Working With the Children’s Bureau
- Find and apply for federal grant opportunities on Grants.gov — Search funding opportunities from federal grant-making agencies, including the Children’s Bureau.
- Apply to Be a Children’s Bureau Grant Reviewer — Learn how novice and experienced reviewers can serve as grant reviewers or panel chairpersons.
Children’s Bureau Discretionary Grants
Explore competitive Children’s Bureau discretionary grant programs that support child welfare research, demonstration projects, services, and program improvement.
- Adoption Opportunities — Supports efforts to reduce barriers to adoption and connect children with permanent families.
- Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act Discretionary Funds Program — Supports research, demonstration projects, and training focused on preventing child abuse and neglect.
- CBCAP Tribal and Migrant Discretionary Grant Program — Supports tribes, tribal organizations, and migrant programs in providing community-based child abuse prevention services and connecting with statewide CBCAP programs.
- Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) Program — Supports family preservation, reunification, adoption promotion and support, and other services that strengthen children and families.
- Regional Partnership Grant Program — Supports partnerships addressing substance use and its effects on children and families involved with child welfare.
- Tribal Court Improvement Program — Access information and resources related to Tribal Court Improvement Program grants.
Grant Management Resources
- 425 Financial Status Report — Use this form to report financial information for federally funded projects.
- Children’s Bureau Discretionary Grant Toolkit — Find guidance and resources to help Children’s Bureau grantees implement and manage funded projects.
- Children’s Bureau Discretionary Grants Library — Search products, reports, and other resources developed through Children’s Bureau discretionary grant projects.
Child Welfare Training and Technical Assistance
Access Children’s Bureau training and technical assistance to strengthen child welfare practice, meet federal requirements, build on identified strengths, and address areas needing improvement.
State & Tribal Grant Programs
Title IV-E of the Social Security Act provides funds for states and tribes to provide foster care, transitional independent living programs for children, guardianship assistance, and adoption assistance for children with special needs. Funds are available under title IV-E for the following:
- Title IV-E Adoption Assistance - Financial and medical assistance for the adoption of children with special needs and associated administrative and training costs
- Title IV-E Foster Care - Assistance with costs of foster care for eligible children and associated administrative and training costs
- Title IV-E Guardianship Assistance - Financial and medical assistance for guardianship of eligible children and associated administrative and training costs
- Title IV-E Prevention Program - Funding for time-limited prevention services for mental health, substance abuse, and in-home parent skill-based programs for children or youth who are candidates for foster care, pregnant or parenting youth in foster care, and the parents or kin caregivers of those children and youth
- Family First Prevention Services Act - Provides partial federal reimbursement to states that opt to provide prevention services for children who are at risk of entering foster care, pregnant or parenting foster youth, and their parents or kin caregivers
- John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood - Funds to help older youth in foster care and former foster care youth acquire training and independent living skills so they can become self-sufficient
Funds are available to states and tribes to promote flexibility in the development and expansion of coordinated child and family services programs that utilize community-based agencies, family support services, family preservation services, adoption promotion and support services, and time-limited family reunification services and that ensure all children are raised in safe, loving families. Funds are available under title IV-B for the following:
- Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program: Title IV-B, Subpart 1, of the Social Security Act - Funds to support preventive intervention, alternative placements, and reunification efforts to keep families together
- Promoting Safe and Stable Families: Title IV-B, Subpart 2 of the Social Security Act - Funds to assist with family support, family preservation and support, time-limited family reunification services, and services to support adoptions
- Court Improvement Program - Funds for improving courts' handling of child abuse and neglect litigation
The Children’s Bureau conducted a review of state 2015-2019 Child and Family Services Plans (CFSP) and drafted a report - The report, “States’ Consultation and Collaboration with Tribes and Reported Compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act: Information from States’ and Tribes’ 2015—2019 Child and Family Services Plans” summarizes information related to state implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), and consultation and collaboration with tribes. The report also includes information reported in a sample of tribes’ CFSPs pertaining to ways in which states consulted and collaborated with tribes.
In order to receive federal funding under title IV-B, a state or tribal agency requesting title IV-B funds must submit a 5-year Child and Family Services Plans (CFSP) and Annual Progress and Services Reports (APSRs). The CFSP is a strategic plan that sets forth a state’s or tribe’s vision and goals to strengthen its child welfare system. It outlines initiatives and activities that the state or tribe will carry out over the next 5 years to administer and integrate programs and services to promote the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families. The APSR provides an annual update on the progress made by states or tribes toward the goals and objectives in their CFSPs and outlines the planned activities for the upcoming fiscal year.
The goals and objectives of the CFSP must address improved outcomes in the following areas:
- Permanency for children
- Well-being of children and their families
- The nature, scope, and adequacy of existing child and family and related social services
States or tribes must base the development of each subsequent 5-year CFSP on a final review of the accomplishments and identified needs from the previous CFSP, including any new information (45 CFR 1357.16(f)).
There are a number of programs covered by the CFSP and APSR, including the following:
- Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services program (Title IV-B, Subpart 1, Child Welfare Services)
- Promoting Safe and Stable Families (Title IV-B, Subpart 2)
- Monthly caseworker visits (funds)
- Training activities and costs to be funded through titles IV-B and IV-E
- Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA)
- Chafee Foster Care Independence (CFCIP) and Education and Training Vouchers (ETV) programs
Developing a CFSP/APSR
- State CFSP/APSR Toolkit - This toolkit provides resources to help states develop their CFSPs and APSRs.
- Tribal CFSP/APSR Toolkit - This toolkit provides resources to help tribes develop their CFSPs and APSRs.
- Information for Insular Areas - The Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands may each submit consolidated grant applications in accordance with 45 CFR Part 97. These jurisdictions do not need to submit an APSR as described in this PI if they choose to have their title IV-B, subparts 1 and/or 2 (including the monthly caseworker visit funds) and/or CAPTA allotments included in a consolidated grant, and may expend these funds under authority of another program that is available for consolidation. If an Insular Area chooses to consolidate its application for title IV-B, subparts 1 and/or 2, and/or CAPTA, it must notify its Children’s Bureau Regional Office in writing of its intent by June 30 of each year.
Current and Prior CFSPs/APSRs
- CFSP/APSR Information - This webpage allows users to search state CFSPs and APSRs.
The Children’s Bureau conducted a review of state 2015-2019 Child and Family Services Plans (CFSP) and drafted a report - The report, “States’ Consultation and Collaboration with Tribes and Reported Compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act: Information from States’ and Tribes’ 2015—2019 Child and Family Services Plans” summarizes information related to state implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), and consultation and collaboration with tribes. The report also includes information reported in a sample of tribes’ CFSPs pertaining to ways in which states consulted and collaborated with tribes.
The Children's Bureau awards grants through several programs regulated by CAPTA:
- CAPTA State Grants - Assistance to improve state child protective service systems
- Community-Based Grants for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (CBCAP) - Support for community-based, prevention-focused programs and activities
- Children's Justice Act - Funds for improving the investigation and prosecution of child abuse and neglect