Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2026 ACF ECD YJ 0058
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is offering a discretionary funding opportunity called Evaluations of Practices for Program Integrity and Fraud Prevention (HHS 2026 ACF ECD YJ 0058; CFDA 93.575). The purpose is to fund real-world evaluation projects that help Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Lead Agencies identify, test, and understand strategies that reduce fraud, waste, and misuse in child care subsidy programs. The emphasis is not just on trying new integrity approaches, but on producing credible evidence about what actually works, under what conditions, and how those practices can be adopted or improved across other states, territories, and Tribal CCDF programs. ACF also highlights the role of stronger data systems in improving oversight, detection, and prevention of improper payments and related integrity risks.
Projects must be carried out as formal partnerships between a CCDF Lead Agency (a state, territory, or Tribe that administers CCDF) and a research partner with demonstrated policy research and evaluation expertise. Research partners can come from public or private institutions of higher education, research organizations, state agencies, nonprofits, or for-profit organizations with relevant experience. The partnership model is central to the grant: teams are expected to collaborate throughout the full project lifecycle, from selecting the integrity issue to study, to designing the evaluation, to interpreting findings in ways that are directly useful for agency decision-making. ACF is looking for collaborations that are mutually beneficial, generate high-quality evidence for program and policy decisions, and strengthen long-term capacity to produce and use rigorous research in the child care field.
This opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning ACF expects an active federal role during the project, not just a hands-off grant. Awardees should anticipate ongoing coordination requirements, including participation in a research consortium, attendance at ACF-sponsored meetings, and active sharing of results and lessons learned. The broader goal is to ensure that effective integrity and fraud-prevention practices do not remain isolated within a single jurisdiction, but can be communicated clearly and responsibly to other CCDF programs and incorporated into continuous improvement efforts nationwide.
Either party in the partnership may serve as the applicant and potential award recipient: the CCDF Lead Agency itself or the research partner organization can submit the application. CCDF Lead Agencies are allowed to participate in multiple applications, and research organizations may also participate in multiple submissions, but ACF signals that it is unlikely any single lead agency or research partner will ultimately receive more than one award, whether as the primary recipient or as a partner. Individuals, including sole proprietorships, and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from review. Faith-based and community organizations are eligible as long as they meet the standard eligibility requirements.
Funding details indicate an expected 12 awards, with an award ceiling of $425,000 per award. Eligible applicant types are broad and include various government entities (county, city/township, special districts), independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private higher education institutions, federally recognized Tribal governments and other Tribal organizations, public/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, among others. The application deadline listed is September 8, 2026, and the opportunity was created on August 10, 2026. Overall, the program is aimed at helping CCDF administrators and researchers jointly build practical evidence on fraud and waste prevention strategies, improve program integrity operations (often through better data and monitoring), and spread proven approaches across the child care subsidy landscape.Apply for HHS 2026 ACF ECD YJ 0058
- The Administration for Children and Families in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Evaluations of Practices for Program Integrity and Fraud Prevention" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.575.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-08-10.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-09-08. (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 $425,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: 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 called?
The opportunity is titled Evaluations of Practices for Program Integrity and Fraud Prevention.
2) Which federal agency is offering this grant?
It is offered by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF).
3) What is the opportunity number and program identifier?
The opportunity is listed as HHS 2026 ACF ECD YJ 0058 and CFDA 93.575.
4) What is the main purpose of the funding?
The purpose is to fund real-world evaluation projects that help Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Lead Agencies identify, test, and understand strategies that reduce fraud, waste, and misuse in child care subsidy programs.
5) Is the focus on implementing new practices, or evaluating them?
The emphasis is on producing credible evidence about what works, under what conditions, and how effective practices can be adopted or improved across other CCDF programs. The goal is not only to try new approaches, but to evaluate them rigorously and generate actionable findings.
6) What types of issues or strategies are in scope?
Projects should center on program integrity and fraud prevention in CCDF child care subsidy programs, including strategies aimed at reducing fraud, waste, misuse, and improper payments. ACF also highlights strengthening data systems to improve oversight, detection, and prevention of integrity risks.
7) Who must be involved in a project?
Projects must be conducted as a formal partnership between:
- a CCDF Lead Agency (a state, territory, or Tribe that administers CCDF), and
- a research partner with demonstrated policy research and evaluation expertise.
8) What organizations can serve as the research partner?
Research partners may come from public or private institutions of higher education, research organizations, state agencies, nonprofits, or for-profit organizations, as long as they have relevant experience and demonstrated evaluation expertise.
9) Why is the partnership model emphasized?
ACF expects the CCDF Lead Agency and research partner to collaborate throughout the entire project lifecycle, including selecting the integrity issue to study, designing the evaluation, and interpreting findings so results are directly useful for agency decision-making. ACF is also aiming to strengthen long-term capacity to produce and use rigorous research in the child care field.
10) Who can submit the application (who is the applicant)?
Either party in the partnership may apply. The applicant and potential award recipient can be the CCDF Lead Agency or the research partner organization.
11) Can a CCDF Lead Agency participate in more than one application?
Yes. CCDF Lead Agencies are allowed to participate in multiple applications.
12) Can a research organization participate in more than one application?
Yes. Research organizations may participate in multiple submissions.
13) Will ACF fund multiple awards to the same lead agency or research partner?
ACF indicates it is unlikely that any single CCDF Lead Agency or research partner will receive more than one award, whether as the primary recipient or as a partner.
14) What type of award mechanism is this?
This is a cooperative agreement, meaning ACF expects to have an active federal role during the project rather than operating as a hands-off funder.
15) What does ACF’s “active federal role” mean in practice?
Awardees should anticipate ongoing coordination requirements such as participation in a research consortium, attendance at ACF-sponsored meetings, and active sharing of results and lessons learned.
16) What is the broader goal of sharing results?
ACF’s goal is to ensure effective integrity and fraud-prevention practices do not remain isolated in one jurisdiction. Findings should be communicated clearly and responsibly so other states, territories, and Tribal CCDF programs can incorporate proven approaches into continuous improvement efforts.
17) How many awards does ACF expect to make?
ACF expects to make 12 awards.
18) What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $425,000 per award.
19) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities, including various government entities (county, city/township, special districts), independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private higher education institutions, federally recognized Tribal governments and other Tribal organizations, public/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, among others.
20) Are individuals eligible to apply?
No. Individuals, including sole proprietorships, are not eligible and will be disqualified from review.
21) Are foreign entities eligible to apply?
No. Foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from review.
22) Are faith-based or community organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based and community organizations are eligible as long as they meet standard eligibility requirements.
23) What is the deadline to apply?
The application deadline listed is September 8, 2026.
24) When was this opportunity created (posted)?
The opportunity was created on August 10, 2026.
25) What makes a project a strong fit for this opportunity, based on the description?
Based on the information provided, a strong fit is a project that (1) focuses on CCDF program integrity and fraud prevention, (2) is designed as a real-world evaluation that produces credible, transferable evidence, (3) leverages a close partnership between a CCDF Lead Agency and an experienced evaluation partner, and (4) supports learning and dissemination so other CCDF programs can adopt or adapt what works, potentially including improvements in data systems and monitoring.
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