ACF-OCS-CSBG-AT-24-04 State Plan Application FY2025

RELATED REFERENCES:

Community Services Block Grant Act, Title VI, Subtitle B, of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, Public Law 97-35, as amended; Human Services Amendments of 1994, P.L. 103-252; the FY 1996 CSBG Appropriation Legislation, P.L. 104-134; CFR Title 45, Part 96; Coats Human Services Reauthorization Act of 1998, P.L. 105-285, Department of Health and Human Services Block Grant Regulations and Current Poverty Income Guidelines. 

PURPOSE:  

To inform states and U.S. territories (hereinafter referred to as CSBG grant recipients) of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) application and plan requirements for federal fiscal year 2025 (FFY25). 

SUBMISSION AND REQUIREMENTS: 

According to Section 676(b) of the CSBG Act, CSBG grant recipients must prepare and submit an application and plan — hereinafter referred to as the CSBG State Plan^[1] — to receive CSBG funding. The Office of Community Services (OCS) provides funds to CSBG grant recipients based on the determination that the submitted CSBG State Plan meets the requirements of the CSBG Act.

To qualify for FFY25 CSBG funding, CSBG grant recipients must submit the completed CSBG State Plan to OCS, Division of Community Assistance (DCA) by September 1, 2024, via the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) On-Line Data Collection (OLDC) available through GrantSolutions.gov .

CSBG grant recipients have the option of submitting the CSBG State Plan annually (covering one federal fiscal year) or biannually (covering two federal fiscal years) as per CSBG statute. CSBG administrators are encouraged to carefully consider which option best supports their state’s administrative capacity and anti-poverty strategy. 

GrantSolutions is now available for entry and submission and will pre-populate applicable responses from the previous CSBG State Plan submission into the FFY25 CSBG State Plan.

A complete CSBG State Plan submission includes:
 

1. CSBG Eligible Entity List (a separate form available in OLDC)

2. Standard Form for Federal Assistance (SF-424M) (CSBG State Plan Cover Page)

3. CSBG State Plan, Sections 1—14, including the designation letter (Section 1, Question 1.3)

4. Certifications, Section 15 (as defined by the CSBG statute)

Once all forms are complete, the authorized official must certify the CSBG State Plan within GrantSolutions.

CSBG Eligible Entity List

CSBG grant recipients are only required to revise their CSBG Eligible Entity List if there were changes since the last CSBG State Plan submission. Changes may include but are not limited to:
 

1. Designations, de-designations or voluntary relinquishments, or mergers.

2. Revisions to the CSBG eligible entity’s name, address, or service area(s)^[2].

3. New Executive Director.

4. Updated Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in accordance with SAM.gov policies .

If submitting a new CSBG State Plan for FFY25, you must complete all revisions to the CSBG Eligible Entity List prior to initiating the new CSBG State Plan.

CSBG State Plan

As a reminder, CSBG grant recipients must complete the CSBG State Plan based on the federal fiscal year: October 1—September 30. If a CSBG grant recipient chooses to submit a two-year CSBG State Plan, the CSBG grant recipients must complete all questions related to the second year covered by the CSBG State Plan to comply with submission requirements. 

GRANT RECIPIENTS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT 

Based on FFY24 CSBG State Plan submissions, CSBG grant recipients fall under one of the following submission groups, which are further defined in the attachment titled “CSBG State Plan Submission Groups FFY25.”
 

• Group A: There are 25 CSBG grant recipients with accepted one- or two-year Plans ending September 30, 2024. For the FFY25 CSBG State Plan cycle, these 25 grant recipients must complete a full submission as defined above. The CSBG State Plan will be subject to all requirements of the CSBG Act, including the public hearing requirement.

• Group B: There are 28 CSBG grant recipients with accepted two-year Plans ending September 30, 2025. CSBG grant recipients within this group also have the option to revise and resubmit their accepted CSBG State Plan. Certain revisions may be subject to the requirements^[3] of submitting a full plan as detailed above, including having the authorized official certify the report^[4].
   

TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND SUPPORT 

To assist with the CSBG State Plan submission, DCA created the CSBG State Plan Toolkit. The CSBG State Plan Toolkit includes the most recent communications, guidance (OLDC step-by-step guides and manuals), the current version of OMB approved forms, fillable forms, webinars, and training demos. 

Additionally, DCA will host the following webinars to assist you in your submission of the CSBG Eligible Entity List and the FFY25 CSBG State Plan.

FFY25 State Plan Webinar Series: Pathways to Performance, Evaluation, Accountability, Accessibility, and Knowledge (PEAAK)
 

GrantSolutions Access
 

DCA encourages all CSBG grant recipients to review their GrantSolutions access and ensure that staff have been registered in the correct roles for the CSBG State Plan submission process. 

Please keep in mind: 
 

• CSBG grant recipients should have at least one individual assigned as the Grant Administrator. This is usually the CSBG point of contact. Individuals assigned to this role can submit, un-submit, and enter data into all CSBG forms within OLDC.

• CSBG grant recipients should have at least one individual assigned as the Authorized Official. This must be the individual (e.g., director, secretary, or commissioner) designated in the CSBG state designation letter, or that person’s official designee. DCA will not accept any CSBG State Plans that do not include a designation letter that clearly specifies the designated lead agency and the title of the official who is authorized to certify the CSBG State Plan. 

Note: The Office of Grants Management (OGM) will issue the Notice of Grant Award electronically via email distribution to the Authorized Official noted within OLDC on the SF-424M. Therefore, all CSBG grant recipients must ensure that the Authorized Official email contact information is accurate. 

Requesting new accounts: 

There is a new process for requesting a new GrantSolutions OLDC account. To receive proper access to GrantSolutions and the OLDC module, please complete the Grant Recipient User Account Request Form  (PDF). The Notice of Grant Award will also be available via the Grants Management Module (GMM) within GrantSolutions.gov. For additional information about using the new GMM, please see this video . 
 

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT:


For questions regarding the content of the CSBG State Plan, email your assigned CSBG Program Specialist and copy CSBGStates@acf.hhs.gov. Email questions regarding GrantSolutions to CSBGData@acf.hhs.gov. 

Thank you for your attention to these matters. DCA looks forward to continuing to provide high-quality services to DCA partners.

/s/
Charisse Johnson
Director, Division of Community Assistance
Office of Community Services