Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2026 ACF ACYF CT 0062
The Fingerprinting Infrastructure Modernization for Child Welfare grant (HHS 2026 ACF ACYF CT 0062) is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the Administration for Children and Families, Children and Youth Services/Children's Bureau, focused on one practical bottleneck in child welfare: slow fingerprint-based background checks that delay licensing and approval of kinship, foster, and adoptive caregivers. The core purpose is to help state and tribal child welfare agencies upgrade and expand the tools and processes used to capture fingerprints and move background checks through the system faster, so children can be placed more quickly into safe, stable family settings rather than waiting longer in temporary or less appropriate placements.
The program is designed around infrastructure and workflow modernization. Funding is aimed at expanding access to fingerprinting services by purchasing and deploying mobile fingerprinting capabilities as well as office-based Live Scan stations. Mobile equipment is intended to bring fingerprint collection to where families are, including during home visits or other field-based licensing activities, while office-based stations strengthen capacity in licensing offices and other agency locations. A key theme is integration: fingerprint collection should be embedded into existing child welfare workflows (for example, aligning fingerprinting with routine home study steps or licensing appointments) so it becomes a seamless part of caregiver approval rather than an extra hurdle that requires additional travel, scheduling, or long waits.
In addition to equipment, the opportunity emphasizes system modernization efforts that reduce or eliminate barriers in the background check process. That can include improving how fingerprint submissions are initiated, transmitted, tracked, and reconciled; reducing handoffs and rework; and addressing administrative friction that slows down processing. The intent is not only speed, but also compliance with federal requirements and reduced administrative burden on both staff and applicants. In practice, this means agencies are encouraged to make changes that improve end-to-end efficiency and reliability, so fewer applications stall due to missing steps, scheduling constraints, limited appointment availability, or outdated processing methods.
The expected outcomes are explicitly measurable and centered on timeliness and capacity. A primary indicator is a significant reduction in turnaround time for fingerprint-based background checks, which directly affects how quickly a caregiver can be approved. As turnaround improves and fingerprinting access expands, the program anticipates a larger and more accessible pool of qualified caregivers, along with increased agency capacity to place children sooner into safe, stable, and nurturing homes. These changes are also intended to support placement stability by reducing unnecessary delays that can lead to interim placements or placement disruptions while approvals are pending.
This funding aligns with ACF's A Home for Every Child initiative by pairing targeted infrastructure investments with operational needs in child welfare systems. The broader rationale is that improving the speed and reliability of background check infrastructure strengthens the entire placement pipeline, supports timely family-based placements, and helps agencies recruit and retain more kinship, foster, and adoptive families by making the approval process less burdensome and more accessible.
Eligibility is limited to public child welfare agencies at the state and tribal level: State IV-E agencies and Tribal IV-B/IV-E agencies are the primary intended applicants. The eligible applicant categories listed include state governments and federally recognized tribal governments, with additional eligible entities possible under the "others" category as defined in the full announcement. Individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from merit review. Faith-based and community organizations may be eligible if they meet the stated eligibility requirements in the funding opportunity, but the opportunity is fundamentally geared toward governmental child welfare systems responsible for licensing and placement functions.
Key administrative details include an application deadline of August 31, 2026, an award ceiling of $200,000 per award, and an estimated 20 awards. The program is listed under CFDA 93.648 and falls within the Income Security and Social Services funding activity category, reflecting its role in strengthening child welfare service delivery through targeted modernization investments.Apply for HHS 2026 ACF ACYF CT 0062
- The Administration for Children and Families - ACYF/CB in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fingerprinting Infrastructure Modernization for Child Welfare" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.648.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-07-31.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-08-31. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Fingerprinting Infrastructure Modernization for Child Welfare grant?
It is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Children and Youth Services/Children's Bureau. The opportunity is identified as HHS 2026 ACF ACYF CT 0062.
What problem is this grant trying to solve?
The grant targets a practical bottleneck in child welfare: slow fingerprint-based background checks that can delay licensing and approval of kinship, foster, and adoptive caregivers. These delays can keep children waiting longer for safe, stable family placements.
What is the main purpose of the funding?
The core purpose is to help state and tribal child welfare agencies upgrade and expand fingerprinting tools and processes so fingerprint-based background checks move through the system faster, enabling timelier caregiver approvals and quicker placements of children into appropriate family settings.
What kinds of projects does the grant support?
The program is designed around infrastructure and workflow modernization. Supported efforts include expanding fingerprinting access and modernizing processes that reduce barriers and friction across the background check workflow.
What equipment purchases are specifically mentioned as allowable or expected uses?
The opportunity explicitly highlights purchasing and deploying mobile fingerprinting capabilities and office-based Live Scan stations to strengthen and expand fingerprint capture capacity.
What is the difference between mobile fingerprinting capabilities and office-based Live Scan stations under this program?
Mobile equipment is intended to bring fingerprint collection to where families are (such as during home visits or other field-based licensing activities). Office-based Live Scan stations strengthen capacity at licensing offices and other agency locations by increasing onsite fingerprint capture availability.
How does the grant expect fingerprinting to fit into existing child welfare workflows?
A key theme is integration. Fingerprint collection should be embedded into existing workflows (for example, aligned with routine home study steps or licensing appointments) so it becomes a seamless part of caregiver approval rather than an added hurdle requiring extra travel, scheduling, or long waits.
Beyond buying equipment, what kinds of system or process improvements does the grant emphasize?
The opportunity emphasizes modernization efforts that reduce or eliminate barriers in the background check process. Examples described include improving how fingerprint submissions are initiated, transmitted, tracked, and reconciled; reducing handoffs and rework; and addressing administrative friction that slows processing.
Is the goal only to speed up background checks?
No. While timeliness is central, the intent also includes supporting compliance with federal requirements and reducing administrative burden for staff and applicants by improving end-to-end efficiency and reliability.
What outcomes are expected from funded projects?
Expected outcomes are measurable and centered on timeliness and capacity. The primary indicator is a significant reduction in turnaround time for fingerprint-based background checks. The program also anticipates expanded fingerprinting access, a larger and more accessible pool of qualified caregivers, and increased agency capacity to place children sooner into safe, stable, and nurturing homes.
How does this grant relate to placement stability for children?
By reducing unnecessary delays in caregiver approvals, the modernization supported by this funding is intended to reduce interim placements and potential placement disruptions that can occur while approvals are pending, thereby supporting more stable placement pathways.
How does the opportunity align with ACF priorities?
This funding aligns with ACF's A Home for Every Child initiative by pairing targeted infrastructure investments with operational needs in child welfare systems to strengthen the placement pipeline and make the approval process less burdensome and more accessible.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to public child welfare agencies at the state and tribal level. The primary intended applicants are State IV-E agencies and Tribal IV-B/IV-E agencies. Eligible applicant categories listed include state governments and federally recognized tribal governments, with additional eligible entities possible under the "others" category as defined in the full announcement.
Are individuals or sole proprietorships eligible to apply?
No. Individuals (including sole proprietorships) are not eligible and will be disqualified from merit review.
Are foreign entities eligible to apply?
No. Foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from merit review.
Are faith-based or community organizations eligible?
Faith-based and community organizations may be eligible if they meet the stated eligibility requirements in the funding opportunity. However, the opportunity is fundamentally geared toward governmental child welfare systems responsible for licensing and placement functions.
What is the application deadline?
The application deadline is August 31, 2026.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $200,000 per award.
How many awards does the agency expect to make?
The opportunity estimates approximately 20 awards.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The program is listed under CFDA 93.648.
What funding activity category does this opportunity fall under?
It falls within the Income Security and Social Services funding activity category, reflecting its focus on strengthening child welfare service delivery through targeted modernization investments.
What is the practical benefit to kinship, foster, and adoptive families?
The practical benefit described is expanded access to fingerprinting (including mobile options) and fewer workflow barriers, which can reduce extra travel, scheduling difficulties, and long waits that can slow caregiver approval.
What is the practical benefit to child welfare agencies?
The grant is intended to increase capacity by improving fingerprint capture availability and streamlining background check workflows, reducing administrative burden, minimizing stalled applications, and improving the overall reliability and efficiency of the end-to-end process.
What types of delays or bottlenecks does the grant specifically mention addressing?
The opportunity points to applications stalling due to missing steps, scheduling constraints, limited appointment availability, and outdated processing methods, and encourages modernization that reduces these issues.
Is this grant focused on child welfare licensing and placement functions?
Yes. The entire framing of the opportunity centers on fingerprint-based background checks that affect licensing and approval of caregivers and the timeliness of placing children into safe, stable family settings.
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