[Federal Register: March 26, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 58)]
[Notices]               
[Page 14716]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26mr98-87]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families

 
Notice of Program Announcement No. ACF/ACYF 98-04; Fiscal Year 
1998 Discretionary Announcement for Early Head Start; Availability of 
Funds and Request for Applications

AGENCY: Administration on Children, Youth and Families, ACF, DHHS.

ACTION: Notice of FY 1998 Early Head Start availability of financial 
assistance and request for applications.

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SUMMARY: The Administration on Children, Youth and Families announces 
financial assistance to be competitively awarded to local public and 
non-profit private entities--including Early Head Start and Head Start 
grantees--to provide child and family development services for low-
income families with children under age three and pregnant women. Early 
Head Start programs provide early, continuous, intensive and 
comprehensive child development and family support services on a year-
round basis to low-income families. The purpose of the Early Head Start 
program is to enhance children's physical, social emotional, and 
intellectual development; to support parents' efforts to fulfill their 
parental roles; and to help parents move toward self-sufficiency.
    The funds available will be competitively awarded to eligible 
applicants to operate Early Head Start programs in unserved or 
underserved areas.
    Grants will be competitively awarded: (1) to eligible applicants, 
including current Head Start and Early Head Start grantees, to operate 
Early Head Start programs in geographic areas not currently served by 
existing Early Head Start programs; and (2) to existing Early Head 
Start grantees for the purpose of expanding enrollment in underserved 
areas within their current service areas.

DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications is 4:30 p.m. EDT on 
June 25, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
A copy of the program announcement and necessary application forms can 
be obtained by contacting: Early Head Start, Administration on 
Children, Youth and Families Operations Center, 1225 Jefferson Davis 
Highway, Suite 415, Arlington, VA 22202. The telephone number is 1-800-
351-2293. The fax number is 1-703-416-6077.
    Copies of the program announcement can be downloaded from the Head 
Start web site at: www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/hsb.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Eligible Applicants

    Applicants eligible to apply to become an Early Head Start program 
are public agencies and private non-profit agencies. Early Head Start 
and Head Start grantees are eligible to apply.

Project Duration

    Awards will be on a competitive basis and will be for a one-year 
period. The project period will be for five years.

Federal Share of Project Costs

    Grantees that operate Early Head Start programs must, in most 
instances, provide a non-Federal contribution of at least 20 percent of 
the total approved costs of the project.

Available Funds

    Approximately $70 million is available to fund programs that will 
serve at least 10,000 children.

Anticipated Number of Projects to be Funded

    It is estimated that up to 100 project will be funded.

Statutory Authority

    The Head Start Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: NUmber 93.600, Head 
Start.

    Dated: March 19, 1998.
Carol W. Williams,
Acting Deputy Commissioner, Administration on Children, Youth and 
Families.
[FR Doc. 98-7837 Filed 3-25-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M