Title IV-E Prevention Accelerator Grants

The Title IV-E Prevention Accelerator Grants program, issued under solicitation HHS-2026-ACF-ACYF-CA-0061 by the Administration for Children and Families’ Children’s Bureau, aims to strengthen the capacity of state and tribal child welfare agencies to implement and claim federal reimbursement for Title IV-E eligible prevention services, which currently constitute less than 2% of total program claims. Applicants must design projects that build or enhance infrastructure to support at least one new or underutilized prevention service, focusing on establishing claiming and reimbursement systems, developing provider capacity and referral pathways, and creating robust data and reporting infrastructure aligned with SACWIS/CCWIS and Medicaid requirements. Projects must demonstrate a clear pathway to transition all activities into full Title IV-E claiming within 18 months of award, with no-cost extensions prohibited. Recipients are required to partner with an evaluator to provide real-time feedback and contribute lessons learned to a national learning community, ensuring scalable, replicable models. Funding is capped between $300,000 and $750,000 per award, with performance beginning September 30, 2026, and concluding no later than March 30, 2028. Applicants must submit a 75-page combined narrative and attachment package through Grants.gov by August 17, 2026, excluding the ACF Priorities Alignment Attestation, which is exempt from the page limit. Mandatory attachments include an indirect cost agreement, organizational capacity documentation with an organization chart, and third-party agreements, alongside standard federal forms such as SF-424 and SF-424A. All applicants must hold an active Unique Entity Identifier in SAM.gov and demonstrate alignment with ACF’s strategic priorities, with evaluation weighted toward integration into performance systems, operationalization in design, and demonstrated understanding of requirements. Awards are made on a best-value trade-off basis, considering technical merit, service to underserved populations, geographic equity, and past performance, with a risk assessment conducted for awardees exceeding $250,000 to ensure fiscal accountability under 2 CFR Part 200. No FAR contract clauses apply, as this is a grant opportunity, not a procurement contract.