Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Innovation Awards for Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program

NOTE: Multiple applications from an organization are not allowable.  Any eligible applicant can submit only one application in response to this FOA.  Where appropriate, eligible applicants may elect to collaborate with each other to jointly develop, implement, and evaluate proposed innovation.  HRSA supports such an approach when it appropriately increases efficiency and scale of proposed innovations.  In these cases, the application must be submitted by one eligible applicant that proposes to contract with other eligible applicant(s) to jointly develop, implement, and evaluate innovation.  These collaborative proposals must include innovations that are expected to benefit and contribute to the project objectives of every collaborating eligible applicant.  It is feasible that one eligible applicant may apply for funds to develop, implement and evaluate the innovation and appear as a proposed subcontractor on a separate application for a different proposed innovation.  NOTE: No two applications should intentionally propose identical projects.

Applicants must not submit an application with a budget request exceeding $2,000,000 for the single eligible applicant to develop, implement, and evaluate innovation.

However, if the proposal reflects a collaboration of two or more eligible applicants (wherein one eligible applicant proposes to contract with other eligible applicant(s) to jointly develop, implement, and evaluate innovation), the applicant may not submit an application with a budget request exceeding $4,000,000.

NOTE: Multiple applications from an organization are not allowable.  Any eligible applicant can submit only one application in response to this FOA.  Where appropriate, eligible applicants may elect to collaborate with each other to jointly develop, implement, and evaluate proposed innovation.  HRSA supports such an approach when it appropriately increases efficiency and scale of proposed innovations.  In these cases, the application must be submitted by one eligible applicant that proposes to contract with other eligible applicant(s) to jointly develop, implement, and evaluate innovation.  These collaborative proposals must include innovations that are expected to benefit and contribute to the project objectives of every collaborating eligible applicant.  It is feasible that one eligible applicant may apply for funds to develop, implement and evaluate the innovation and appear as a proposed subcontractor on a separate application for a different proposed innovation.  NOTE: No two applications should intentionally propose identical projects.

Applicants must not submit an application with a budget request exceeding $2,000,000 for the single eligible applicant to develop, implement, and evaluate innovation.

However, if the proposal reflects a collaboration of two or more eligible applicants (wherein one eligible applicant proposes to contract with other eligible applicant(s) to jointly develop, implement, and evaluate innovation), the applicant may not submit an application with a budget request exceeding $4,000,000.

For the purpose of this FOA, an innovation is defined as a process, product, strategy, or practice that improves (or is expected to improve) significantly upon the outcomes reached with current/status quo options and that can ultimately reach widespread effective usage.  Approximately $18,000,000 is expected to be available to fund approximately 10 recipients.  Applicants may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $2,000,000 for a single eligible applicant to develop, implement, and evaluate innovation.  If the proposal reflects a collaboration of two or more eligible applicants (wherein one eligible applicant proposes to contract with other eligible applicant(s) to jointly develop, implement, and evaluate innovation), the applicant may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $4,000,000. 

Innovations proposed and/or implemented under this FOA must not compromise or conflict with the recipient’s compliance with program requirements to ensure fidelity of implementation of evidence-based or promising approach home visiting service delivery models.  Applicants must secure written prior approval from the national model developer(s) in order to ensure that any proposed innovation does not alter model core components (submit as Attachment 7) and is eligible for funding under this FOA.  Fidelity is defined as a recipient’s adherence to model developer requirements for high-quality implementation as well as any applicable affiliation, certification, or accreditation required by the model developer, if applicable.  Prior to implementation, the model developer and HRSA must determine that the enhancement does not alter the core components related to program outcomes, and HRSA must determine it to be aligned with MIECHV program requirements.

Goals

The goals of the MIECHV program are to: (1) strengthen and improve the programs and activities carried out under Title V of the Social Security Act; (2) improve coordination of services for at-risk communities; and (3) identify and provide comprehensive services to improve outcomes for eligible families[1] who reside in at-risk communities.

The goal of this funding opportunity is to develop, implement and evaluate innovations that strengthen and improve the delivery of MIECHV-funded coordinated and comprehensive high-quality voluntary early childhood home visiting services to eligible families, subject to the limitations described in this announcement.

Objectives

The objectives of this MIECHV program competitive funding opportunity are to:

Develop and implement innovations[2] that strengthen and improve the delivery of MIECHV-funded coordinated and comprehensive high-quality voluntary early childhood home visiting services to eligible families and that are expected, based on evidence of promise[3] or strong theory,[4] to demonstrate improvement in one or more of the following program priority areas:

Recruitment, engagement, and retention of eligible families to MIECHV-funded home visiting programs,

Development and retention of a trained, highly skilled MIECHV-funded home visiting workforce,

Coordination of MIECHV-funded home visiting programs with community resources and supports,[5] including comprehensive statewide and/or local early childhood systems,[6] such as child health, behavioral health, and human services systems, and

Implementation of effective continuous quality improvement processes in MIECHV-funded home visiting programs.

Contribute to advances in knowledge about the development and implementation of innovations that enable delivery of coordinated and comprehensive high-quality voluntary early childhood home visiting services to eligible families through:

Evaluation, and

Dissemination of knowledge gained to all MIECHV formula recipients.

[1] Under Social Security Act, Title V, Section 511(k)(2), “[t]he term “eligible family” means— (A)  a woman who is pregnant, and the father of the child if the father is available; or (B) a parent or primary caregiver of a child, including grandparents or other relatives of the child, and foster parents, who are serving as the child’s primary caregiver from birth to kindergarten entry, and including a noncustodial parent who has an ongoing relationship with, and at times provides physical care for, the child.

[2] For the purpose of this FOA, an innovation is defined as a process, product, strategy, or practice that improves (or is expected to improve) significantly upon the outcomes reached with current/status quo options and that can ultimately reach widespread effective usage.  (See Appendix B for citation.)

[3] Evidence of promise means there is empirical evidence to support the theoretical linkage between at least one critical component and at least one relevant outcome presented in the logic model for the proposed process, product, strategy, or practice.  (See Appendix B for citation.)

[4] Strong theory means a rationale for the proposed process, product, strategy, or practice that includes a logic model.  Additionally, the rationale should reflect a theory of change, which is a detailed hypothesis about specific changes we expect will result from implementing a new strategy. Carefully articulated theories of change provide roadmaps, which can continue to be refined and tested, for guiding decisions about program design and evaluation. They also help innovators test and identify what works for certain populations and not for others, which can inform both the scaling of specific strategies and the search for new ideas.  (See Appendix B for citation.)

[5] Social Security Act, Title V, Section 511(d)(3)(B).

[6] An early childhood system brings together health, early care and education, and family support program partners, as well as community leaders, families, and other stakeholders to achieve agreed-upon goals for thriving children and families. An early childhood system aims to: reach all children and families as early as possible with needed services and supports; reflect and respect the strengths, needs, values, languages, cultures, and communities of children and families; ensure stability and continuity of services along a continuum from pregnancy to kindergarten entry; genuinely include and effectively accommodate children with special needs; support continuity of services, eliminate duplicative services, ease transitions, and improve the overall service experience for families and children; value parents and community members as decision makers and leaders; and catalyze and maximize investment and foster innovation.