Discretionary Funds for Projects To Establish Individual Development Accounts for Refugees

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families

Discretionary Funds for Projects To Establish Individual

Development Accounts for Refugees

AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), ACF, DHHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability of FY 1999 Discretionary Social Service

Funds to public and private, non-profit agencies for projects to

establish and manage Individual Development Accounts for refugees.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Refugee Resettlement invites eligible entities

to submit competitive grant applications for projects to establish and

manage Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) for low-income refugee

1 participants. Eligible refugee participants who enroll in

these projects will open and contribute systematically to IDAs for

specified Savings Goals, including homeownership, business

capitalization, and post-secondary education. Grantees may use ORR

funds to provide matches for the savings in the IDAs up to $2,000 per

individual refugee and $4,000 per refugee household. Applications will

be screened and evaluated as indicated in this program announcement.

Awards will be contingent on the outcome of the competition and the

availability of funds.

\1\ In addition to persons who meet all requirements of 45 CFR

400.43, eligibility for refugee social services also includes: (1)

Cuban and Haitian entrants under section 501 of the Refugee

Education Assistance Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-422); (2) certain

Amerasians from Vietnam who are admitted to the U.S. as immigrants

under section 584 of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and

Related Programs Appropriations Act, as included in the FY 1988

Continuing Resolution (Pub. L. 100-202); and (3) certain Amerasians

from Vietnam, including U.S. citizens, under Title II of the Foreign

Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations

Act of 1989 (Pub. L. 100-461), 1990 (Pub. L. 101-167), and 1991

(Pub. L. 101-513). For convenience, the term ``refugee'' is used in

this notice to encompass all such eligible persons.

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DATES: The closing date for submission of applications is August 9,

1999. See Part IV of this announcement for more information on

submitting applications.

ANNOUNCEMENT AVAILABILITY: The program announcement and the application

materials are available on the ORR website at www.acf.dhhs.gov/

programs/orr.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carmel Clay-Thompson, Director,

Division of Community Resettlement (DCR), ORR, Administration for

[[Page 31010]]

Children and Families (ACF), (Telephone: (202) 401-4557; Fax: (202)

401-5487) or Henley Portner, Program Specialist, DCR, ORR, ACF,

(Telephone: (202) 401-5363; Fax: (202) 401-5772; E-mail:

[email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This program announcement consists of four

parts:

Part I: Background--program purpose, program objectives, legislative

authority, funding availability, CFDA Number, definition of terms

Part II: Project and Applicant Eligibility--funding priorities,

preferences, eligible applicants, project and budget periods,

multiple applications, treatment of program income

Part III: The Review Process--intergovernmental review, initial ACF

screening, evaluation criteria and competitive review

Part IV: The Application--application materials, application

development, application submission

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13): Public reporting

burden for this collection of information is estimated to average four

hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions,

gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection

of information. The following information collection is included in the

program announcement: OMB Approval No. 0970-0139, ACF UNIFORM PROJECT

DESCRIPTION (UPD), which expires 10/31/2000. An agency may not conduct

or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of

information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Part I. Background

Program Purpose and Objectives: The Office of Refugee Resettlement

invites qualified entities to submit competing grant applications for

new projects that will establish, support, and manage Individual

Development Accounts (IDAs) for eligible low-income refugee individuals

and families. The Refugee IDA Program represents an anti-poverty

strategy built on asset accumulation for low-income refugee individuals

and families with the goal of promoting refugee economic independence.

In particular, the objectives of this program are to: Increase the

ability of low-income refugees to save; promote their participation in

the financial institutions of this country; assist refugees in

advancing their education; increase home ownership; and assist refugees

in gaining access to capital. These new projects will accomplish these

objectives by establishing programs that combine the provision of

matched savings accounts with financial training and counseling.

Eligibility for this program is limited to refugees:

Who have earned income and whose household earned income

at time of enrollment does not exceed 200 percent of the federal

poverty level; and

Whose assets at time of enrollment do not exceed $10,000,

excluding the value of a primary residence.

Grantees may target their projects to refugees with lower incomes

and net worth than the limits described above. A copy of the HHS

Poverty Guidelines is attached to this announcement. The Poverty

Guidelines may also be found at http:/aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/

99poverty.htm.

Grantees, in partnership with qualified financial institutions,

will create Individual Development Accounts for refugee participants.

Refugee participants will systematically contribute to the IDAs in

order to purchase specified Savings Goals. Grantees may include any or

all of the following Savings Goals in their IDA program:

Home Purchase or Renovation;

Post-Secondary Education, Vocational Training, or

Recertification;

Microenterprise Capitalization;

Purchase of an Automobile;

Purchase of a Computer.

Additional information on these Savings Goals is provided in the

Definition of Terms section of this announcement.

ORR encourages applicants to include in their projects commitments

of additional public or private funds for matching IDA deposits,

operational overhead, or training. Documentation of additional funds

should be provided in the application in writing, executed with the

entity providing the non-ORR contribution, on letterhead of the entity,

and signed by a person authorized to make a commitment on behalf of the

entity.

The grantee will establish a ``Savings Plan Agreement'' with each

refugee participant. The Savings Plan Agreement should include:

(1) A proposed schedule of savings deposits by the participant;

(2) The rate at which participant's savings will be matched;

(3) The Savings Goal for which the account is maintained;

(4) Any training or counseling which the participant agrees to attend;

(5) Agreement that the participant will not withdraw funds except for

the specified Savings Goal or for an emergency and only after

consultation with the grantee; and

(6) A procedure for amending the Agreement.

Applicants may propose additional provisions to be included in

Savings Plan Agreements.

The IDA contains only the refugee participant's deposits and

interest earned on those deposits. The grantee will create a parallel

account (or parallel accounts), separate from the participants' IDAs,

in a qualified financial institution, in which all matching ORR grant

funds will be deposited and maintained on behalf of the refugee

participants. Drawdown of the ORR grant funds and deposit of those

funds into the parallel account(s) will be permitted no earlier than

the time of the refugee's deposit to the IDA. Grantees must draw down

ORR funds for matching IDA deposits within three months of the date

that the refugee participant makes the deposit.

ORR funds may be used at a matching rate no greater than two-to-one

for each dollar deposited in the IDA by the refugee participant.

Grantees may choose to vary the amount of the match by type of Savings

Goal and/or by income level of the refugee participants. Over the

course of the five-year project period, not more than $2,000 in ORR

grant funds may be provided through matching contributions to any one

refugee individual and not more than $4,000 may be provided to any one

refugee household.

The interest that accrues on the ORR matching funds deposited in

the parallel account must be credited to the IDAs of the refugee

participants. Interest on the matching funds is not subject to the

$2,000/$4,000 limitation on total match for an individual and a

household. The interest on the match funds in the parallel account may

not be retained by the grantee for any purpose, including program

administration, participant support services, or program data

collection.

ORR strongly encourages applicants to incorporate in these projects

financial training for the refugee participants. The training may be

provided directly by the grantee or the grantee may choose to provide

the training through subgrantees or other providers. The types of

training provided by a grantee should reflect both the refugee

population and the types of Savings Goals to be included in the

program. Such training could include budgeting, cash management,

savings, investment, and credit counseling. Specialized training and

technical assistance should be provided for refugee participants whose

Savings Goals are home purchase or microenterprise.

[[Page 31011]]

Legislative Authority: Section 412(c)(1)(A) of the Immigration and

Nationality Act authorizes the Director ``to make grants to, and enter

into contracts with, public or private nonprofit agencies for projects

specifically designed--(i) To assist refugees in obtaining skills which

are necessary for economic self-sufficiency, including projects for job

training, employment services, day care, professional refresher

training, and other recertification services; (ii) to provide training

in English where necessary (regardless of whether the refugees are

employed or receiving cash or other assistance); and (iii) to provide

where specific needs have been shown and recognized by the Director,

health (including mental health) services, social services, educational

and other services.''

Funding Availability: ORR expects to award approximately $5 million

in FY 1999 funds for the Refugee IDA Program among approximately eight

to twelve grantees. Grants are expected to range from $200,000 to

$800,000. Approximately 75-80 percent of the ORR grant funds should be

designated for the purpose of providing matches for the refugee IDA

accounts. The remaining 20-25 percent of ORR funds may be used for the

administrative and operational costs of the project and for financial

training, counseling, and technical assistance.

The Director reserves the right to award more or less than the

funds described in the absence of worthy applications or such other

circumstances as may be deemed to be in the best interest of the

government. Applicants may be required to reduce the scope of selected

projects based on the amount of the approved grant award.

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number assigned

to this announcement is 93.576. The title of the program is the Refugee

Individual Development Account Program.

Applicable Regulations: Applicable U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services regulations can be found at 45 CFR part 74 or part 92.

Definition of Terms: Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) are

leveraged, or matched, savings accounts. IDAs are established in

insured accounts in qualified financial institutions; and the funds are

intended for the Savings Goals specified in this announcement. Although

the refugee participant maintains control of all funds that the

participant deposits in the IDA, including all interest that may accrue

on the funds, the participant must sign a Savings Plan Agreement with

the grantee that specifies that the funds in the account will be used

only for the participant's Savings Goal or for an emergency withdrawal.

A signed Savings Plan Agreement is required for the refugee participant

to be eligible for matching funds.

The Savings Goals, as specified below, are the purchases/

investments for which the matching funds, and the interest on matching

funds, are available when used in conjunction with the savings from the

IDAs of refugee participants. The Savings Goal specified by a

participant in the Savings Plan Agreement may be for the benefit of the

refugee participant or of a refugee dependent of the refugee

participant. Savings Goals are defined as follows:

Home ownership: Includes costs of a principal residence

including the downpayment and closing costs when purchasing a home;

also renovation costs of a new home or of an existing primary

residence. In the case of acquisition, the purchaser must be a first-

time homebuyer.

Microenterprise capitalization: Means costs described in a

qualified business plan, such as capital, plant, equipment, working

capital, and inventory expenses. The business plan must be approved by

a financial institution, a microenterprise development organization, or

a nonprofit loan fund. The plan must also describe services or goods to

be sold and include a marketing plan and projected financial

statements. Also included in microenterprise capitalization are

expenditures for a business expansion.

Post-secondary Education, Vocational Training, and

Recertification: Tuition or fees, professional recertification fees,

books, supplies, and equipment related to the enrollment or attendance

of a refugee student at an educational institution.

Purchase of an Automobile: If necessary for the purpose of

maintaining or upgrading employment.

Purchase of a Computer: Including hardware and software,

to support a refugee student's enrollment in an educational,

vocational, or recertification institution or for a microenterprise.

Qualified financial institution means a Federally insured

bank, credit union, or savings and loan institution or a State-insured

bank, credit union, or savings and loan institution if no Federally

insured bank, credit union, or savings and loan institution is

available.

A parallel account is an insured account (or accounts)

opened by the grantee in a qualified financial institution for the

purpose of depositing the matching funds for the savings deposited by

refugee participants in their individual IDAs. Interest earned on the

matching funds must remain in the parallel account and be credited to

the refugee participants. Both the matching funds and the interest

earned on those funds must be made available to the refugee participant

at the time that the participant purchases the Savings Goal. The

matching funds and the interest on the matching funds in the parallel

account are not available to the refugee participant except for the

Savings Goals defined in this announcement.

An emergency withdrawal is a withdrawal of funds, or a

portion of funds, deposited by the refugee participant in his/her

Individual Development Account. The withdrawal may also include any of

the interest that may have accrued to the participant's savings in the

account. Such a withdrawal must be approved by the project grantee and

be consistent with the terms of the Savings Plan Agreement between the

grantee and the refugee participant. Causes for emergency withdrawals

include, but are not limited to, medical expenses, payments to prevent

eviction or foreclosure, or payments for necessary living expenses. If

funds withdrawn for emergency purposes are not repaid within 12 months,

the refugee participant forfeits the match on those funds. Emergency

withdrawals may never be authorized from the parallel account(s).

Part II. Project and Applicant Eligibility

Eligible Applicants: To be eligible for funding under this

announcement, projects must meet the following requirements. Eligible

applicants for these funds include States and private, non-profit

organizations. Applicants may request funding to administer a refugee

IDA project directly with refugee participants or as an intermediary

agency which will administer multiple projects through participating

community-based organizations. Private, non-profit agency applicants

must provide documentation of their 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status at the

time of the application submission.

Applicants must also provide documentation of participation of a

qualified financial institution(s) in the project. This documentation

must be in writing, on letterhead of the financial institution, and

signed by a person authorized to make the commitment on behalf of the

financial institution. The documentation must include a commitment by

the financial institution to establish IDAs for the refugee

participants, to establish a parallel account (or accounts) for the

matching funds, and to provide the grantee with

[[Page 31012]]

account activity data on the IDAs and the parallel account(s) in a

timely manner.

Project and Budget Periods: This announcement invites applications

for project periods up to five years. Awards, on a competitive basis,

will be for a one-year budget period. Applications for continuation

grants funded under these awards beyond the first one-year budget

period but within the five-year project period will be entertained in

subsequent years on a noncompetitive basis, subject to availability of

funds, satisfactory progress of the grantee, and a determination that

continued funding would be in the best interest of the Government.

Under these projects, grantees should schedule their account

activities so that all IDA accounts reach their maximum savings, and

refugee participants have purchased their Savings Goal, within the

five-year project period. Applicants should include in their

applications their proposal for handling accounts in the event that any

refugee participant has not completed the Savings Goal purchase by the

end of the five-year project period. (For instance, applicants may

consider creating an escrow account for each participant's matching

funds.)

Part III: The Review Process

A. Intergovernmental Review

This program is covered under Executive Order 12372,

``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' and 45 CFR part 100,

``Intergovernmental Review of Department of Health and Human Services

Programs and Activities.'' Under the Order, States may design their own

processes for reviewing and commenting on proposed Federal assistance

under covered programs.

As of November 20, 1998, the following jurisdictions have elected

not to participate in the Executive Order process. Applicants from

these jurisdictions need take no action in regard to E.O. 12372:

Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Hawaii,

Idaho, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New

Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Palau, Pennsylvania, South Dakota,

Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.

Although the jurisdictions listed above no longer participate in

the process, entities which have met the eligibility criteria of the

program may still apply for a grant even if a State, Territory,

Commonwealth, etc., does not have a SPOC. All remaining jurisdictions

participate in the Executive Order process and have established SPOCs.

Applicants from participating jurisdictions should contact their SPOCs

as soon as possible to alert them of the prospective applications and

receive instructions. Applicants must submit any required material to

the SPOCs as soon as possible so that the program office can obtain and

review SPOC comments as part of the award process. The applicant must

submit all required materials, if any, to the SPOC and indicate the

date of this submittal (or the date of contact if no submittal is

required) on the Standard Form 424, item 16a. Under 45 CFR 100.8(a)(2),

a SPOC has 60 days from the application deadline to comment on proposed

new or competing continuation awards.

SPOCs are encouraged to eliminate the submission of routine

endorsements as official recommendations. Additionally, SPOCs are

requested to differentiate clearly between mere advisory comments and

those official State process recommendations, which may trigger the

``accommodate or explain'' rule.

When comments are submitted directly to ACF, they should be

addressed to: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration

for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement, Attention:

Shirley B. Parker, ORR Grants Officer, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW.,

Washington, DC 20447.

A list of the Single Points of Contact for each State and Territory

is included with the application materials for this program

announcement.

B. Initial ACF Screening

Each application submitted under this program announcement will

undergo a pre-review to determine that: (1) The application was

received by the closing date and submitted in accordance with the

instructions in this announcement; and (2) the applicant is eligible

for funding.

C. Competitive Review and Evaluation Criteria

Applications that pass the initial ACF screening will be evaluated

and rated by an independent review panel on the basis of specific

evaluation criteria. The evaluation criteria were designed to assess

the quality of a proposed project and to determine the likelihood of

its success. The evaluation criteria are closely related and are

considered as a whole in judging the overall quality of an application.

Points are awarded only to applications that are responsive to the

evaluation criteria within the context of this program announcement.

Proposed projects will be reviewed using the following evaluation

criteria:

1. Description of Targeted Population and Need for Assistance. The

application identifies the refugee population to be assisted by this

project and describes the need for assistance of this population.

Indicators of the need for assistance include low rates of: use of

financial institutions, home ownership, education, and access to

capital; and high rates of: reliance on public assistance and incomes

below 200 percent of the Federal poverty level. (15 points)

2. Project Plan and Design. The application provides a clear

explanation of a feasible, appropriate, and complete plan for

establishing and managing IDAs for the refugee participants. The plan

clearly describes the structure, uses, requirements, and management of

the IDAs and includes procedures for: managing the parallel account(s);

ensuring that interest on the matches is correctly credited to

individual refugee participants; and providing financial training

appropriate to the refugee population and to the Savings Goals included

in the project. (25 points)

3. Organizational and Staff Experience. Applicant organization and

staff and partner organizations have demonstrated capability to

implement and manage new programs and to recruit and work with the

refugee population. The applicant has developed a partnership with a

financial institution(s) to implement the IDAs. (25 points)

4. Proposed Outcomes and Expected Benefits. The outcomes and

benefits proposed are reasonable and reflect the objectives of this

announcement. The methodology proposed for collecting outcome data is

reasonable. (20 points)

5. Project Budget. The budget is reasonable and clearly justified.

The methodologies for estimating the number of refugee participants and

amount of matching funds are reasonable. (15 points)

Part IV. The Application

A. Application Development

In order to be considered for a grant under this program

announcement, an application must be submitted on the Standard Form 424

and in the manner prescribed by ACF. Application materials including

forms and instructions are available from the contacts named under the

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section in the preamble of this

announcement.

[[Page 31013]]

General Guidelines for Preparing a Project Description

Purpose: The project description provides a major means by which an

application is evaluated and ranked to compete with other applications

for available assistance. The project description should be concise and

complete and should address the activity for which Federal funds are

being requested. Supporting documents should be included where they can

present information clearly and succinctly. Applicants are encouraged

to provide information on their organizational structure, staff,

related experience, and other information considered to be relevant.

Awarding offices use this and other information to determine whether

the applicant has the capability and resources necessary to carry out

the proposed project. It is important, therefore, that this information

be included in the application. However, in the narrative, the

applicant must distinguish between resources directly related to the

proposed project from those that will not be used in support of the

specific project for which funds are requested.

General Instructions: Cross-referencing should be used rather than

repetition. ACF is particularly interested in specific factual

information and statements of measurable goals in quantitative terms.

Project descriptions are evaluated on the basis of substance, not

length. Extensive exhibits are not required. (Supporting information

concerning activities that will not be directly funded by the grant or

information that does not directly pertain to an integral part of the

grant-funded activity should be placed in an appendix.) Pages should be

numbered and a table of contents should be included for easy reference.

Project Summary/Abstract: Provide a summary of the project

description (a page or less) with reference to the funding request.

Objectives and Need for Assistance: Clearly identify the economic,

social, financial, institutional, and/or other problem(s) requiring a

solution. The need for assistance must be demonstrated and the

principal and subordinate objectives of the project must be clearly

stated; supporting documentation, such as letters of support and

testimonials from concerned interests other than the applicant, may be

included. Any relevant data based on planning studies should be

included or referred to in the endnotes/footnotes. Incorporate

demographic data and participant/beneficiary information, as needed. In

developing the project description, the applicant may volunteer, or be

requested to provide, information on the total range of projects

currently being conducted and supported (or to be initiated), some of

which may be outside the scope of the program announcement.

Results or Benefits Expected: Identify the results and benefits to

be derived from this project. ORR is particularly interested in the

projected outcomes for the targeted refugee group, including the number

of IDAs opened, rate of growth in savings, number and size of

withdrawals for each of the Savings Goals, and the impact of the

purchase of the Savings Goal on the participant's movement toward self-

sufficiency.

Approach: Outline a plan of action that describes the scope and

detail of how the proposed work will be accomplished. Account for all

functions or activities identified in the application. Cite factors

which might accelerate or decelerate the work and state your reason for

taking the proposed approach rather than others. Describe any unusual

features of the project such as design or technological innovations,

reductions in cost or time, or extraordinary social and community

involvement. Provide quantitative monthly or quarterly projections of

the accomplishments to be achieved for each function or activity in

such terms as the number of people to be served and the number of IDAs

to be opened. When accomplishments cannot be quantified by activity or

function, list them in chronological order to show the schedule of

accomplishments and their target dates. Identify the kinds of data to

be collected, maintained, and/or disseminated. Note that clearance from

the U.S. Office of Management and Budget might be needed prior to a

``collection of information'' that is ``conducted or sponsored'' by

ACF. List organizations, cooperating entities, consultants, or other

key individuals who will work on the project along with a short

description of the nature of their effort or contribution.

Geographic Location: Describe the precise location of the project

and boundaries of the area to be served by the proposed project. Maps

or other graphic aids may be attached.

Additional Information: Following is a description of additional

information that should be placed in the appendix to the application.

Staff and Position Data: Provide a biographical sketch for each key

person appointed and a job description for each vacant key position. A

biographical sketch will also be required for new key staff as

appointed.

Organization Profiles: Provide information on the applicant

organization(s) and cooperating partners such as organizational charts,

financial statements, audit reports or statements from CPAs/Licensed

Public Accountants, Employer Identification Numbers, names of bond

carriers, contact persons and telephone numbers, child care licenses

and other documentation of professional accreditation, information on

compliance with Federal/State/local government standards, documentation

of experience in the program area, and other pertinent information. Any

non-profit organization submitting an application must submit proof of

its non-profit status in its application at the time of submission. The

non-profit agency can accomplish this by providing a copy of the

applicant's listing in the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) most recent

list of tax-exempt organizations described in section 501(c)(3) of the

IRS code or by providing a copy of the currently valid IRS tax

exemption certificate or by providing a copy of the articles of

incorporation bearing the seal of the State in which the corporation or

association is domiciled.

Third-Party Agreements: Include written agreements between grantees

and subgrantees or subcontractors or other cooperating entities. These

agreements must detail scope of work to be performed, work schedules,

remuneration, and other terms and conditions that structure or define

the relationship.

Letters of Support: Provide statements from community, public, and

commercial leaders that support the project proposed for funding.

Budget and Budget Justification

Provide line item detail and detailed calculations for each budget

object class identified on the Budget Information form. Detailed

calculations must include estimation methods, quantities, unit costs,

and other similar quantitative detail sufficient for the calculation to

be duplicated. The detailed budget must also include a breakout by the

funding sources identified in Block 15 of the SF-424. Provide a

narrative budget justification that describes how the categorical costs

are derived. Discuss the necessity, reasonableness, and allocability of

the proposed costs.

General

The following guidelines are for preparing the budget and budget

justification. Both Federal and non-Federal resources shall be detailed

and justified in the budget and narrative

[[Page 31014]]

justification. For purposes of preparing the budget and budget

justification, ``Federal resources'' refers only to the ACF grant for

which you are applying. Non-Federal resources are all other Federal and

non-Federal resources. It is suggested that budget amounts and

computations be presented in a columnar format: First column, object

class categories; second column, Federal budget; next column(s), non-

Federal budget(s), and last column, total budget. The budget

justification should be a narrative.

Personnel

Description: Costs of employee salaries and wages.

Justification: Identify the project director or principal

investigator, if known. For each staff person, provide the title, time

commitment to the project (in months), time commitment to the project

(as a percentage or full-time equivalent), annual salary, grant salary,

wage rates, etc. Do not include the costs of consultants or personnel

costs of delegate agencies or of specific project(s) or businesses to

be financed by the applicant.

Fringe Benefits

Description: Costs of employee fringe benefits unless treated as

part of an approved indirect cost rate.

Justification: Provide a breakdown of the amounts and percentages

that comprise fringe benefit costs such as health insurance, FICA,

retirement insurance, taxes, etc.

Travel

Description: Costs of project-related travel by employees of the

applicant organization (does not include costs of consultant travel).

Justification: For each trip, show the total number of traveler(s),

travel destination, duration of trip, per diem, mileage allowances, if

privately owned vehicles will be used, and other transportation costs

and subsistence allowances. Travel costs for key staff to attend ORR-

sponsored conferences should be detailed in the budget.

Equipment

Description: Costs of tangible, non-expendable, personal property,

having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of

$5,000 or more per unit. However, an applicant may use its own

definition of equipment provided that such equipment would at least

include all equipment defined above.

Justification: For each type of equipment requested, provide a

description of the equipment, the cost per unit, the number of units,

the total cost, and a plan for use on the project, as well as use or

disposal of the equipment after the project ends. An applicant

organization that uses its own definition for equipment should provide

a copy of its policy or section of its policy which includes the

equipment definition.

Supplies

Description: Costs of all tangible personal property other than

that included under the Equipment category.

Justification: Specify general categories of supplies and their

costs. Show computations and provide other information, which supports

the amount requested.

Other

Enter the total of all other costs. Such costs, where applicable

and appropriate, may include but are not limited to insurance, food,

medical and dental costs (noncontractual), professional services costs,

space and equipment rentals, printing and publication, computer use,

training costs, such as tuition and stipends, staff development costs,

and administrative costs.

Justification: Provide computations, a narrative description and a

justification for each cost under this category.

Indirect Costs

Description: Total amount of indirect costs. This category should

be used only when the applicant currently has an indirect cost rate

approved by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or

another cognizant Federal agency.

Justification: An applicant that will charge indirect costs to the

grant must enclose a copy of the current rate agreement. If the

applicant organization is in the process of initially developing or

renegotiating a rate, it should immediately upon notification that an

award will be made, develop a tentative indirect cost rate proposal

based on its most recently completed fiscal year in accordance with the

principles set forth in the cognizant agency's guidelines for

establishing indirect cost rates, and submit it to the cognizant

agency. Applicants awaiting approval of their indirect cost proposals

may also request indirect costs. It should be noted that when an

indirect cost rate is requested, those costs included in the indirect

cost pool should not also be charged as direct costs to the grant.

Also, if the applicant is requesting a rate which is less than what is

allowed under the program, the authorized representative of the

applicant organization must submit a signed acknowledgement that the

applicant is accepting a lower rate than allowed.

Program Income

Description: The estimated amount of income, if any, expected to be

generated from this project.

Justification: Describe the nature, source and anticipated use of

program income in the budget or refer to the pages in the application,

which contain this information.

Non-Federal Resources

Description: Amounts of non-Federal resources that will be used to

support the project as identified in Block 15 of the SF-424.

Justification: The firm commitment of these resources must be

documented and submitted with the application in order to be given

credit in the review process. A detailed budget must be prepared for

each funding source.

Total Direct Charges, Total Indirect Charges, Total Project Costs

Self-explanatory.

B. Application Submission

1. Mailed applications postmarked after the closing date will be

classified as late.

2. Deadline. Mailed applications shall be considered as meeting an

announced deadline if they are either received on or before the

deadline date or sent on or before the deadline date and received by

ACF in time for the independent review to: U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of

Refugee Resettlement, Attention: Shirley B. Parker, ORR Grants Officer,

370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW, Washington, DC 20447. Applicants must

ensure that a legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark or a legibly

dated, machine produced postmark of a commercial mail service is

affixed to the envelope/package containing the application(s). To be

acceptable as proof of timely mailing, a postmark from a commercial

mail service must include the logo/emblem of the commercial mail

service company and must reflect the date the package was received by

the commercial mail service company from the applicant. Private metered

postmarks shall not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing.

(Applicants are cautioned that express/overnight mail services do not

always deliver as agreed.) Applications handcarried by applicants,

applicant couriers, or by other representatives of the applicant shall

be considered as meeting an announced deadline if they are received on

or before the deadline date, between

[[Page 31015]]

the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., EST, at the U.S. Department of

Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families,

Office of Refugee Resettlement, ACF Mailroom, Second Floor (near

loading dock), Aerospace Center, 901 D Street, SW, Washington, DC

20024, between Monday and Friday (excluding Federal holidays). The

address must appear on the envelope/package containing the application

with the note ``Attention: Shirley B. Parker, ORR Grants Officer.'' ACF

cannot accommodate transmission of applications by fax or through other

electronic media. Therefore, applications transmitted to ACF

electronically will not be accepted regardless of date or time of

submission and time of receipt.

3. Late applications. Applications that do not meet the criteria

above are considered late applications. ACF shall notify each late

applicant that its application will not be considered in the current

competition.

4. Extension of deadlines. ACF may extend an application deadline

when circumstances such as acts of God (floods, hurricanes, etc.)

occur, or when there is widespread disruption of the mail service, or

in other rare cases. Determinations to extend or waive deadline

requirements rest with ACF's Chief Grants Management Officer.

Reporting Requirements

Grantees under this program announcement will be required to

provide quarterly program narrative reports, describing outcomes and

activities under the grant. Grantees will also be required to submit

semi-annual financial reports using the Financial Status Report (SF-

269). A final financial and narrative report shall be due 90 days after

the end of the Grant Project Period (i.e., after the final budget

period).

Dated: June 3, 1999.

Lavinia Limon,

Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement.

Attachment A--The 1999 HHS Poverty Guidelines

One Version of the [U.S.] Federal Poverty Measure

[Information Contracts/References--Poverty Guidelines & Thresholds--

Also History of U.S. Poverty Lines]

There are two slightly different versions of the federal poverty

measures:

The poverty thresholds, and

The poverty guidelines.

The poverty thresholds are the original version of the federal

poverty measure. They are updated each year by the Census Bureau

(although they were originally developed by Mollie Orshansky of the

Social Security Administration). The thresholds are used mainly for

statistical purposes--for instance, preparing estimates of the

number of Americans in poverty each year. (In other works, all

official poverty population figures are calculated using the poverty

thresholds, not the guidelines.)

The poverty guidelines are the other version of the federal

poverty measure. They are issued each year in the Federal Register

by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The guidelines

are a simplification of the poverty thresholds for use of

administrative purposes--for instance, determining financial

eligibility for certain federal program. (The full text of the

Federal Register notice with the 1999 poverty guidelines is

available here.)

1999 HHS Poverty Guidelines

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

48 contiguous

Size of family unit states, and DC Alaska Hawaii

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1............................................................... $8,240 $10,320 $9,490

2............................................................... 11,060 13,840 12,730

3............................................................... 13,880 17,360 15,970

4............................................................... 16,700 20,880 19,210

5............................................................... 19,520 24,400 22,450

6............................................................... 22,340 27,920 25,690

7............................................................... 25,160 31,440 28,930

8............................................................... 27,980 34,960 32,170

For each additional person, add................................. 2,820 3,520 3,240

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source: Federal Register, Vol. 64, No. 52, March 18, 1999, pp. 13428-13430.

(The separate poverty guidelines for Alaska and Hawaii reflect

Office of Economic Opportunity administrative practice beginning in

the 1966-1970 period. Notice that the poverty thresholds--the

original version of the poverty measure--have never had separate

figures for Alaska and Hawaii.)

Programs using the guidelines (or percentage multiples of the

guidelines--for instance, 130 percent of the guidelines) in

determining eligibility include Head Start, the Food Stamp Program,

the National School Lunch Program, and the Low-Income Home Energy

Assistance Program. Note that is general, public assistance programs

(Aid to Families with Dependent Children and its block grant

successor Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and Supplemental

Security Income) do NOT use the poverty guidelines in determining

eligibility. The Earned Income Credit program also does NOT use the

poverty guidelines to determine eligibility.

The poverty guidelines (unlike the poverty thresholds) are

designated by the year in which they are issued. For instance, the

guidelines issued in March 1999 are designated the 1999 poverty

guidelines. However, the 1999 HHS poverty guidelines only reflect

price changes through calendar year 1998; accordingly, they are

approximately equal to the Census Bureau poverty thresholds for

calendar year 1998. (The 1998 thresholds will be issued in final

form about September or October 1999; a preliminary version of the

1998 thresholds is now available from the Census Bureau.)

The poverty guidelines are sometimes loosely referred to as the

``Federal poverty level'' (FPL), but that term is ambiguous, and

should be avoided in situation (e.g., legislative or administrative)

where precision is important.

Go to the page of Information Contracts and References on the

Poverty Guidelines, the Poverty Thresholds, and the Development and

History of U.S. Poverty Lines.

Return to the Poverty Guidelines, Research, and Measurement main

page.

[FR Doc. 99-14575 Filed 6-8-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4184-01-P