Preferred Communities (PC) Program

MODIFICATION: ORR has modified the FOA from its original version to extend the due date to June 21, 2021 to reflect the observation of Juneteenth on June 18, 2021. This is the only modification to the announcement. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announces funding for the Preferred Communities (PC) Program to support the resettlement of especially vulnerable populations of newly arrived refugees in preferred locations to facilitate their achievement of self-sufficiency. Services under the PC Program include, but are not limited to, intensive case management, culturally and linguistically appropriate linkages, and coordination with other service providers to improve these refugees' access to services. The goal of the PC Program is the successful resettlement and integration of especially vulnerable groups of newly and longer-term refugee arrivals (and other ORR client populations). The PC Program encompasses a comprehensive approach for refugee self-sufficiency and integration with the following four objectives: 1. To facilitate the achievement of self-sufficiency of especially vulnerable refugee populations with special needs. 2. To support, through the use of pass-through funds to affiliates and implementing partners, the development of PC Programs' capacity to assist special-needs refugee clients who require intensive case management. 3. To provide resources for PC Programs to develop new capacity for placement and to cover the costs of changing community placements so that refugees, including those with special or unique needs, are resettled in particular sites where they will have optimal chances of attaining self-sufficiency and of integrating in their new communities. 4. To alleviate the impact of increased or unanticipated arrivals in communities where state formula funds have not been allocated or are inadequate.