Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data | HHS 2024 ACF OPRE YE 0195

Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2024 ACF OPRE YE 0195

The Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data opportunity (HHS 2024 ACF OPRE YE 0195) is a discretionary grant program from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), within the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE). The main purpose is to fund researchers to conduct secondary analyses, meaning they will use data that already exist rather than collect new data, to answer policy-relevant questions connected to the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). CCDF is the federal governments primary funding stream for child care subsidies, with a dual focus on helping eligible low-income working families access child care and improving the quality of care available to children more broadly.

The grant is designed around the idea that many urgent child care and early education questions can be answered faster and more cost-effectively by analyzing existing national, state, or local datasets. ACF is looking for studies that can generate findings useful for real-world decision-making, including policy development, program administration, and setting priorities for future research. In practical terms, applicants are expected to take a strong research question tied to CCDF priorities, identify an appropriate dataset (or combination of datasets), and use rigorous analytic methods to produce actionable insights.

ACF highlights several topic areas of particular interest. These include reducing barriers to child care and early education access and improving access overall, especially access to high-quality programs for families and children with the greatest needs. Other priority areas include consumer education (how families find, understand, and choose care), strategies for recruiting and retaining a qualified early care and education workforce, stabilizing the supply of high-quality child care providers, and improving teacher and caregiver competencies through professional development. The opportunity also emphasizes workforce well-being, reflecting ongoing concerns about compensation, stress, turnover, and working conditions in the child care sector, as well as approaches that better engage and support families and respond to their needs.

The notice also points to datasets ACF is especially interested in seeing used. Examples include the 2019 National Survey of Early Care and Education, along with state- or territory-level administrative and program data sources such as workforce registries, subsidy program records, Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) data, licensing and monitoring records, Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) data, and Preschool Development Grants Birth through Five (PDG B-5) data. The inclusion of these sources signals that ACF is open to analyses that link multiple systems (for example, connecting subsidy use with licensing or QRIS information, or examining workforce registry data alongside professional development participation) as long as the research questions remain relevant to CCDF priorities.

In terms of award details, the listed award ceiling is $100,000, and ACF anticipates making about 15 awards. The CFDA/Assistance Listing number associated with the program is 93.575, and the activity area is Income Security and Social Services. The original closing date shown is May 22, 2024, and the description notes the NOFO was modified specifically to change the application due date because of adjustments to the Grants.gov maintenance schedule, meaning applicants needed to pay attention to the updated deadline in the final posted announcement.

Eligibility is broad across public, nonprofit, and private sectors, but with important exclusions. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. However, individuals, including sole proprietorships, and foreign entities are explicitly not eligible and applications from them will be disqualified before merit review. Faith-based and community organizations may apply if they meet the eligibility requirements, and ACF states it will not discriminate based on religious character or affiliation, consistent with applicable federal regulations and protections (including 45 CFR Part 87 and relevant federal law).

Overall, this funding opportunity is aimed at organizations that can bring strong research capacity to existing child care and early education data, with the goal of producing evidence that helps CCDF better serve families, strengthen and stabilize child care supply, and support the early care and education workforce through smarter policy and program decisions.

• The Administration for Children and Families - OPRE in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Secondary Analyses of Child Care and Early Education Data" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.575.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-03-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-05-22. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), 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, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

Apply for HHS 2024 ACF OPRE YE 0195

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