The Primary Prevention Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program

The Primary Prevention Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau. The program is authorized under Section 1110 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 1310, and is supported by Social Services Research and Demonstration funding. Its purpose is to evaluate and support evidence-based strategies that prevent a first episode of homelessness among youth and young adults ages 12 through 26, help younger youth attain permanency, and prepare youth for self-sufficiency. The program focuses particularly on populations with a high likelihood of homelessness or housing instability, including youth at risk of human trafficking, youth with substance abuse or mental health issues, and youth transitioning out of foster care, juvenile justice, or residential behavioral health systems. Projects must focus on primary prevention by reducing risk factors and strengthening protective factors before a homelessness crisis occurs. Recipients are expected to develop or enhance coordinated systems for screening, assessment, and referrals; identify populations at risk of homelessness; develop a comprehensive Primary Prevention Plan; and implement evidence-based prevention strategies for youth and their families. Projects must promote cross-system collaboration and may involve education, public health, behavioral and mental health, child welfare, employers, family support, substance abuse treatment, domestic violence, human trafficking, crisis intervention, law enforcement, courts, juvenile justice, legal services, and public benefits partners. Funded projects operate in two phases: a six-month planning phase followed by an 18-month implementation phase. The Primary Prevention Plan developed during Phase 1 must be submitted to FYSB for review and approval before implementation. ACF expects approximately 7,000,000 dollars in total program funding and 14 cooperative agreement awards. Individual awards are expected to range from 350,000 dollars to 500,000 dollars. The award provides full funding for a 24-month project period with one budget period, and non-competing continuation awards will not be issued. Cost sharing is required, with a minimum required share of 1.00 dollar, which may be met through cash or in-kind contributions. Recipients that commit more than the minimum must provide the amount promised. Costs that are not allowed include construction, purchase of real property, major renovation, pre-award costs, abortion-related services including referrals, specified drug-related harm reduction activities, and other activities identified as prohibited by the NOFO. Recipients may use an approved indirect cost rate or, when eligible, elect a de minimis rate of up to 15 percent of modified total direct costs. Prime recipients must retain a substantive role in the project rather than functioning primarily as a conduit for subawards. Eligible applicants include state agencies, tribes, counties, cities, other units of local government, and community-based organizations. Faith-based and community organizations meeting the eligibility requirements may receive awards. Individuals, including sole proprietorships, federal entities, and foreign entities are not eligible. Applications requesting more than the 500,000 dollar award ceiling, applications received after the deadline, applications from an expressly ineligible entity, and paper applications submitted without a previously approved exemption will not be considered. Subrecipients must meet the eligibility requirements of the NOFO and obtain a Unique Entity Identifier through SAM.gov. Applications must normally be submitted electronically through Grants.gov, and applicants must maintain the required SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations. The application consists of two files plus required standard forms. File one includes a table of contents, one-page project summary, project narrative, and line-item budget and budget narrative. The narrative addresses Purpose and Need, Objectives, Approach, Phase 1 Planning, Phase 2 Implementation, a logic model, performance evaluation, expected outcomes, organizational capacity, third-party agreements, oversight of federal funds, sustainability, and protection of sensitive information. File two contains applicable supporting materials, including an indirect cost agreement, legal proof of organizational status, organizational capacity information, third-party agreements, and the required ACF priorities alignment attestation. The combined page limit for files one and two is 75 pages. Required Grants.gov forms include the Project Abstract Summary, SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, Key Contacts, Grants.gov Lobbying form, SF-LLL when applicable, and SF-P/PSL. Applications passing the initial responsiveness review are evaluated through a merit review totaling 110 points. Purpose and Need is worth 5 points, Impact is worth 20 points, Response is worth 40 points, organizational capacity, third-party agreements, and oversight are worth 20 points, Budget is worth 10 points, Sustainability is worth 5 points, and alignment with ACF priorities is worth 10 points. Selection may also consider service to emerging, unserved, or underserved populations, geographic distribution, past performance, compliance with applicable funding restrictions, and alignment with agency priorities. Awardees must participate in a federally sponsored evaluation, cooperate with the technical assistance provider, participate in required training and learning activities, and submit semiannual performance and financial reports. The application deadline, as modified on August 14, 2026, is August 31, 2026. Electronic applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, while applicants with an approved paper-submission exemption must submit by 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The expected project start date was also modified to November 1, 2026. No required letter of intent, concept paper, pre-proposal, or other pre-application gating submission is stated, and the NOFO does not state that the opportunity recurs on a regular schedule. Successful applicants receive an official Notice of Award through the grant system or by email to the authorized official. The program contact is Chris Holloway at Christopher.Holloway@acf.hhs.gov or 202-205-9560. The grants management contact is Sarah Viola at Sarah.Viola@acf.hhs.gov or 202-401-4832.

Use the required headings and order; keep the combined narrative and attachments within 75 pages and follow formatting rules because excess or noncompliant pages may be removed before merit review. Emphasize the 40-point Response criterion, especially Phase 1 planning, youth collaboration, contributing factors, and evidence-based primary prevention strategies. Define measurable objectives and outcomes, connect the logic model to prevention outcomes, and provide a concrete performance evaluation and continuous improvement plan. Demonstrate organizational experience, third-party commitments, federal funds oversight, sustainability, and a necessary, well-justified budget including required training and meeting travel. Explicitly connect program design, implementation, measures, and evaluation to applicable ACF priorities, especially Promoting Work and Self-Sufficiency. Submit through Grants.gov early enough to pass validation checks; do not encrypt, zip, or password-protect files.