Foster Care Title IV-E

The Title IV-E Foster Care program supports states, Indian tribes, tribal organizations and tribal consortia (tribes) to provide safe and stable out-of-home care for children under the jurisdiction of the state or tribal child welfare agency. The goal is to ensure children can return home safely or achieve permanency through or other planned permanent living arrangements.

Funds are available to states (including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa) and to tribes with approved Title IV-E plans. For plan development/implementation awards: Eligibility is limited to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and tribal consortia. The terms "Indian tribe" and "tribal organization" have the meanings given those terms in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, Pub. L. 93-638, 25 U.S.C. § 450b. Also see sections 479B(a) and 476(c)(2)(A)(iii) of the Social Security Act.

Children meeting eligibility criteria for the former Aid to Families with Dependent Children program (except up to a 12-month period for those children placed with a parent residing in a licensed residential family-based treatment facility for substance abuse treatment) whose removal and placement in foster care are in accordance with a voluntary placement agreement or judicial determinations to the effect that continuation in the home would be contrary to the child's welfare and that reasonable efforts were made to prevent the removal (or that such efforts were not necessary), and whose placement and care are the responsibility of the state or tribal agency administering the Title IV-E program.

Formula Awards: Quarterly awards are made on the basis of estimated expenditures that are later revised accordingly to include only actual allowable claimed expenditures. Next quarter estimates are due on July 30, October 30, January 30, and April 30 each year. Final decisions and awards are made by the headquarters office. Plan development/implementation awards: Each application is reviewed against four factors: eligibility, the application deadline, required electronic submission or waiver requested and approved, and the Award Ceiling. If the application does not meet all of these factors, then it is disqualified from the merit review process. After the initial review, applications are reviewed and evaluated by merit review panels using only the criteria described in the Application Review section of the NOFO. Each panel is composed of experts with knowledge and experience in the area under review. Generally, review panels include three reviewers and one chairperson. While merit review scores and their ranking are not binding, ACF does consider them when selecting projects for funding. Scores and rankings are only one element used in the award decision-making process. Other criteria are explained in the Program Description section and in the Application Review section of the NOFO. For example, ACF reserves the right to evaluate applications in the larger context of the overall portfolio by considering the geographic distribution of federal funds (e.g., ensuring coverage of states, counties, or service areas) in its pre-award decisions. ACF may elect not to fund applicants with management or financial problems that would indicate an inability to successfully complete the proposed project.

Formula awards: ACF approves or disapproves Title IV-E plans within 45 days of receipt.
Plan development/implementation awards: ACF approves or disapproves within 90 to 180 days.