Unaccompanied Alien Children Program

The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Unaccompanied Alien Children Bureau has six Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) under this program, which delineate the different types of care for Unaccompanied Alien Children: Shelter and Transitional Foster Care (Shelter/TFC), Heightened Supervision Facilities (HSF), Long-Term Foster Care (LTFC), Therapeutic Group Home, Residential Treatment Center, and Home Study and Post-Release Services.

Care providers for all categories need to be licensed or obtain a license prior to accepting dependent children into their care. Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity. Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity.

Beneficiaries for all NOFOs are unaccompanied alien children, up to 18 years of age, who are in Federal custody by reason of their immigration status.

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. In addition, ACF may elect to not allow a prime recipient to subaward if there is any indication that they are unable to properly monitor and manage subrecipients. Applications may be funded in whole or in part. Successful applicants may be funded at an amount lower than requested.

Other. From 120 to 200 days. Deadlines for applications are noted in NOFOs. It is anticipated that the approval/disapproval time will not exceed 120 days in urgent situations and will not exceed 200 days in normal application situations.