The Office of Community Services (OCS) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) issued for 2023, a notice of funding opportunity for one 3-year cooperative agreement for Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Legal Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA).
Donor Name: Administration for Children and Families
State: All States
County: All Counties
Territory: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/31/2023
Size of the Grant: $400,000
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
The cooperative agreement will focus on addressing legal challenges in organizational, fiscal, and governance, including capacity building, tripartite boards, bylaw provisions, contract provisions, personnel policies, equity, and organizational challenges such as strategic restructuring, mergers, and shared services. T/TA will include planned and ad hoc activities that are responsive to the legal needs of the CSBG Network. T/TA will include a variety of training materials and resources, including e-guides, webinars, case studies, and training videos.
Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)
CSBG is a federal block grant and one of seven anti-poverty programs administered by OCS. CSBG supports activities to alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty, revitalize low-income communities, and empower individuals and families with low income to become self-sufficient. CSBG funds support a wide range of individual-, family-, and community-level services and strategies to support the needs of individuals and families with low income in rural and urban areas. OCS provides CSBG funding to states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. territories, federal and state-recognized tribes and tribal organizations. Tribal award recipients provide services directly to individuals and families. State and territory award recipients work with CSBG eligible entities (community-based organizations that administer CSBG-funded programs and services to individuals, families, and communities) to tailor CSBG-funded programs and services to meet the most pressing needs in their communities.
Through discretionary awards, OCS provides funding to support CSBG training, technical assistance, and monitoring efforts. Eligible applicants for these awards include statewide or local organizations or associations with demonstrated expertise in providing training to individuals and organizations to help effectively address the needs of individuals and families with low income and underserved communities. These organizations collaborate with OCS and support CSBG-funded states, territories, and tribes and tribal organizations to increase effectiveness and accountability and to generate robust results for the people and communities served.
- Phase One (September 30, 2023–January 31, 2024): Planning and Preparation
- During this phase of the cooperative agreement, the award recipient must develop a robust work plan for implementation of T/TA outlined in this NOFO as well as an approach for identifying any additional legal T/TA needs within the Network. OCS will provide a template for a work plan that covers the performance period noted in this NOFO. The work plan will document and track the following:
- Identified and detailed project goals, performance measures, and intended outcomes
- Timelines for implementing the proposed project, including major milestones and target dates
- A clear plan for advancing equity through legal practices and policies that are responsive to organizational, fiscal, and governance challenges across the CSBG Network
- A clear plan for creating partnerships with SMEs with demonstrated experience in providing guidance on legal issues impacting the administration of CSBG and/or community action to advance the CSBG Network
- A clear plan for managing planned and ad hoc T/TA requests and activities that are responsive to the legal needs of the CSBG Network
- Specifics on how the work will be completed (i.e., individualized one-on-one virtual or in-person T/TA, mass virtual or in-person training, and training materials)
- Progress on defined deliverables (i.e., training materials, webinars, manuals).
- During this phase of the cooperative agreement, the award recipient must develop a robust work plan for implementation of T/TA outlined in this NOFO as well as an approach for identifying any additional legal T/TA needs within the Network. OCS will provide a template for a work plan that covers the performance period noted in this NOFO. The work plan will document and track the following:
- Phase Two (February 1, 2024–September 29, 2026): Implementation and Evaluation
- During Phase Two, the award recipient will develop, refine, and disseminate T/TA tools and resources for the entire CSBG Network that are focused on administering CSBG, including deliverables such as webinars, training modules, podcasts, presentations, toolkits and/or other learning activities. T/TA tools and resources must include specific deliverables and legal practices and policies focused on ensuring equitable services and positive outcomes for underserved communities and individuals and families with low income. The tools will be distributed among the CSBG Network using the dissemination plan, and then housed in a resource library, as specified by OCS.
Purpose and Objectives
- Purpose of CSBG Legal Training and Technical Assistance
- This NOFO calls for a concerted and coordinated effort to build capacity, strengthen organizational performance, and increase the impact of CSBG funding and CSBG award recipients by providing targeted and relevant legal T/TA. By design, legal T/TA efforts will identify and focus on organizational, fiscal, and governance challenges. Meeting these T/TA needs will help ensure the success of the CSBG Network.
- Objectives of CSBG Legal Training and Technical Assistance
- The award recipient will be required to provide planned and ad hoc high-quality, tailored T/TA and consultation and develop, implement, and disseminate T/TA resources and tools that address the three objectives described below. As needed, the award recipient will develop resources and tools that address the T/TA needs of public and private CSBG-eligible entities.
- Promoting Promising Legal Practices and Policies
- Enhancing Knowledge Management, Education, and Training
- Improving Organizational Stability and Capacity Building
- The award recipient will be required to provide planned and ad hoc high-quality, tailored T/TA and consultation and develop, implement, and disseminate T/TA resources and tools that address the three objectives described below. As needed, the award recipient will develop resources and tools that address the T/TA needs of public and private CSBG-eligible entities.
Grant Priorities
OCS-funded programs are vital in addressing persistent poverty and pervasive disparities and inequities. To achieve their vision, OCS has established several overarching priorities to ensure that their goals are achieved across the CSBG Network.
- Ensuring the programs they administer are of the highest quality possible and are reaching those most in need.
- Lifting voices from the field and using lessons learned to be thoughtful, inclusive, and innovative in their approach.
- Identifying opportunities to break down silos and implement cross-cutting initiatives within OCS and ACF and across the federal government.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Funding: $400,000
- Project Period: 36-month project period with three 12-month budget periods.
Eligibility Criteria
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
