Fingerprinting Infrastructure Modernization for Child Welfare

The Fingerprinting Infrastructure Modernization for Child Welfare grant is administered by the Administration for Children and Families through the Administration on Children, Youth and Families and its Children’s Bureau. This federal initiative is designed to support state and tribal child welfare agencies in improving the infrastructure that underpins fingerprint-based background checks. The program is aligned with broader federal priorities focused on child safety, permanency, and well-being, particularly through the A Home for Every Child initiative, which seeks to ensure that children are placed quickly into safe and stable family environments. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to modernize and expand fingerprinting capabilities used in the screening of prospective caregivers. Delays in background checks have been identified as a significant barrier to timely placement of children into foster, kinship, or adoptive homes. By investing in both mobile fingerprinting units and office-based Live Scan systems, the program aims to reduce turnaround times, increase efficiency, and improve the overall capacity of agencies to approve caregivers. The program emphasizes measurable outcomes, including faster processing times and an expanded pool of qualified caregivers. Funding under this opportunity supports a defined set of activities. Applicants are expected to conduct a gap analysis to identify deficiencies in current systems, procure and deploy new fingerprinting equipment or services, establish performance metrics to measure improvements, and develop sustainability plans to maintain enhancements beyond the grant period. Allowable uses of funds include equipment procurement, system deployment, staff training, and process improvements. However, funds may not be used for construction, real property acquisition, or major renovations. Additionally, certain policy restrictions prohibit the use of funds for activities related to diversity, equity, inclusion initiatives or gender ideology, as specified in federal guidance. Eligibility for this program is limited to State IV-E agencies and Tribal IV-B or IV-E agencies. Individuals, foreign entities, and federal agencies are not eligible to apply. Faith-based and community organizations may participate only if they meet the core eligibility requirements. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, although voluntary contributions may be included but are not considered in the evaluation process. Applicants must also demonstrate compliance with federal administrative requirements and alignment with agency priorities, including evidence-based practices and strong fiscal stewardship. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov, following registration with both SAM.gov and Grants.gov systems. Applicants must prepare two primary files: a narrative document including project description, budget, and supporting materials, and a set of attachments including certifications and agreements. Standard federal forms such as the SF-424 and SF-424A are also required. Applications must adhere to strict formatting and page limits, and must include detailed descriptions of project need, implementation strategy, expected outcomes, and organizational capacity. Applications are evaluated through a merit-based review process with scoring criteria that include purpose and need, response strategy, anticipated impact, organizational capacity, budget justification, and alignment with federal priorities. Awards are expected to support a two-year project period, with funding decisions influenced not only by scores but also by geographic distribution, service to underserved populations, and prior performance. Successful applicants will receive a Notice of Award outlining terms and conditions, and must comply with ongoing reporting and administrative requirements. The application deadline for this funding opportunity is August 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time, with an expected project start date of September 30, 2026. Approximately 20 awards are anticipated, with individual awards ranging from 50000 to 200000 dollars and a total program funding level of 4000000 dollars. Applicants are encouraged to begin registration processes early due to potential delays. Program contacts are available for both technical and programmatic assistance, including a general program email and phone support for applicants seeking clarification during the application process.

Focus on measurable outcomes, demonstrate clear gap analysis, align strongly with ACF priorities, and provide detailed implementation and sustainability plans