Evaluations of Practices for Program Integrity and Fraud Prevention

The Evaluations of Practices for Program Integrity and Fraud Prevention program supports partnerships between CCDF Lead Agencies and research organizations to identify promising strategies to prevent fraud and waste and examine how well these efforts work. A key goal of this program is to share promising practices with other states, territories, and Tribes and to guide child care policy decisions and program improvement efforts to improve program integrity and reduce waste and fraud, including through improved data systems.Projects must be conducted through partnerships between CCDF Lead Agencies (i.e., states, territories, or Tribes) and researchers from institutions of higher education, state agencies, research organizations, and/or other organizations with expertise in policy research. Partnership teams are expected to work collaboratively throughout all phases of the project to ensure that the research addresses CCDF Lead Agency priorities and aligns with ACF priorities. These collaborations should be mutually beneficial, provide high-quality evidence to inform policy decisions, and build capacity for policy-relevant research. Partnerships will also strengthen the field"s ability to produce and use rigorous research to inform child care policies. Teams are expected to participate in a research consortium, attend ACF-sponsored meetings, and share research findings.

These awards intended to fund collaborative research projects between a CCDF Lead Agency and their research partner(s) (e.g., institutions of higher education, research organizations, and other organizations with proven expertise conducting policy and evaluation research). Therefore, eligible applicants may be either the CCDF Lead Agency or research partner organizations. CCDF Lead Agencies can partner on multiple applications for funding under this award program; however, it is unlikely that a lead agency would receive more than one award as the award recipient or as the partner. This also applies to research partner organizations, such that organizations may submit multiple applications as the research partner, but an organization is unlikely to receive more than one award as the award recipient or as the partner. 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 for awards under this funding opportunity.