collaboration as it evolves.
c) Include a separate two-page organizational capability statement for
each participating organization which documents the partner's ability to
carry out its assigned roles and functions.
d) Describe the relationship between this project and other relevant work
planned, anticipated or underway by the applicant or its partners.
Include funding sources for work in progress.
54
e) Provide a list of research and financial partners including the name and
address of each organization, the names of its director and primary
contact for this proposal, and the telephone, fax and internet numbers
of each.
6) Fiscal Resources and Project Budget
a) Describe the nature and extent of financial participation from all
sources.
b) Present a detailed budget to demonstrate that the project will have
adequate resources to carry out the work on time and with a high
degree of quality.
c) Include a detailed budget narrative which describes and justifies line
item expenses within the budget categories listed on the Standard
Form 424 and 424A. (Line item allocations and justification are
required for both Federal and non-Federal funds.) If project funds will
be subcontracted, a detailed budget for the use of those funds must be
also included. The budget should include funds to allow key
representatives from Field Initiated Child Care Research Projects and
Child Care Policy Research Partnerships to participate in an annual
meeting of the Child Care Policy Research Consortium in Washington,
D.C.
d) Describe the extent to which funds, staff time, in-kind services, and
other resources have been committed to the research effort during the
planning period.
e) Describe what other resources are expected to help support the
proposed research, including existing commitments and negotiations in
progress. Describe anticipated efforts to obtain other funding partners
throughout the project.
55
EVALUATION AND SELECTION
A. Screening and Panel Review
Each application will be screened to determine whether the applicant
organization is eligible as specified in each of the priority areas. Applications
from ineligible organizations will be excluded from the review.
1) The review will be conducted in Washington, D.C. Expert reviewers will
include researchers, Federal or State staff, child care administrators and
other individuals experienced in the study of child care demand and
supply, child care delivery systems, welfare and supportive services, early
child development and education, parental choice and involvement, and
other relevant areas.
2) A panel of at least three reviewers will evaluate each application to
determine the strengths and weaknesses of the proposal in terms of the
Bureau's research goals and expectations for the priority area under
consideration, requirements for the Project Narrative Statement, and the
evaluation criteria listed below.
3) Panelists will provide written comments and assign numerical scores for
each application. The indicated point value for each criterion is the
maximum numerical score for that criterion. The assigned scores for each
criterion will be summed to yield a total evaluation score for the proposal.
4) In addition to the panel review, the Bureau may solicit comments from
other Federal offices and agencies, from the states, from relevant non-
governmental organizations, and from individuals whose particular
expertise is identified as necessary for the consideration of technical
issues arising during the review. Their comments, along with those of the
panelists, will be considered by the Bureau in making funding decisions.
The Bureau will also take into account the best combination of proposed
projects to meet overall research goals.
56
B. Evaluation Criteria
Eligible applications will be scored competitively against the published evaluation
criteria described below. These criteria will be used in conjunction with other
expectations, priorities and requirements set forth throughout this announcement
to evaluate how well each proposal addresses the goals and priorities for
funding.
1) Significance, Issues and Objectives (maximum of 10 points)
a) The extent to which the application reflects a solid understanding of
critical issues, information needs, and research goals.
b) The extent to which the proposed project framework is appropriate,
feasible, and would significantly contribute to the importance,
comprehensiveness, and quality of the proposed research.
c) The effectiveness with which the discussion articulates the current
state of knowledge relative to issues being addressed, including: (1)
critical child care issues and the complex interrelationships among
major variables; (2) the significance of these issues and variables for
child care policies and programs; (3) how current knowledge would be
brought to bear on the proposed research; and (4) how the research
would benefit various audiences.
d) The importance of research priorities identified for the first budget
period, the degree to which early findings would be useful for policy
and practice, and the significance of these data for the ongoing
research goals if the project is continued beyond the first 17-month
period.
2) Research Design and Methodology (maximum of 40 points)
The extent to which the applicant's proposed Research Design:
57
a) Appropriately links critical research issues, questions, variables, data
sources, samples, and analyses;
b) Employs technically sound and appropriate approaches, design
elements and procedures;
c) Reflects sensitivity to technical, logistical, cultural and ethical issues
that may arise;
d) Includes realistic strategies for the resolution of difficulties
e) Adequately protects human subjects, confidentiality of data, and
consent procedures, as appropriate;
f) Includes an effective plan for the dissemination and utilization of
information by researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners in the
field; and
g) Effectively utilizes collaborative strategies, as appropriate to the project
goals and design.
3) Management Plan (maximum of 10 points)
The extent to which the Management Plan:
a) Presents a sound, workable and cohesive plan of action demonstrating
how the work would be carried out on time, within budget and with a
high degree of quality;
b) Includes a reasonable schedule of target dates and accomplishments;
c) Presents a sound administrative framework for maintaining quality
control over the implementation and ongoing operations of the study;
d) Presents a sound plan for coordination of activities carried out by
partners and demonstrates an effective approach to team-building
58
among project staff, consultants and advisors, and partnering
organizations; and
e) Demonstrates the ability to gain access to necessary organizations,
subjects, and data.
4) Staff Qualifications and Commitment (maximum of 20 points)
a) The extent to which key staff, consultants, data collectors and other
necessary personnel demonstrate competence in areas addressed by
the proposed research, including relevant background, experience,
training and work on related research or similar projects.
b) The extent to which staffing is adequate for research design, sampling,
field work, data processing, statistical analysis, reporting, collaboration
with other researchers, and information dissemination.
5) Organizational Capacity (maximum of 10 points)
a) The extent to which (1) the applicant's facilities and organizational
experience are adequate to carry out the tasks of the proposed project;
(2) the applicant can effectively and efficiently administer a project of
the proposed size, complexity and scope; (3) the applicant has the
capacity to coordinate activities with other organizations for the
successful accomplishment of project objectives; and (4) the applicant
has the capacity to carry out all proposed functions and roles.
b) If the project is a partnership, the extent to which; (1) the partnership is
well structured, with important and relevant roles for participating
organizations; (2) partners are appropriate and significantly committed
to research goals; (3) partners have the ability to carry out
collaborative research, both within the proposed Partnership and as a
member of the larger Consortium; (4) the partners will contribute
adequate organizational resources; and (5) the partnership has
59
significant fiscal commitment and support.
6) Fiscal Resources and Project Budget (maximum of 10 points)
a) The extent to which proposed project costs are reasonable, the funds
are appropriately allocated across component areas, and the budget is
sufficient to accomplish the objectives.
b) The extent to which the applicant has sufficient fiscal capacity within
the organization to ensure that unanticipated problems can be resolved
and that the project will be completed on time and with a high degree
of quality.
c) The extent to which the applicant will contribute to the project cost and
to which the project can be sustained in the event that future funding is
not available through ACF.
C. The Selection Process
The Associate Commissioner, Child Care Bureau, Administration on Children,
Youth and Families, will make the final selection of the applicants to be funded.
Applications may be funded in whole or in part depending on: (1) the rank order
of applicants resulting from the competitive review; (2) staff review and
consultations; (3) the combination of projects which best meets the Bureau's
research objectives; (4) the funds available; and (5) other relevant
considerations.
Selected applicants will be notified through the issuance of a Financial
Assistance Award which sets forth the amount of funds granted, the terms and
conditions of the cooperative agreement, the effective date of the award, the
budget period for which support is given, and the total project period for which
support is provided.
60
D. Funding Date
It is anticipated that successful applications for Field Initiated Child Care
Research Projects and Child Care Policy Research Partnerships will be awarded
by June 1, 2000.
PART IV. PRIORITY AREA 3: CHILD CARE RESEARCH SCHOLARS
A. Purpose
This priority is intended to strengthen the child care research infrastructure by
supporting the development of researchers with a grasp of child care research
and its implications to policies and programs. Under this priority area, support will
be provided to doctoral candidates in conducting dissertation research on child
care issues under the auspices of the Child Care Bureau and the educational
institution in which the student is enrolled. Dissertation research under this
priority must support the Bureau's research agenda including addressing
important questions about child care that have implications to families and
children. The student is expected to gain experience and expertise in theories
and methods related to child care, child development, early childhood education,
child care program administration, or child care policy.
B. Number of Awards
Up to six scholarships will be awarded. No individual educational institution will
be funded for more than one candidate unless six applications from different
universities or colleges do not qualify for support.
C. Project Period
Competitive awards will be for a 17-month budget period although project periods
may be for up to 29 months. Subsequent year awards (12 months) will be
considered on a non-competitive basis subject to the availability of funds from
future appropriations, satisfactory progress of the grantee, and a determination
that continued funding is in the best interest of the government. Significant
61
findings by the end of the first budget period will be necessary to demonstrate
satisfactory progress on the part of the grantee. A subsequent year award will
not be approved if the student has graduated by the end of the first year.
D. Funding Levels
Up to $40,000 will be awarded to each successful applicant for a 17-month
budget period. If the applicant expects to receive a doctorate by the end of the
first one-year budget period, the application should request funding for a single
grant period.
E. Matching Requirements and Non-Federal Share
There are no matching requirements.
F. Maximum Federal Share
1) The maximum federal share is $40,000 for the first 17-month budget
period and $30,000 for one subsequent 12-month period.
2) All monies must be used for the dissertation research including required
personnel costs, travel, and other expenses directly related to the
research.
G. Eligible Applicants
1) Eligible applicants include universities or colleges on behalf of doctoral
candidates who have a dissertation proposal approved by their doctoral
committee and who anticipate completing a child care-related dissertation
within the two-year scholarship period.
2) To be eligible to administer the grant on behalf of the student, the
institution must be fully accredited by one of the regional accrediting
commissions recognized by the Department of Education. Although the
faculty advisor will be listed as the Principal Investigator, this grant is
62
intended for dissertation work being conducted by a doctoral candidate.
Information about both the graduate student and the student's faculty
advisor is required as part of this application. Any resultant grant award is
not transferable to another student.
H. Additional Requirements
1) Research projects may include independent studies conducted by the
doctoral candidate or well-defined portions of a larger study being
conducted by a principal investigator holding a faculty position or senior
research position and for which the graduate student will have primary
responsibility.
2) The student must be the author of the proposal.
3) Research projects must use sound quantitative or qualitative research
methodologies or some combination of the two.
4) Given the size of these grants, sponsoring universities and colleges are
encouraged to waive their customary indirect charges.
I. Project Description and Application Requirements
Applicants are cautioned to include all required forms and materials, organized
according to the required format. The application packet must include the
following items in order:
1) A cover letter that includes the Announcement number, priority area, and
contact information.
2) Standard Federal Forms
a) Standard Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424 face sheet and
SF 424A) must be included with the application.
63
b) Standard Form 424B, "Assurances: Non-Construction Programs."
Applicants must sign and return the Standard Form 424B with their
applications.
c) Certification Regarding Lobbying. Applicants must provide a
certification regarding lobbying when applying for an award in excess
of $100,000. Applicants must sign and return the certification with their
applications.
d) Disclosure of Lobbying Activities. Applicants must disclose lobbying
activities on the Standard Form LLL when applying for an award in
excess of $100,000. Applicants who have used non-Federal funds for
lobbying activities in connection with receiving assistance under this
announcement shall complete a disclosure form to report lobbying.
Applicants must sign and return the disclosure form, if applicable, with
their applications.
e) Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements.
Applicants must make the appropriate certification of their compliance
with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988. By signing and submitting
the application, the applicant is providing the certification and need not
mail back the certification with the application.
f) Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other
Responsibility Matters. Applicants must make the appropriate
certification that they are not presently debarred, suspended, or
otherwise ineligible for an award. By signing and submitting the
application, the applicant is providing the certification and need not
mail back the certification with the application.
g) Protection of Human Subjects: Assurance, Identification, Certification,
and Declaration.
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h) Certification Regarding Environmental Tobacco Smoke. Applicants
must make the appropriate certification of their compliance. By signing
and submitting the application, the applicant is providing the
certification and need not mail back the certification with the
application.
3) Table of Contents
4) Project abstract (not to exceed one page) for use in official briefings,
decision packages, and public announcement of awards.
5) The student's approved dissertation proposal, demonstrating an
understanding of current child care issues, presenting a conceptual
framework for the proposed research, and detailing the research design
and implementation plan, will serve as the basic project description for
purposes of the application.
6) A project summary that includes an overview of the proposed research
and a management plan detailing how the work will be accomplished. The
management plan will include quantitative monthly or quarterly projections
of the accomplishments to be achieved for each function or activity. The
project summary should include a statement of how the proposed
research will relate to the research agenda, goals, and priorities of the
Child Care Bureau, the significant results to be achieved within the first
budget period, and how research findings will be disseminated to
colleagues and the public. This section should be no more than twenty
double-spaced pages with one-inch margins and 12-point font.
7) Staff and Position Data. A curriculum vita should be provided for both the
student and faculty advisor. An official transcript should be included for
the student that reflects courses completed at the Masters and Ph.D
levels.
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8) Faculty advisor letter. The application must include a letter from the
faculty advisor stating that he or she has reviewed and approved the
proposal, certifying the status of the student as a doctoral candidate with
an approved dissertation proposal, the project as dissertation research,
and describing how the advisor will monitor the student's work.
Three copies of the full application packet must be submitted. All supporting
materials and documents should be organized into appropriate appendices
and securely bound in the application package. Each copy of the application
should be securely stapled in the upper left-hand comer, clipped, or enclosed
in a quick-release binder. Because each application will be duplicated for the
review panel, do not use non-removable binders. Do not include tabs, plastic
inserts, brochures, videos, or any other items that cannot be photocopied.
J. Evaluation and Selection
1) Each application will be screened to determine whether the applicant
organization is eligible as specified in Part IV, Section G, above.
Applications from ineligible organizations will be excluded from the review.
2) Panel Review
a) The review will be conducted in Washington, D.C. Expert reviewers
will include researchers, Federal or State staff, child care
administrators and/or other individuals experienced in the study of child
care demand and supply, child care delivery systems, welfare and
supportive services, early child development and education, parental
choice and involvement, and other relevant areas.
b) A panel of at least three reviewers will evaluate each application to
determine the strengths and weaknesses of the proposal in terms of
the Bureau's research agenda, application requirements, and
evaluation criteria listed in this section.
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c) Panelists will provide written comments and assign numerical scores
for each application. The indicated point value for each criterion is the
maximum numerical score for that criterion. The assigned scores for
each criterion will be summed to yield a total evaluation score for the
proposal.
3) In addition to the panel review, the Bureau may solicit comments from
other Federal offices and agencies, from the States, from relevant non-
governmental organizations, and from individuals whose particular
expertise is identified as necessary for the consideration of technical
issues arising during the review. Their comments, along with those of the
panelists, will be considered by the Bureau in making funding decisions.
The Bureau will also take into account the best combination of proposed
projects to meet overall research goals.
K. Evaluation Criteria
Eligible applications will be scored competitively against the published evaluation
criteria described below. These criteria will be used in conjunction with the other
expectations, priorities and requirements set forth in this Announcement to
evaluate how well each proposal addresses the Bureau's research agenda and
the goals.
1) Significance, Issues and Objectives (maximum of 20 points)
a) The extent to which the application reflects a solid understanding of
critical issues, information needs, and research goals.
b) The extent to which the conceptual model, research issues, objectives
and hypotheses are significant, well formulated and appropriately
linked, reflect the Child Care Bureau's research agenda, and will
contribute new knowledge and understanding.
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c) The extent to which the proposed project framework is appropriate,
feasible, and would significantly contribute to the importance,
comprehensiveness, and quality of the proposed research.
d) The effectiveness with which the proposal articulates the current state
of knowledge relative to issues being addressed, including: critical
child care issues and the complex interrelationships among major
variables; the significance of these issues and variables for child care
policies and programs; how current knowledge would be brought to
bear on the proposed research; and how the research would benefit
various audiences.
e) The importance of research priorities identified for the first budget
period, the degree to which early findings would be useful for policy
and practice, and the significance of these data for the ongoing
research goals if the project is continued beyond the first 17-month
period.
2) Technical Approach (maximum of 40 points). The extent to which the
applicant's proposed Research Design:
a) Appropriately links critical research issues, questions, variables, data
sources, samples, and analyses;
b) Employs technically sound and appropriate approaches, design
elements and procedures;
c) Reflects sensitivity to technical, logistical, cultural and ethical issues
that may arise;
d) Includes realistic strategies for the resolution of difficulties
e) Adequately protects human subjects, confidentiality of data, and
consent procedures, as appropriate;
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f) Includes an effective plan for the dissemination and utilization of
information by researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners in the
field; and,
g) Effectively utilizes collaborative strategies, as appropriate to the project
goals and design.
3) Management Plan (maximum of 20 points). The extent to which the
project summary provides a management plan that:
a) Presents a sound, workable and cohesive plan of action demonstrating
how the work would be carried out on time, within budget and with a
high degree of quality;
b) Includes a reasonable schedule of target dates and accomplishments;
c) Presents a sound administrative framework for maintaining quality
control over the implementation and ongoing operations of the study;
and,
d) Demonstrates the ability to gain access to necessary organizations,
subjects, and data.
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4) Applicant Qualifications and Commitment (maximum of 10 points).
The extent to which the applicant (1) demonstrates competence in areas
addressed by the proposed research, including relevant background,
experience, training and work on related research or similar projects; and
(2) demonstrates necessary expertise in research design, sampling, field
work, data processing, statistical analysis, reporting and information
dissemination.
5) Budget (maximum of 10 points). The extent to which proposed project
costs are reasonable, the funds are appropriately allocated across
component areas, and the budget is sufficient to accomplish the
objectives.
L. The Selection Process
The Associate Commissioner, Child Care Bureau, Administration on Children,
Youth and Families, will make the final selection of the applicants to be funded.
Applications may be funded in whole or in part depending on: (1) the rank order
of applicants resulting from the competitive review; (2) staff review and
consultations; (3) the combination of projects which best meets the Bureau's
research objectives; (4) the funds available; and (5) other relevant
considerations.
Selected applicants will be notified through the issuance of a Financial
Assistance Award which sets forth the amount of funds granted, the terms and
conditions of the cooperative agreement, the effective date of the award, the
budget period for which support is given, and the total project period for which
support is provided.
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M. Funding Date
Anticipated date of funding is prior to June 1, 2000.
PART V. PRIORITY AREA 4: CHILD CARE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP
PROGRAM
A. Purpose
The purpose of this priority area is to provide funding, through a cooperative
agreement, to a partner organization that will work cooperatively with the Child
Care Bureau to design and implement the Child Care Research Fellowship
Program. We are seeking applications from organizations with experience in
child care and research issues.
The primary purpose of the Fellowship Program is to strengthen the child care
research infrastructure by supporting the development of researchers toward a
thorough understanding of child care research and its implications to policies and
programs including the Child Care and Development Fund. Individuals chosen to
serve as Fellows will work with Child Care Bureau and Senior ACF officials,
State-level policy-makers, members of federally-funded research projects, and
others involved in child care research. In addition to a significant policy-related
research assignment within the Child Care Bureau, Fellows will take part in
educational and leadership development programs.
B. Priorities
The project under this priority area will be funded as a cooperative agreement in
which substantial Federal participation is anticipated. The partner organization will
work closely with Federal staff. The specific responsibilities of the Federal staff
and the awardee will be negotiated prior to award of the cooperative agreement.
The development of the Fellowship Program will require an initial planning period
in order to create an effective program that meets the goals of the Child Care
Bureau. We envision that the first group of Fellows will be selected and placed by
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September 1, 2000. We anticipate that approximately three to five Fellows will be
involved in the program each year. Fellows should possess paid experience in
some aspect of the child care or early childhood field, an interest and aptitude in
research and research methods, and the desire to develop their knowledge and
skills in the area of child care research and policy. Desirable qualifications include
a degree with relevance to child care and early childhood services and five years
of progressively responsible work experience related to child care or early
childhood programs.
The partner organization will work collaboratively with the Child Care Bureau on,
among other things:
1) Conceptualization of the Fellowship Program and development of the
overall project plan for implementation;
2) Development of policies and procedures to govern the Fellowship
Program;
3) Establishment of recruitment strategies, screening and selection criteria;
4) Management of the application and rating processes and
recommendations for selection of individual Fellows; and
5) Design and implementation of an orientation program and other group
learning and developmental activities for the Fellows. These activities will
include support to Fellows in determining a policy-related research project
and in designing and carrying-out this project.
C. Number of Awards
The Bureau anticipates selecting one organization.
D. Project Period
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The project period will be up to three years. The Child Care Bureau expects to
invest up to $500,000 for an initial 17-month funding period. A non-competitive
application for continuation will be considered in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 with
up to $375,000 being available for a 12-month period. Applications for
continuation grants funded beyond the 17-month budget period, but within the
41-month project period, will be entertained in the subsequent years on a
noncompetitive basis, subject to the availability of funds from future
appropriations, satisfactory progress of the grantee, and a determination that
continued funding is in the best interest of the government.
E. Funding Levels
The expected funding level is $500,000 for the first 17-month funding period and
$375,000 for subsequent 12-month periods.
F. Matching Requirements and Non-Federal Share
There is no matching requirement.
G. Maximum Federal Share
The maximum Federal share is not to exceed $500,000 for the first 17-month
budget period.
H. Eligible Applicants
Universities and colleges, public agencies, non-profit organizations, and for-profit
organizations agreeing to waive their fees.
1. Project Description and Application Requirements
In order to successfully compete under this priority area, applicants are cautioned
to include all required materials, organized according to the required format. The
application must include the following items in order:
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1) A cover letter that includes the Announcement number, priority area, and
contact information.
2) Standard Federal Forms
a) Standard Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424 face sheet and
424A); must be included with the application.
b) Standard Form 424B, "Assurances: Non-Construction Programs."
Applicants must sign and return the Standard Form 424B with their
applications.
c) Certification Regarding Lobbying. Applicants must provide a
certification regarding lobbying when applying for an award in excess
of $100,000. Applicants must sign and return the certification with their
applications.
d) Disclosure of Lobbying Activities. Applicants must disclose lobbying
activities on the Standard Form LLL when applying for an award in
excess of $100,000. Applicants who have used non-Federal funds for
lobbying activities in connection with receiving assistance under this
announcement shall complete a disclosure form to report lobbying.
Applicants must sign and return the disclosure form, if applicable, with
their applications.
e) Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other
Responsibility Matters. Applicants must make the appropriate
certification that they are not presently debarred, suspended, or
otherwise ineligible for an award. By signing and submitting the
application, the applicant is providing the certification and need not
mail back the certification with the application.
f) Certification Regarding Environmental Tobacco Smoke. Applicants
must make the appropriate certification of their compliance. By signing
74
and submitting the application, the applicant is providing the
certification and need not mail back the certification with the
application.
3) Non-profit organizations must submit proof of non-profit status in the
application at the time of submission. The applicant can demonstrate
proof of non-profit status in any one of three ways: by providing a copy of
the organization's listing in the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) most
recent list of tax-exempt organizations described in Section 501(c3) of the
IRS code; 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.
4) Executive Order 12372 - Single Point of Contact. Where appropriate, a
competed SPOC certification should be completed with the date of SPOC
contact entered on page 1, line 16 of the SF424 face sheet.
5) Table of Contents
6) Project abstract (not to exceed one page) for use in official briefings,
decision packages, and public announcement of awards.
7) Project Narrative Statement. The Project Narrative Statement contains
most of the information on which Applications will be competitively
reviewed. The Project Narrative should be carefully developed in
accordance with the research goals and expectations, the requirements
described in this section, and the evaluation criteria and selection factors
described below. The Project Narrative should be organized as follows:
a) Issues, Objectives and Significance. In this section, applicants
demonstrate their understanding of current child care and child care
research issues, describe their objectives, and demonstrate the
significance of their proposal. Include a description of the applicant's
understanding of the goals and purposes for the Fellowship Program.
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b) Approach. This section should include a sound and workable plan of
action for how the proposed project will be carried out. Include a
description of the approach and strategies that would be taken to
design the program, to recruit potential participants, to support the
implementation and maintenance of the Fellowship Program, and to
evaluate the program's effectiveness.
c) Management Plan. This section should detail how the project will be
structured and managed, how the timeliness of activities will be
ensured, how quality control will be maintained, and how costs will be
controlled. Applicants should discuss their management of the project
as a whole, and the management and coordinating roles of any
partners.
d) Staff Qualifications and Commitment. In this section, applicants must
provide evidence that project staff have the experience, expertise and
commitment of sufficient time to carry out the proposed project on time,
within budget, and with a high degree of quality. Identify all key staff
positions for this project, the professional requirements for each, the
proportion of time staff holding these positions will be committed to the
project, the period of time they will be employed, and whether their
continued employment will be dependent solely on the funds to be
awarded under this announcement. Provide evidence that individuals
proposed for key positions have the necessary technical skill and
experience to successfully carry out their assigned roles. Where key
positions are currently vacant, include a position description outlining
the qualifications necessary to carry out the duties and responsibilities
of each. Identify the authors of the proposal and describe their
continuing role in the project if funded. Include a staffing plan and
assurances that the Project Director or another appropriate staff
member will attend four meetings annually in Washington, DC to meet
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with Federal staff to discuss issues related to Fellowship Program
implementation.
e) Organizational Capability. In this section, the applicant must
demonstrate that the official grantee has the organizational capacity
and fiscal resources to successfully carry-out the project on time and to
a high standard of quality, including the capacity to resolve a wide
variety of technical and management problems that may occur. Include
a description of the applicant's experience that relates to programs of
the kind envisioned in this announcement. Also describe the mission
of the applicant's organization as it relates to the fields of child care
and research, and how the Fellowship Program fits within that mission.
Provide evidence of sufficient organizational resources to ensure
successful project management, compliance with terms and conditions
of the grant, and oversight of the proper use of Federal funds.
Describe the relationship between this project and other relevant work
planned, anticipated or underway by the applicant. Include funding
sources for work in progress.
f) Fiscal Resources and Project Budget. Present a detailed budget to
demonstrate that the project will have adequate resources to carry out
the work on time and with a high degree of quality. Include a detailed
budget narrative which describes and justifies line item expenses
within the budget categories listed on the Standard Form 424. (Line
item allocations and justification are required for both Federal and non-
Federal funds.) If project funds will be subcontracted, a detailed
budget for the use of those funds must be also included. The budget
should delineate between project administration costs as opposed to
direct support to the Fellows individually and as a group. The budget
should include stipends to Fellows. The stipend should be tiered to
accommodate a range of education and experience and would parallel
the Federal GS 12-14 range. Stipends should include funds to support
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fringe benefits. The average stipend and total amount of the budget
which will be used for stipends for the Fellows should be delineated. It
is anticipated that the major portion of the budget would be used for
stipends and direct costs of the Fellows. The other expenses to
support participation of the Fellows should also be described and
budgeted within the budget.
8) Appendices: All supporting materials and documents should be organized
into appropriate appendices and securely bound in to the application
package. Included should be contact information for all key staff,
resumes', and letters of support.
9) Other: Three copies of the complete application packet must be submitted.
Each copy of the application should be securely stapled in the upper left-
hand comer, clipped, or enclosed in a quick-release binder. Because
each application will be duplicated for the review panel, do not use non-
removable binders. Do not include tabs, plastic inserts, brochures, videos,
or any other items that cannot be photocopied.
J. Evaluation and Selection
1) Screening. Applications will be screened to ensure that applicants meet
eligibility requirements and that application packets are complete.
Incomplete application packets and applications from ineligible applicants
will be eliminated from further consideration.
2) Panel Review. The review will be conducted in Washington, D.C. Expert
reviewers will include researchers, federal or state staff, child care
administrators and/or other individuals with expertise in child care and
early childhood services. A panel of at least three reviewers will evaluate
each application to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the
proposal based on the Bureau's research agenda and goals as well as the
application requirements and the evaluation criteria listed herein.
78
Panelists will provide written comments and assign numerical scores for
each application. The indicated point value for each criterion is the
maximum numerical score for that criterion. The assigned scores for each
criterion will be summed to yield a total evaluation score for the proposal.
3) In addition to the panel review, the Bureau may solicit comments from
other federal offices and agencies, from the States, from relevant non-
governmental organizations, and from individuals whose particular
expertise is identified as necessary for the consideration of technical
issues arising during the review. Their comments, along with those of the
panelists, will be considered by the Bureau in making funding decisions.
The Bureau will also take into account the best combination of proposed
projects to meet overall research goals.
K. Evaluation Criteria. Eligible applications will be scored competitively against
the published evaluation criteria described below.
1) Objectives and Understanding (maximum of 20 points)
a) The extent to which the application clearly states the principal and
subordinate objectives for the project.
b) The extent to which the application reflects a solid understanding of
critical child care and early childhood education issues and information
needs, as well as the goals and purposes of the Fellowship Program.
2) Approach (maximum of 40 points)
The extent to which the applicant outlines an appropriate, feasible plan of
action pertaining to the scope of the project and details how the proposed
work will be accomplished and lists each organization, consultant, and other
key individuals who will work on the project. The approach should plan for
resolution of logistical issues and other challenges that may arise.
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3) Staff Background and Organization's Experience (maximum of 20
points)
a) The extent to which the qualifications of the organization and staff are
sufficient to administer the project. The application must identify the
background of the project director and key project staff (including
name, address, training, most relevant educational background and
other qualifying experiences along with resumes and a short
description of their responsibilities or contribution to the applicant's
work plan), the experience of the applicant in administering a project
like the one proposed, the applicant's knowledge of child care issues,
and the applicant's ability to effectively and efficiently administer the
project.
4) Budget Appropriateness and Reasonableness (maximum of 20 points)
The extent to which the project's costs are reasonable in view of the
activities to be carried out, and the budget is sufficient to accomplish the
objectives. The extent to which the applicant has sufficient fiscal capacity
within the organization to ensure that unanticipated problems can be
resolved and that the project will be completed on time and with a high
degree of quality.
L. The Selection Process
The Associate Commissioner, Child Care Bureau, Administration on Children,
Youth and Families, will make the final selection of the applicant to be funded.
Applications will be funded depending on: (1) the rank order of applicants
resulting from the competitive review; (2) staff review and consultations; (3) the
combination of projects which best meets the Bureau's research objectives; (4)
the funds available; and (5) other relevant considerations.
Selected applicants will be notified through the issuance of a Financial
Assistance Award which sets forth the amount of funds granted, the terms and
80
conditions of the cooperative agreement, the effective date of the award, the
budget period for which support is given, and the total project period for which
support is provided.
M. Funding Date
It is anticipated that the successful application will be funded by June 1, 2000.
Date
Patricia Montoya, Commissioner
Administration on Children, Youth and
Families
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