To promote school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of low-income children, including children on federally recognized reservations and children of migratory farm workers, through the provision of comprehensive health, educational, nutritional, social and other services; and

credit: Wikipedia

to involve parents in their children's learning and to help parents make progress toward their educational, literacy and employment goals.

Head Start also emphasizes the significant involvement of parents in the administration of their local Head Start programs.

Selected Recipients for this Program

Fiscal Year 2016: The Head Start program funded 915,603 early childhood slots in FY 2016. Fiscal Year 2017: We estimate that the Head Start program will fund 918,519 early childhood slots in FY 2017 that will provide comprehensive services to children and families. Fiscal Year 2018: We estimate that the Head Start program will fund 886, 319 early childhood slots in FY 2018 that will provide comprehensive services to children and families.

Uses and Use Restrictions

At least 90 percent of the enrollees in a program must be income eligible; i.e.

from families whose income is below the poverty line, from families receiving public assistance, from homeless families or children in foster care.

Programs may serve an additional 35 percent of participants with incomes up to 130 percent of poverty if they can demonstrate that they already are meeting the needs of children below the poverty line in the area served.

American Indian and Alaska Native programs may enroll additional over-income children if they enroll all children in their service area that are income eligible and predominantly serve children meeting the low income criteria.

Training and technical assistance grants are available to Head Start programs.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Any government, federally-recognized Indian tribe, or public or private nonprofit or for profit agency which meets the requirements may apply for a grant.

However, applications will be considered only when submitted in response to a specific announcement, published via the Internet at the following website address: http://www.grants.gov, which solicits proposals to expand Head Start/Early Head Start programs or establish new ones.

Grantee agencies may subcontract with other child-serving agencies to provide services to Head Start children.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Head Start/Early Head Start programs are for children from birth up to the age when the child enters the school system; however, Head Start programs only serve pre-school age children while Early Head Start programs serve children from birth through age three as well as pregnant women. The Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership programs are expanding access to high quality early learning and development opportunities for infants and toddlers from birth through age four. No less than 10 percent of each Head Start program's enrollment shall be for children with disabilities.

Credentials/Documentation

Nonprofit organizations must submit proof of nonprofit status. Applicable costs and administrative procedures will be determined in accordance with Part 75 as applicable of the Code of Federal Regulations. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is required.

Environmental impact information is not required for this program.

This program is eligible for coverage under E.O.

12372, 'Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.' An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedures

2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. The Office of Head Start will provide each applicant agency with a completed check list form showing exactly which items must be completed by each applicant and delegate agency.

Award Procedures

All funds are awarded directly to grantees. Funds for local Head Start/Early Head Start programs, including a portion of training and technical assistance funds, are awarded by the Office of Head Start's Regional Offices. Funds for the following are awarded by the Central Office of Head Start: American Indian and Alaskan Native programs; Migrant programs; research, demonstration and evaluation efforts and some training and technical assistance efforts.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Authorization

Head Start Act, as amended by the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 , Public Law 110-134, 42 U.S.C 9801.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

From 90 to 120 days. This, depending on the nature of the proposal, can vary considerably from 90 days to as much as several months.

Appeals

Grantees who are denied refunding may appeal adverse decisions to the HHS Departmental Appeals Board. There is no appeal for new grants denials.

Renewals

From 90 to 120 days. OHS Headquarters or Regional Offices will inform grantees of the application procedures for renewal.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory Formula: Title Head Start Act, as amended by the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007, Public Law 110-134. Section 640 of the Head Start Act is the statutory formula for how funds must be allocated. This same section also specifies the non-federal share match requirement. Matching Requirements: Percent: 20%. This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Funds are available for a 12-month budget period. Funds are released by monthly allowance on an Electronic Transfer System or by monthly check. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: by letter of credit.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Annual information on the types of children served and the services provided.

No cash reports are required.

No progress reports are required.

Semi-annual spending reports.

Every agency is monitored on different aspects of their program throughout their five-year grant.

New grantees are monitored after their first year in operation.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, non-Federal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503. The Uniform Guidance, applicable to Head Start, requires grantees that expend $750,000 or more during their fiscal year to have an annual audit. Additionally, the Office of Head Start provides the annual Head Start audit supplement, which includes Head Start-specific guidance and procedures. Lastly, there are also audit-type requirements associated with Head Start fiscal monitoring events.

Records

Grantee must maintain an accounting system adequate to meet the purposes of the grant. Requirements for records are found in 45 CFR Part 75 as applicable.

Financial Information

Account Identification

75-1536-0-1-506.

Obigations

(Project Grants) FY 16 $8,934,669,231; FY 17 est $9,370,695,880; and FY 18 est $9,004,301,298

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

156,000-165,235,000; 4,478,000.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

Chapter XIII of Title 45 Code of Federal Regulations, including 45 CFR 1301 - 1305. These are available on request at no charge.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices. Region I (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT): Marina Winkler, Regional Program Manager, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, Boston Regional Office, JFK Building, Rm. 2000, 15 New Sudbury Street, Boston, MA 02203. Telephone: (617) 565-1150. Region II (NJ, NY, PI, VI): Carolyn Baker-Goode, Regional Program Manager, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, New York Regional Office, 26 Federal Plaza, Room 4114, New York, NY 10278. Telephone: (212) 264-2890, ext. 173. Region III (DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV): Brenda Hewitt, Regional Program Manager, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, Philadelphia Regional Office, 150 S. Independence Mall West, Suite 864, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106-3499. Telephone: (215) 861-4048. Region IV (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN): Captain Robert Bailas, Regional Program Manager, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, Atlanta Regional Office, Atlanta Federal Center, 61- Forsyth Street, SW, Suite 4M60, Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8909. Telephone: (404) 562-2841. Region V (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI): Fran Majestic, Acting Regional Program Manager, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, Chicago Regional Office, 233 N. Michigan Ave. - Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60601. Telephone: (312) 353-7562. Region VI (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX): Kimberly Chalk, Regional Program Manager, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, Dallas Regional Office, 1301 Young Street, Room 914, Dallas, TX 75202. Telephone: (214) 767-8844. Region VII (IA, KS, MO, NE): Clarence Small, Regional Program Manager, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, Kansas City Regional Office, 601 East 12th Street, Rm. 276, Kansas City, MO 64106. Telephone: (816) 426-2275. Region VIII (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY) Deb Hedin, Regional Program Manager, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, Denver Regional Office, 1961 Stout Street, Suite 924, Denver, CO 80294. Telephone: (303) 844-1106. Region IX (AZ, CA, HI, NV): Jan Len, Regional Program Manager, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, San Francisco Regional Office, 90 ? 7th Street, Ninth Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103. Telephone: (415) 437-8447. Region X (AK, ID, OR, WA): Julianne Crevatin, Regional Program Manager, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, Seattle Regional Office, 2201 Sixth Avenue, room 610 - M/S RX-70, Seattle, WA 98121. Telephone: (206) 615-3661.

Headquarters Office

Colleen Rathgeb 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201, Washington, District of Columbia 20024 Email: colleen.rathgeb@acf.hhs.gov Phone: 202-205-7378

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Not Applicable.