The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is offering a funding opportunity titled "Prevention Services Evaluation Partnerships: Supporting Adoptive Families," aimed at supporting research to evaluate programs that assist adoptive families at risk of disruption or dissolution. This initiative seeks proposals for rigorous evaluations, such as randomized control trials, focusing on services related to mental health, substance abuse prevention, in-home parent training, or kinship navigation, with an emphasis on partnerships between researchers, Title IV-E agencies, and community organizations. The total funding available for this opportunity is $1.8 million, with individual awards ranging from $900,000 to $1.8 million, and applications are due by September 8, 2025. Interested applicants can reach out to Alysia Blandon at psep@acf.hhs.gov for further information.

HHS-2025-ACF-OPRE.pdf

The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) HHS-2025-ACF-OPRE-FA-0101, issued by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, seeks to support research on programs that aid adoptive families facing disruption or dissolution risks. The funding amount is up to $1.8 million, with a minimum award of $900,000, intended for a four-year project period. Eligible applications can be submitted from various organizations, excluding individuals or foreign entities.

The evaluation must use rigorous methods, such as randomized control trials, to assess the effectiveness of services related to mental health, substance abuse prevention, in-home parent training, or kinship navigation. Award recipients are expected to engage in close collaboration with designated agencies and maintain transparency throughout the evaluation process.

A key requirement is that all proposals must be in line with the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse standards for evidence support, focusing on measurable outcomes. Applicants must demonstrate capacity for effective engagement with various stakeholders and develop a detailed dissemination plan for research findings. Applications are due by September 8, 2025, emphasizing proper registrations in SAM.gov and Grants.gov before submission. This funding opportunity aligns with the ongoing Federal initiatives to stabilize and support families within adoption frameworks, aiming to prevent further entry into foster care systems.

The Prevention Services Evaluation Partnerships: Supporting Adoptive Families funding opportunity supports research (summative randomized control trial or quasi-experimental evaluation) to evaluate programs that help adoptive families at risk of disruption or dissolution that may result in foster care placements. This funding opportunity focuses on partnerships between researchers, Title IV-E agencies, and community entities with experience working with adopted children, foster children or children in kinship care. The evaluation will focus on mental health, substance abuse prevention and treatment, in-home parent skill-based, or kinship navigator programs or services. The award recipient must conduct a randomized control trial or a similar evaluation that meets the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse (the Clearinghouse) Design and Execution Standards for Moderate or High Support of Causal Evidence. To be considered eligible, the program or service being evaluated must already be prepared for rigorous research, such as having completed earlier evaluations. The recipient can gather and analyze new data or use existing data for the proposed evaluation. ACF is especially interested in evaluations of programs or services that are eligible for review by the Clearinghouse but are not yet rated, or those rated as &quot;does not currently meet criteria&quot;. The award recipient must also work closely with federal staff and the current PSEP cohort throughout the evaluation. This funding opportunity is planned to have a four-year project period with one budget period. For further information about OPRE, see https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre.

Alysia Blandon&lt;br/&gt;psep@acf.hhs.gov

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