Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2022 ACF ACYF CO 0095
The AdoptUSKids grant opportunity (HHS 2022 ACF ACYF CO 0095) is a discretionary cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACYF/Children's Bureau). Its central aim is to fund a single national project that helps states, tribes, and U.S. territories recruit and keep foster and adoptive parents for children and youth in public foster care. The funded organization would operate as a national partner to child welfare agencies by running core public-facing services (web, media, and phone-based information), strengthening recruitment and customer response systems, and sharing proven strategies that improve family recruitment, approval, and long-term retention.
A major portion of the work centers on maintaining and improving the National Adoption Internet Photolisting Service through AdoptUSKids.org. This includes the ongoing management of the photolisting website, active coordination with every state, tribe, and territory to support the listing of eligible children and youth, and the consistent use of best practices and quality improvement standards so that photolistings are accurate, ethical, timely, and effective. The expectation is not just basic site upkeep, but a continuous focus on quality, coordination, and outcomes that help connect waiting children with families.
Another large component is the National Adoption Recruitment Campaign and a related Recruitment Response Support Initiative. The project is expected to plan, develop, and implement a multimedia national recruitment campaign designed to educate and motivate adults in the U.S. to adopt from foster care, using clear and accurate information about foster care and the adoption process. The campaign is meant to build on the National Adoption Campaign that began in 2004 and includes creating a donated public service campaign strategy and producing new multi-media outreach materials each year. These products can include public service announcements for television and radio as well as print and social media materials. Beyond creating media, the project must also help states, tribes, and territories access and use modern recruitment tools and improve how they respond to inquiries so prospective parents receive timely, customer-friendly engagement rather than delays or confusing handoffs.
The opportunity also funds operation of a National Adoption and Foster Care Information Exchange System, designed to raise public awareness and support recruitment efforts nationwide. A key feature of this system is a 24-hour, nationwide, toll-free communications network that can respond to questions from prospective foster/adoptive parents and the general public. Services must be available in English and Spanish and also accessible for people who speak other languages or who need communication accommodations. This information-exchange role includes supporting and conducting public awareness activities tied to National Adoption Month and coordinating with organizations involved in National Foster Care Month, helping ensure messaging and outreach are consistent and widely distributed.
In addition, the AdoptUSKids project must promote adoptive and foster family support activities by developing and sharing practical information, strategies, and effective or evidence-based models that states, tribes, and territories can implement. The emphasis is on supports that help families not only start fostering or adopting, but stay engaged and supported over time. The project is also expected to highlight innovative approaches such as communities of practice, peer-to-peer technical assistance, and leadership training that strengthen and sustain adoptive and foster parent support groups.
A separate but related set of responsibilities focuses on capacity building for diligent recruitment and retention. This includes providing limited constituency services and broadly disseminating tools and resources that help child welfare agencies improve their recruitment pipelines and retention outcomes. The focus areas called out in the notice include photolisting practices, recruitment media, customer service for prospective parents, and ongoing family support activities. In practice, this means the national project should act as a clearinghouse and technical support hub, translating best practices into usable products and guidance that agencies can adopt.
Finally, the opportunity includes continuing the Minority Professional Leadership Development (MPLD) program in the adoption field. The grant recipient is expected to support ongoing development, capacity building, and implementation of MPLD efforts that strengthen minority leadership within adoption and child welfare workforces, helping broaden representation and leadership pipelines in the field.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a cooperative agreement, which typically means substantial federal involvement in shaping or collaborating on the work during the project period rather than a hands-off grant. The notice lists an award ceiling of $6,900,000 and anticipates a single award. Eligibility is broad and includes various levels of government (state, local, tribal), public and private higher education institutions, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit entities (including small businesses), and other applicants as described in the full eligibility guidance. The opportunity was posted April 28, 2022, with an original closing date of June 27, 2022, and applications were required to be submitted electronically by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the due date.Apply for HHS 2022 ACF ACYF CO 0095
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - ACYF/CB in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "AdoptUSKids" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.652.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 28, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 27, 2022 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 pm Eastern Standard Time on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $6,900,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the AdoptUSKids grant opportunity (HHS 2022 ACF ACYF CO 0095)?
The AdoptUSKids grant opportunity (HHS 2022 ACF ACYF CO 0095) is a discretionary cooperative agreement administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), through ACYF/Children's Bureau. It is intended to fund a single national project that supports child welfare agencies in recruiting and retaining foster and adoptive parents for children and youth in public foster care.
What is the main goal of this funding?
The central aim is to operate a national partner project that helps states, tribes, and U.S. territories recruit and keep foster and adoptive parents. The project combines public-facing services, national recruitment efforts, information exchange, and capacity-building support to improve recruitment, approval, and long-term retention outcomes for families.
How many awards are expected under this opportunity?
The notice anticipates a single award to fund one national project.
What is the maximum funding amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed in the notice is $6,900,000.
What type of award is this (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
This opportunity is a cooperative agreement. That typically indicates substantial federal involvement during the project period, meaning the federal agency may collaborate with or help shape the work rather than taking a hands-off approach.
Who is the funding agency?
The funding agency is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), through ACYF/Children's Bureau.
Who does the project serve?
The national project is designed to support states, tribes, and U.S. territories and their child welfare agencies, with the broader goal of benefiting children and youth in public foster care by connecting them with foster and adoptive families.
What does it mean that this is a "single national project"?
It means one funded organization is expected to operate at a national scale and function as a partner to child welfare agencies across the country, rather than multiple organizations each running smaller, separate projects.
What core services is the funded organization expected to operate?
The funded organization is expected to run core public-facing services, including web-based, media-based, and phone-based information services. It is also expected to strengthen recruitment and customer response systems and share proven strategies that improve recruitment, approval, and retention of families.
What is the National Adoption Internet Photolisting Service?
It is the national photolisting service hosted through AdoptUSKids.org. A major portion of the work is maintaining and improving this service, including ongoing website management and close coordination with state, tribal, and territorial partners to support listing eligible children and youth.
What work is expected for AdoptUSKids.org beyond basic website maintenance?
The notice emphasizes continuous quality, coordination, and outcomes. Expectations include active coordination with every state, tribe, and territory, use of best practices and quality improvement standards, and ensuring photolistings are accurate, ethical, timely, and effective.
What is meant by ensuring photolistings are accurate, ethical, timely, and effective?
Based on the notice, the funded organization is expected to apply best practices and quality improvement standards so that listings meet quality expectations (for example: correct and current information, appropriate presentation, and processes that support effective recruitment outcomes).
Is coordination required with all states, tribes, and territories?
Yes. The opportunity specifies active coordination with every state, tribe, and territory to support listing eligible children and youth and to ensure photolisting practices align with best practices and quality improvement standards.
What is the National Adoption Recruitment Campaign?
It is a major project component focused on planning, developing, and implementing a multimedia national recruitment campaign to educate and motivate adults in the U.S. to adopt from foster care, using clear and accurate information about foster care and the adoption process.
Does the campaign build on an existing national effort?
Yes. The campaign is meant to build on the National Adoption Campaign that began in 2004.
What types of campaign materials are expected?
The project is expected to create a donated public service campaign strategy and produce new multi-media outreach materials each year. Examples listed include television and radio public service announcements, as well as print and social media materials.
What is the Recruitment Response Support Initiative?
It is a related initiative that focuses on helping states, tribes, and territories access and use modern recruitment tools and improve how they respond to inquiries, so prospective parents receive timely, customer-friendly engagement rather than delays or confusing handoffs.
What problem is the Recruitment Response Support Initiative intended to address?
Based on the description, it is intended to improve inquiry response and customer service for prospective foster/adoptive parents, reducing delays and unclear handoffs and improving the overall experience for people seeking to take the next step.
What is the National Adoption and Foster Care Information Exchange System?
It is an information-exchange component designed to raise public awareness and support recruitment efforts nationwide, including a communications network that can respond to questions from prospective foster/adoptive parents and the general public.
Is there a required phone-based capability?
Yes. A key feature is a 24-hour, nationwide, toll-free communications network to respond to questions.
What languages and accessibility requirements apply to the communications network?
Services must be available in English and Spanish, and also accessible for people who speak other languages or who need communication accommodations.
What public awareness activities are included in the information-exchange role?
The project includes supporting and conducting public awareness activities tied to National Adoption Month, and coordinating with organizations involved in National Foster Care Month to help ensure messaging and outreach are consistent and widely distributed.
What is expected regarding adoptive and foster family support activities?
The project must promote adoptive and foster family support by developing and sharing practical information, strategies, and effective or evidence-based models that states, tribes, and territories can implement, with an emphasis on helping families stay engaged and supported over time.
What kinds of support approaches are specifically highlighted?
The notice highlights innovative approaches such as communities of practice, peer-to-peer technical assistance, and leadership training intended to strengthen and sustain adoptive and foster parent support groups.
What does "capacity building for diligent recruitment and retention" involve?
It involves providing limited constituency services and broadly disseminating tools and resources that help child welfare agencies improve recruitment pipelines and retention outcomes. Focus areas called out include photolisting practices, recruitment media, customer service for prospective parents, and ongoing family support activities.
What is meant by "limited constituency services" in this context?
Based on the notice language, it refers to a bounded level of direct support services offered to relevant stakeholders, alongside broader dissemination of tools and resources. The specific limits are not detailed in the provided summary.
What does it mean for the project to act as a clearinghouse and technical support hub?
It means the national project is expected to collect, translate, and disseminate best practices into usable tools, products, and guidance that agencies can adopt, serving as a central resource for recruitment, response, photolisting, and family support improvements.
What is the Minority Professional Leadership Development (MPLD) program?
It is a program in the adoption field that the funded organization is expected to continue, supporting development, capacity building, and implementation efforts that strengthen minority leadership within adoption and child welfare workforces.
What is the purpose of continuing MPLD under this award?
The purpose is to help broaden representation and strengthen leadership pipelines in adoption and child welfare by supporting minority leadership development.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes various levels of government (state, local, tribal), public and private higher education institutions, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit entities (including small businesses), and other applicants as described in the full eligibility guidance.
Is nonprofit 501(c)(3) status required?
No. The eligibility description includes nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status.
Are for-profit organizations allowed to apply?
Yes. The eligibility description includes for-profit entities, including small businesses.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on April 28, 2022.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date listed was June 27, 2022.
How were applications required to be submitted?
Applications were required to be submitted electronically.
What was the application deadline time zone and cutoff time?
Applications were due by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the due date.
What geographic scope does the work cover?
The work is national in scope, supporting states, tribes, and U.S. territories and operating nationwide public-facing components such as a national website presence, national recruitment campaign activity, and a 24-hour nationwide toll-free communications network.
What are the major components of work described in the opportunity?
The major components described include: maintaining and improving the National Adoption Internet Photolisting Service on AdoptUSKids.org; running a multimedia National Adoption Recruitment Campaign and supporting improved recruitment response systems; operating a National Adoption and Foster Care Information Exchange System with 24-hour toll-free coverage; promoting adoptive and foster family support models and activities; providing capacity-building tools and limited constituency services focused on diligent recruitment and retention; and continuing the Minority Professional Leadership Development (MPLD) program.
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