Unaccompanied alien children are referred to ORR’s Unaccompanied Alien Children Bureau by another federal agency, usually the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). ORR incorporates child welfare principles and the child’s best interests when making all placement, clinical, case management, and discharge decisions.
This toolkit is for new and returning applicants that want to apply for funding with the Unaccompanied Alien Children Bureau. Below are key resources to review when applying for funding.
Learn about types of ORR-funded care and services:
- Shelter/Group Home
- Transitional Foster Care
- Long-Term Foster Care
- Therapeutic Group Home
- Residential Treatment Center
- Heightened Supervision Facility
- Home Study Services
- Post-Release Services
Find funding opportunities:
- Visit the ORR Grants webpage for current and forecasted opportunities.
- Watch Technical Assistance webinars (prior videos are available) about the application process for ORR-funded care and services for unaccompanied alien children.
- Register on Grants.gov and subscribe to Grants.gov email notifications . Get notified about new and updated funding opportunities. Use keywords such as “unaccompanied alien children” or 93.676 (the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for the Unaccompanied Alien Children Bureau).
Plan to apply for funding:
- Visit Grants Learning Center to learn about the federal grant application process.
- Plan ahead. Register with the System for Award Management (SAM) and obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). An active SAM registration and a UEI are required to apply for funding opportunities, and the registration process may take several weeks.
Review an open funding opportunity:
- Use the Notice of Funding Opportunity’s (NOFO) Table of Contents to guide your review and skip to specific applicable sections.
- Review how your application will be scored (reference NOFO Section V.1. Criteria).
- Review the factors that automatically disqualify your application (reference NOFO Section III. Eligibility Information, Section III.3. Other, Application Disqualification Factors, and Section IV.2. The Project Description, Additional Eligibility Documentation).
- Make note of all requirements and plan to clearly address them in your application.
- Make note of the application deadline and the time and date of the pre-application webinar.
Prepare your application materials:
- Present the information in an organized and easy-to-follow manner, as outlined in the NOFO Section IV.2 Content and Form of Application Submission.
- Include adequate funds in your budget to carry out the proposed work plan, evaluation plan, and administrative responsibilities of the project.
- Budgetary costs should be reasonable, allocable, program-related, and commensurate with the types and range of activities to be conducted.
- Do not request more funds than are available per the funding announcement.
- Proposed number and type of staff should be appropriate and reasonable for your application’s goals, objectives, and activities. For each position, include a job description, qualifications, and the percentage of time they will be assigned to the project.
Common errors to avoid:
- Format: Use only standard size pages (8.5”x11”) and double-space all text.
- Page limit: Do not exceed the 200-page limit.
- Incomplete application package: Include all required documents listed in the NOFO, such as your unexpired license, if requested, in your Grants.gov submission.
Submit your application:
- Do not wait until the last minute to submit the application. Submit early to avoid any last-minute issues.
- After you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email from Grants.gov.
Contact Information
Please email questions to the Division of Grants Management at UCBgrants@acf.hhs.gov.
Please note that applying to the funding opportunity is a competitive process. ORR cannot provide specific guidance to your organization regarding your eligibility, budget, and/or the best way to present and prepare your application.