Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2026 ACF OCS ET 0029
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS) is offering a discretionary funding opportunity to create and operate Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Communities of Practice (CoP) through six (6) cooperative agreements that will run for three years. The notice has been modified to update the program office contact information (email address and phone number) in the Contacts and Support section, but the core purpose remains the same: to strengthen the CSBG Network by providing structured, specialized training and technical assistance (TTA) that helps CSBG grantees and partners improve outcomes for people with low incomes.
Under this opportunity, OCS will fund six separate CoPs that bring together CSBG-funded states, territories, and tribes along with CSBG state associations and local CSBG-eligible entities. The CoPs are meant to function as practice-based learning and support groups where participants can adopt and scale what works. A central expectation is that the TTA is not one-size-fits-all. Instead, it must reflect real differences across communities and systems, such as regional context, jurisdictional level (state, county, city, tribal), demographics, socioeconomic conditions, and available community resources. Applicants are expected to use evidence-informed TTA models tailored to the specific CoP they will lead and to build approaches that participants can realistically replicate across multiple sites.
Each award recipient will be responsible for capacity-building within their assigned grouping of CSBG partners, with a clear emphasis on developing scalable, evidence-informed interventions that improve earned income, employment stability, and asset development for families with low incomes. The work is intended to go beyond isolated program improvements and focus on coordinated service delivery and systems alignment, meaning stronger connections among agencies and providers, clearer referral pathways, and better-integrated supports that help families move toward economic security.
The TTA content and strategies are also expected to address key barriers to economic mobility at the community level. This includes practical support related to education and workforce development, transportation challenges that limit access to jobs and training, and access to safe and stable housing. The housing focus explicitly aligns with the administrative priority "A Home for Every Child," signaling that housing stability is viewed as foundational to long-term economic progress. In addition, each CoP is expected to invest in partnerships that strengthen data-driven decision-making and the underlying infrastructure needed to improve service delivery. This includes improving reporting and compliance capacity and taking steps that reduce the risk of fraud, waste, and abuse across the CSBG Network.
Awards will be made as cooperative agreements, which generally indicates substantial federal involvement during the project period (for example, close collaboration, shared planning, and ongoing coordination with OCS). The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $725,000 and anticipates making six total awards. The application deadline is August 24, 2026, and the funding is associated with Assistance Listing/CFDA number 93.569 under the broad activity area of income security and social services.
Eligibility is grounded in the CSBG Act (Section 678A(c)(2), 42 U.S.C. 9913(c)(2)). Eligible applicants include CSBG-eligible entities and statewide or local organizations or associations that can demonstrate expertise in training individuals and organizations on effective methods for addressing the needs of families and communities with low incomes. The notice also states that faith-based and community organizations may apply if they meet eligibility requirements. However, applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from merit review and funding consideration. The eligible applicant types listed in the source information are broad and include various levels of government, tribes and tribal organizations, public housing authorities, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), institutions of higher education (public and private), and for-profit organizations (including small businesses), among others, as long as the applicant meets the program-specific eligibility requirements described above.
Overall, the grant is designed to strengthen the operational and strategic capacity of the CSBG Network by funding organizations that can convene peers, deliver high-quality and adaptable TTA, promote evidence-informed and scalable solutions, and build the data and compliance infrastructure needed to improve results for families while protecting program integrity.Apply for HHS 2026 ACF OCS ET 0029
- The Administration for Children and Families - OCS in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Communities of Practice (COP)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.569.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-07-24.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-08-24. (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 $725,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this funding opportunity?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS) to create and operate Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Communities of Practice (CoPs) through cooperative agreements.
2) What is the main purpose of the project?
The purpose is to strengthen the CSBG Network by providing structured, specialized training and technical assistance (TTA) that helps CSBG grantees and partners improve outcomes for people with low incomes.
3) How many awards will be made?
OCS anticipates making six (6) total awards.
4) How long is the project period?
The cooperative agreements will run for three years.
5) What type of award is this?
Awards will be made as cooperative agreements, which generally indicates substantial federal involvement during the project period (for example, close collaboration, shared planning, and ongoing coordination with OCS).
6) What is the maximum award amount?
The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $725,000.
7) What is the application deadline?
The application deadline is August 24, 2026.
8) What is the Assistance Listing/CFDA number?
The funding is associated with Assistance Listing/CFDA number 93.569.
9) What is the broad activity area for this funding?
The opportunity is under the broad activity area of income security and social services.
10) What are CSBG Communities of Practice (CoPs) expected to do?
The CoPs are intended to function as practice-based learning and support groups where participants can adopt and scale what works. They convene CSBG partners and support peer learning, shared problem-solving, and the spread of evidence-informed approaches.
11) Who is expected to participate in the CoPs?
CoPs are expected to bring together CSBG-funded states, territories, and tribes along with CSBG state associations and local CSBG-eligible entities.
12) How many CoPs will be funded under this opportunity?
OCS will fund six separate Communities of Practice.
13) Is the training and technical assistance (TTA) supposed to be standardized across all communities?
No. A central expectation is that TTA will not be one-size-fits-all. It must reflect differences across communities and systems, including regional context, jurisdictional level (state, county, city, tribal), demographics, socioeconomic conditions, and available community resources.
14) What kind of TTA models are applicants expected to use?
Applicants are expected to use evidence-informed TTA models tailored to the specific CoP they will lead and to build approaches that participants can realistically replicate across multiple sites.
15) What outcomes should the capacity-building efforts focus on?
Each award recipient is responsible for capacity-building with an emphasis on scalable, evidence-informed interventions that improve earned income, employment stability, and asset development for families with low incomes.
16) Is the work intended to focus only on individual programs?
No. The work is intended to go beyond isolated program improvements and focus on coordinated service delivery and systems alignment, such as stronger connections among agencies and providers, clearer referral pathways, and better-integrated supports that help families move toward economic security.
17) What community-level barriers to economic mobility should the TTA address?
The TTA content and strategies are expected to address key barriers including education and workforce development needs, transportation challenges that limit access to jobs and training, and access to safe and stable housing.
18) How does housing fit into the priorities of this opportunity?
The housing focus explicitly aligns with the administrative priority "A Home for Every Child," signaling that housing stability is viewed as foundational to long-term economic progress.
19) Are award recipients expected to build partnerships around data and infrastructure?
Yes. Each CoP is expected to invest in partnerships that strengthen data-driven decision-making and the infrastructure needed to improve service delivery.
20) Does the opportunity include expectations related to reporting, compliance, and program integrity?
Yes. The work includes improving reporting and compliance capacity and taking steps that reduce the risk of fraud, waste, and abuse across the CSBG Network.
21) What is the statutory basis for eligibility?
Eligibility is grounded in the CSBG Act (Section 678A(c)(2), 42 U.S.C. 9913(c)(2)).
22) Who is eligible to apply under the program-specific eligibility description?
Eligible applicants include CSBG-eligible entities and statewide or local organizations or associations that can demonstrate expertise in training individuals and organizations on effective methods for addressing the needs of families and communities with low incomes.
23) Can faith-based or community organizations apply?
Yes. The notice states that faith-based and community organizations may apply if they meet eligibility requirements.
24) Are individuals eligible to apply?
No. Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) are not eligible and will be disqualified from merit review and funding consideration.
25) Are foreign entities eligible to apply?
No. Applications from foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from merit review and funding consideration.
26) What types of organizations are listed as potentially eligible applicant types (if program-specific requirements are met)?
The eligible applicant types listed are broad and include various levels of government, tribes and tribal organizations, public housing authorities, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), institutions of higher education (public and private), and for-profit organizations (including small businesses), among others, as long as the applicant meets the program-specific eligibility requirements described in the notice.
27) What does it mean that this notice was modified?
The notice has been modified to update the program office contact information (email address and phone number) in the Contacts and Support section, while the core purpose of the opportunity remains the same.
28) What is the overall goal for the CSBG Network through these awards?
The overall goal is to strengthen the operational and strategic capacity of the CSBG Network by funding organizations that can convene peers, deliver high-quality and adaptable TTA, promote evidence-informed and scalable solutions, and build the data and compliance infrastructure needed to improve results for families while protecting program integrity.
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| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Essentials for Improved Outcomes Apply for HHS 2026 ACF OCS ET 0030 Funding Number: HHS 2026 ACF OCS ET 0030 Agency: Administration for Children and Families - OCS Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $600,000 |
| Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Tribal Capacity Building Training and Technical Assistance (TCBTTA) Apply for HHS 2026 ACF OCS ET 0028 Funding Number: HHS 2026 ACF OCS ET 0028 Agency: Administration for Children and Families - OCS Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Performance Management, Data Collection, and Compliance Support Apply for HHS 2026 ACF OCS ET 0031 Funding Number: HHS 2026 ACF OCS ET 0031 Agency: Administration for Children and Families - OCS Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $650,000 |
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