Deadline: 6-Jul-21
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Administration for Children and Families – ACYF/CB are seeking applications for the Quality Improvement Center on Engaging Youth (QIC/EY) to develop capacity building training, tools, and strategies that will serve as a change agent for the child welfare workforce and system to embrace the voice of youth in all aspects of the system of care.
The youth engagement models will include engaging youth in finding their own permanency as well as engaging them in identifying the barriers and building strategies to successful engagement of youth throughout the system of care.
In order to accomplish this goal, the QIC will be responsible for the following:
- Selecting and developing six to eight pilot projects representing different jurisdictions and led by the child welfare system of a state, county, tribe, or territory;
- Creating and implementing a capacity building training tool for the child welfare workforce regarding authentic engagement of children/youth throughout the system of care. This training and coaching tool will be implemented consistently throughout each site;
- Supporting systemic change in each pilot site that embraces and integrates the youth voice in addressing barriers and building strategies to ensure safe and stable permanency for all children and youth, and ensure the continuity of kin and other key relationships in their lives; and
- Involving youth who are currently in the care of the child welfare system and/or recently egressed from care (either to reunification, adoption, guardianship, or independence) throughout the project for both the operation of the QIC/EY and in each of the pilot sites. Modeling authentic youth engagement and integrating the youth voice into all aspects of the work of this project is paramount and considered to be the key to its success.
The development and enrichment of relationships is a core concept of this QIC/EY, and children and youth will be considered the primary resource for workers.
Children and youth voice is the most critical and effective means by which workers will be able to understand their perspective about their own permanency and also serve as a guide to potential placements and permanency.
Beyond their potential as a legal permanency relationship, siblings and other kin relationships must be considered for the important relational permanency they represent for the children/youth.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Funding: $4,000,000
- Expected Number of Awards: 1
- Award Ceiling: $4,000,000 Per Budget Period
- Award Floor: $3,700,000 Per Budget Period
- Average Projected Award Amount: $4,000,000 Per Budget Period
- Anticipated Project Start Date: 09/30/2021
- Length of Project Period: 60-month project period with five 12-month budget periods
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligibility is unrestricted and open to public or private organizations.
- CB will accept applications that represent partnerships among organizations with relevant experience. Applicants may establish subgrant and contracts with organizations specializing in their assigned tasks. Applications from collaborations must identify a primary applicant responsible for administering the cooperative agreement.
- Faith-based organizations may apply for this award on the same basis as any other organization, as set forth at and, subject to the protections and requirements of the Department will not, in the selection of recipients, discriminate against an organization on the basis of the organization’s religious character, affiliation, or exercise.
- Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=328961