Refugee and Entrant Assistance_Targeted Assistance Grants

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Program Accomplishments

In FY 07, 43 grants were awarded. It is anticipated that 42 grants will be awarded in FY 08 and FY 09. For FY 07, ORR reviewed and weighted both the 5-year arrival population (FYs 2002 through 2006) for each county and the concentration of refugees within that county to determine its allocation for targeted assistance. FY 07 was the 3rd and final year of the qualification cycle. FY 2008 is the first year of a new qualification cycle. FY 2009 will be the second year of the qualification cycle.

Uses and Use Restrictions

Assistance is limited to employment-related and other social services for refugees, asylees, Amerasians, victims of a severe form of trafficking, and entrants, as defined in the authorizing Acts, supplemented by appropriate documentation provided to the refugee from the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), formerly INS.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

The State agency designated as responsible for the Refugee Resettlement Program is eligible to receive funding for assistance to counties and similar areas in States where, because of factors such as unusually large refugee or entrant populations, high refugee or entrant concentrations in relation to the overall population, and high use of public assistance by refugees, there exists a need for supplementation of available resources for services to refugees.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Persons admitted to the U.S. within the last 5 years as refugees under Section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act; granted asylum under Section 208 of the Act; Cuban and Haitian entrants, as defined in Section 501 of the Refugee Education Assistance Act; and certain Amerasians from Vietnam and their accompanying family members, as defined by Section 584(c) of the Foreign Relations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriation Act of 1988. Victims of a severe form of trafficking who have received a certified or letter of eligibility from ORR.

Credentials/Documentation

Persons for whom assistance is authorized are limited to refugees, asylees, and Amerasian immigrants with documentation from the BCIS as to their status and to Cuban and Haitian entrants with documentation from the BCIS as to status allowed under Title V of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980, and victims of a severe form of trafficking who have been certified by ORR. Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

None.

This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.

12372.

Application Procedures

States with qualifying counties must submit an application for funding in accordance with application requirements described in the annual notice of availability of formula allocation funding for targeted assistance grants. A State must submit a single application on behalf of all qualified counties in that State. Funding is contingent upon the submission and approval of a State application. Subsequent to the approval of the application by ORR, county governments develop local targeted assistance plans and submit them to the State.

Award Procedures

Grants are made to designated State agencies on behalf of qualifying counties. State agencies, in turn, receive, review, and determine the acceptability of individual county targeted assistance plans. Not less than 95 percent of targeted assistance funds must be allocated by the State to qualified counties.

Deadlines

The deadline for applications is 30 days from the date of publication of the final notice. Contact the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) listed below for further information.

Authorization

Immigration and Nationality Act, Section 412(c)(2), as amended; Refugee Assistance Extension Act of 1986, Public Law 99-605, 8 U.S.C. 1522(c); Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980, Section 501(a), Public Law 96-422, 8 U.S.C. 1522 note; Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 1988, Section 584(c), Public Law 100-202; Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 1989, Public Law 100-461; Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 1990, Public Law 101-167; Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 1991, Public Law 101-513; and Section 107(b)(1)(a) of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, Public Law 106-386.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Approximately 1 month.

Appeals

None.

Renewals

Grants are for an annual budget period and a 3-year project period. FY 06 was the second year of the 3-year grant cycle (FY 05 - FY 07). In FY 06, ORR reviewed and verified refugee data on arrivals, entrants and asylees data submitted by States and for counties that qualified for formula targeted assistance program (TAP) funds in FY 05. Counties qualified in FY 05 continues to qualify for TAP through FY 07. The new 3-year grant cycle will begin in FY 08 and ORR will begin the re-qualification process.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

The program provides funding, to the extent of available appropriations, for employment-related and other social services for eligible refugees, asylees, Amerasian immigrants, victims of a severe form of trafficking, and entrants. The formula for allocation is not established in legislation. Funds are distributed to States according to a formula which takes into account refugee, asylee, Amerasian, and entrant arrivals in the past five fiscal years. Targeted assistance funds must supplement, rather than supplant existing State and local resources. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, however, there is a 60-month limitation on the provision of targeted assistance services for refugees at 45 CFR 400.315(b).

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Funds are appropriated on a yearly basis. Payments to States are made through the Payment Management System (PMS).

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Quarterly expenditure and program performance (and related statistics) reports are provided by the State agency to ORR.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133."

Records

Separate financial records must be maintained by State agency for 3 years after final payment or of the time period for the particular records in Parts 1-20 of Federal Procurement Regulations, whichever expires earlier.

Financial Information

Account Identification

75-1503-0-1-609.

Obigations

(Grants) FY 07 $43,731,000; FY 08 $43,731,000; and FY 2009 est $43,731,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

TAG awards in FY 07 were in the range of $127,523 to $17,187,504; TAG awards in FY 2008 are estimated to be in the range of $127,000 to $17,000,000; and TAG awards in FY 2009 are estimated to be in the range of $127,000 to $17,000,000.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

45 CFR Subpart L-400.310 to 400.319. Various materials are available on request from the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services, Aerospace Building, 8th Floor West, Washington, DC 20447.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

Not applicable.

Headquarters Office

Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Budget, Policy, and Data Analysis, 8th Floor, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447. Contact: Henley Portner. Telephone: (202) 401-5363. E-mail address: Henley.Portner@acf.hhs.gov.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

A State with at least one qualifying county submits an application on behalf of the qualified counties in that State. Subsequent to the approval of the State's application by ORR, county governments develop local targeted assistance plans for its submission to the State.