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The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is soliciting applications for the Family Self-Sufficiency Demonstration Development (FSSDD) Phase 2 Awards (note that all instances of the term “continuation” that appear throughout the NOFO refer to Phase 2 of the program). Entities who were awarded the initial award (HHS-2021-ACF-OPRE-PE-1944) are eligible to apply for this current cooperative agreement.During the initial award, recipients conducted foundational evidence capacity-building activities relevant to their interventions. During this continuation award, recipients will continue building on the progress they made during the initial award. The FSSDD Phase 2 award has two main purposes. The first purpose is to support recipients in building their internal evidence capacity to strengthen evidence-informed program services and improve outcomes for the families they serve. The second purpose is for recipients to contribute to the evidence on interventions serving families with children who are eligible for or at risk of becoming eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Recipients will also develop clear plans for sustaining an evidence-driven organizational culture beyond the funding period of the award and will share project learnings and implications with appropriate research, policy, and practice audiences. Recipients are required to work with a federally funded, third-party technical assistance provider throughout the entirety of the award.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS) will solicit applications to award approximately $15.2 million in Community Economic Development (CED) discretionary award funds to Community Development Corporations (CDC) for well-planned, financially viable, and innovative projects to enhance job creation and business development for individuals with low income. CED awards will be made as part of a broader strategy to address objectives such as decreasing dependency on federal programs, chronic unemployment, and community deterioration in urban and rural areas. CED projects are expected to actively recruit individuals with low income to fill the positions created by CED-funded development activities, to assist those individuals in successfully maintaining employment, and to ensure that the businesses and jobs created remain viable for at least one year after the award project period. CED projects can be non-construction or construction projects, however, short-term construction jobs associated with preparing for business startup or expansion are not counted when determining the number of jobs created under the CED program as those jobs are temporary in nature. OCS encourages applicants to target rural and underserved areas in states with current projects.