Field-Initiated Approach to Addressing Racial Bias and Inequity in Child Welfare

For programmatic or technical questions:
Tracy Fields
888.203.6161
CB@grantreview.org

For grants management or budget questions:
Bridget Shea Westfall
888.203.6161
CB@grantreview.org

The Administration for Children and Families will provide Grants for the development, implementation, and evaluation of field-initiated approaches to addressing racial bias and inequity in child welfare; and improving the safety, stability, and well-being of families in traditionally underserved communities. Populations of focus include Black, Native American, Hispanic, and other marginalized children and families.

Program goals:

• Integrate the expertise of community members and establish meaningful roles for families and youth with lived expertise to develop or build upon innovative and effective strategies, activities, and solutions to address disproportionality, racial bias, and inequity in the child welfare system
• Explore and confirm the root cause and local drivers of racial bias and inequity in child welfare and its impact on families in specific communities
• Identify a point (or points) along the child welfare system continuum to focus innovative strategies or approaches to addressing disproportionality, racial bias, and inequity
• Develop opportunities to build equity and enhance the capacity of the child welfare system to reduce rates of racial disparities, including in investigation and surveillance
• Reduce racial disparities in family exposure to the existing child welfare system by identifying alternative resources, closing gaps in services and access, and developing community-based approaches to support safety and well-being
• Evaluate strategies and activities implemented using relevant research approaches, including methods to ensure the people who are the focus of the research are engaged in the process
• Enhance collaboration with those partners that are most appropriate for the project to address barriers for families most impacted by racial disparities in the child welfare system
• Improve relationships between communities and the child welfare system by changing child welfare norms and values, building trust and confidence, addressing bias in decision making, and improving actual and perceptions of fairness across the system

Eligible applicants are states, tribes, tribal organizations, public agencies, private agencies, organizations, or a combination of such entities.

Award ceiling: $500,000 per year
Award floor: $400,000 per year
Project period: 5 years
Estimated number of awards: 8
Estimated total program funding: $4,000,000

Links to the full announcement and online application process are available through grants.gov. The application instructions will be found on the related documents tab.