[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 63 (Friday, April 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18225-18226]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7649]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Request for Public Comment on Proposed Funding Opportunity
Announcement for Special Initiative Concerning the Assets for
Independence Program
AGENCY: Office of Community Services, ACF, HHS.
ACTION: Request for Public Comment.
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C.F.D.A. Number: 93.602
Statutory Authority: The Assets for Independence Act (Title IV
of the Community Opportunities, Accountability, and Training and
Educational Services Act of 1998, as amended, Pub. L. 105-285, 42
U.S.C. 604 note) authorizes the Department of Health and Human
Services to award grants to support Assets for Independence (AFI)
projects and to research and evaluate the effectiveness of the AFI
program and Individual Development Accounts (IDAs).
SUMMARY: In FY 2011, the Office of Community Services (OCS) will
coordinate with the Administration on Native Americans (ANA) to
implement the Native Asset Building Initiative, through which the two
offices will support Tribes and Native organizations in planning and
implementing comprehensive asset-building projects. The initiative will
feature special grants through the Assets for Independence (AFI)
program. These grants will be in addition to the annual AFI grants that
OCS will award in FY 2011. In contrast to the annual awards, though,
the eligibility criteria to be listed for these AFI grants in the
``Native Asset Building Initiative'' will vary from the annual AFI
awards' eligibility criteria. This is because the criteria used to
determine eligibility for these special initiative awards will be more
consistent with those used to determine eligibility in the ANA grant
program with which OCS is coordinating. Consequently, the eligibility
for the special AFI grants will be limited to Native 501(c)(3) non-
profits serving Native Americans; Federally recognized Tribal
governments or Alaska Native Villages, as defined in the Alaska Native
Claims Settlement Act, that are joint applicants with a 501(c)(3)
Native non-profit organization; and Native non-profit organizations
designated by the Secretary of the Treasury as Community Development
Financial Institutions and Native non-profit credit unions designated
by the National Credit Union Administration as low-income credit unions
that demonstrate a collaborative relationship with a local community
based organization whose activities are designed to address poverty and
the needs of community members for economic independence and stability.
Other entities will not be eligible for awards under this initiative,
but will continue to be eligible for awards under the annual AFI
funding opportunity announcement that was published issued for FY 2011
through FY 2013 on February 24, 2011 on http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/foa/view/HHS-2011-ACF-OCS-EI-0137.
It is estimated that OCS will award up to 10 AFI program grants
under Native Asset Building Initiative, with overall funding of
approximately $2,500,000 toward the initiative. It is anticipated that
each recipient of these special AFI grants will also receive a separate
ANA award for their project.
In addition to these special AFI awards, we estimate that
$15,000,000 in grants will be awarded in FY 2011 under the annual AFI
funding opportunity announcement published on February 24, 2011.
Proposed Funding Opportunity Announcement; Native Asset Building
Initiative
In FY 2011, OCS will coordinate with the Administration on Native
Americans (ANA) on the Native Asset Building Initiative to support
Tribes and Native organizations in planning and implementing
comprehensive asset building projects. OCS and ANA are providing this
support through a joint funding opportunity and training and technical
assistance.
The OCS component of the joint funding opportunity will feature
special Assets for Independence (AFI) program grants the eligibility
for which will be limited to entities that are eligible for ANA grants.
Therefore, eligibility for the special AFI grants will be limited to
Native 501(c)(3) non-profits serving Native Americans; Federally
recognized Tribal governments or Alaska Native Villages, as defined in
the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, that are joint applicants with
a 501(c)(3) Native non-profit organization; Native non-profit
organizations designated by the Secretary of the Treasury as Community
Development Financial Institutions and Native non-profit credit unions
designated by the National Credit Union Administration as low-income
credit unions that demonstrate a collaborative relationship with a
local community-based organization whose activities are designed to
address poverty and the needs of community members for economic
independence and stability. Other entities will not be eligible to
submit applications for the AFI grants under the Native Asset Building
Initiative. It is estimated that OCS will award up to ten AFI program
grants under the initiative, with overall funding of approximately
$2,500,000.
The ANA component of the Native Asset Building Initiative will
feature a new funding opportunity through the Social and Economic
Development Strategies (SEDS) program as well. The SEDS grants will
provide funding for each project's operational and staffing costs, as
well as support for financial literacy education training, capacity
building, and other asset building activities.
The OCS AFI grants will provide funding to support the provision of
Individual Development Accounts (IDA), or matched savings accounts,
component of each selected applicant's comprehensive asset building
project. The AFI grantees will also provide funding to support limited
administrative costs related to the IDA component. AFI is a
demonstration of the use of IDAs and related strategies
[[Page 18226]]
using an asset-based approach for assisting individuals and families
with low incomes out of poverty. The program supports grantee
organizations that provide financial literacy education and other
training to families, along with access to IDAs. Every dollar in
savings deposited into an IDA by a participant will be matched with AFI
grant funds and non-federal funds. The program promotes savings and
enables participants to acquire an economic asset that will appreciate
over the long-term. Participants use their IDA savings to acquire a
first home, capitalize a small business, or enroll in postsecondary
education or training.
The Native Asset Building Initiative is designed to create
synergies between the SEDS program and the AFI program, and to provide
enhanced funding opportunities for Native communities. OCS and ANA
anticipate that the Native Asset Building Initiative funding
opportunity announcement will be published in April 2011. Upon
publication, the Native Asset Building Initiative funding opportunity
announcement will be made available at http://www.Grants.gov and at ACF
Funding Opportunities http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/index.html.
Information on the planned announcement may now be accessed at the
HHS Grants Forecast Web site at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/hhsgrantsforecast/.
OCS will publish a synopsis of comments received as a result of
this notice, along with the agency's responses.
DATES: The deadline for receipt of comments is 30 days from the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Comments in response to this notice should be addressed to
James Gatz, Manager, Assets for Independence Program, Office of
Community Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Mailstop Aerospace 5-
West, Washington, DC 20447. Comments will be available for inspection
by members of the public at the Office of Community Services, 370
L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Medina, Program Specialist,
(866) 778-6037.
Dated: March 23, 2011.
Yolanda Butler,
Acting Director, Office of Community Services.
[FR Doc. 2011-7649 Filed 3-31-11; 8:45 am]
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