Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Implementation Research and Evaluation Planning Grants

The published FOA is modified. Changes are made to Section V.1 Application Review Information, Criteria. Specifically criterion under "Organizational Capacity" and "Management Plan" have been updated. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) plans to solicit applications for Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Implementation Research and Evaluation Planning Grants. These cooperative agreements would support CCDF Lead Agencies by developing rigorous high-quality research and evaluation plans of the implementation of policies in response to the goals of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014. These planning grants may be followed by a second competitive funding opportunity that would provide funding to carry out the planned research evaluations. Projects should be led by CCDF Lead Agencies, but grantees are expected to work with researchers either within their organization or through a partnership with an outside research organization such as a university or research firm. External research partnerships do not have to be formalized at the time of application. Under these cooperative agreements, CCDF Lead Agencies will choose key provisions of the law and develop a rigorous, high-quality research plan, that includes the use of innovative methods to evaluate implementation of these changes. Provisions of interest include, but are not limited to, expanding the supply and access to family child care, infant/toddler care, and care during non-traditional hours; establishing a state system of support for career pathways and professional development for child care and family child care providers; and establishing policies and procedures that fully implement 12-month eligibility to support continuity of care. During the period of performance, recipients must demonstrate their capacity to develop high-quality research plans during the period of performance. Grantees will be expected to participate in a consortium, meeting by phone at least monthly and in person annually. These grants are expected to build capacity for CCDF Lead Agencies in conducting research and evaluation and will not only benefit the grantees, but other CCDF Lead Agencies and the general public. From 2000 until 2015, Congress appropriated approximately $10 million annually from CCDF discretionary funds for research, demonstration, and evaluation. With the enactment of the CCDBG Act of 2014, Congress authorized a permanent reservation of approximately $14 million of CCDF funds for research and evaluation. Research funded through CCDF is intended to help child care decision makers in crafting policies and initiatives that support positive outcomes for families and children; to increase the capacity for child care research at the national, state, and local levels; and to promote linkages among research, policy, and practice. To date, these funds have supported research efforts that have increased our knowledge about the efficacy of child care subsidy policies and programs in enhancing employment and economic self-sufficiency of low-income families and in improving quality in all child care ane early education settings to support children's learning and development. For more information on CCDF and OPRE-funded research , please visit: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/occ/resource/ccdf-law and http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre Funding is subject to availability of funds and the best interests of the federal government.