Evaluations of Practices for Program Integrity and Fraud Prevention
This program funds collaborative evaluation research partnerships between CCDF Lead Agencies and research partners to test practices for preventing child care program fraud and waste, improving program integrity, and strengthening related data systems and policy decisions.
RESTRICTED TO: STATE LOCAL GOV · NONPROFITS
⚑ Cooperative agreement · Partnership required between a CCDF Lead Agency and a research partner · Applicants may be either the CCDF Lead Agency or the research partner organization · Foreign entities and individuals are ineligible and will be disqualified from review and funding; faith-based and community organizations eligible if they meet requirements of award notice
This is an education/social-services policy evaluation opportunity, and the team has a real institutional line in policy-relevant program evaluation. It is not their core domain of child care integrity/fraud, but Deven Carlson’s evaluation and policy-research expertise makes it a plausible fit for a collaborative PI role.
JUDGED AGAINST THE ROSTER'S PUBLICATION DOSSIER · GPT-5.4-MINI · 2026-08-11
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| IPPRA | 92 strong | evaluation research with education outcomes (core line, secondary); signature methods: policy analysis, surveys longitudinal; social/behavioral work is substantial; funds evaluation research |
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 50 partial | technical depth: substantial; funds evaluation research (capped) |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 10 none | deep-tech content; no commercialization signal |
Description
The Evaluations of Practices for Program Integrity and Fraud Prevention program supports partnerships between CCDF Lead Agencies and research organizations to identify promising strategies to prevent fraud and waste and examine how well these efforts work. A key goal of this program is to share promising practices with other states, territories, and Tribes and to guide child care policy decisions and program improvement efforts to improve program integrity and reduce waste and fraud, including through improved data systems.Projects must be conducted through partnerships between CCDF Lead Agencies (i.e., states, territories, or Tribes) and researchers from institutions of higher education, state agencies, research organizations, and/or other organizations with expertise in policy research. Partnership teams are expected to work collaboratively throughout all phases of the project to ensure that the research addresses CCDF Lead Agency priorities and aligns with ACF priorities. These collaborations should be mutually beneficial, provide high-quality evidence to inform policy decisions, and build capacity for policy-relevant research. Partnerships will also strengthen the field"s ability to produce and use rigorous research to inform child care policies. Teams are expected to participate in a research consortium, attend ACF-sponsored meetings, and share research findings.
Eligibility
These awards intended to fund collaborative research projects between a CCDF Lead Agency and their research partner(s) (e.g., institutions of higher education, research organizations, and other organizations with proven expertise conducting policy and evaluation research). Therefore, eligible applicants may be either the CCDF Lead Agency or research partner organizations. CCDF Lead Agencies can partner on multiple applications for funding under this award program; however, it is unlikely that a lead agency would receive more than one award as the award recipient or as the partner. This also applies to research partner organizations, such that organizations may submit multiple applications as the research partner, but an organization is unlikely to receive more than one award as the award recipient or as the partner. Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity. Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible for awards under this funding opportunity.
Apply
View on Grants.gov → CONTACT: Administration for Children and Families <Krystal.Awadalla@acf.hhs.gov>
Proposal brief SEE AN EXAMPLE →
A one-page internal memo: fit assessment, submission requirements, document scaffold, and next steps dated back from the deadline — tailored to your project idea if you add one.
Proposal shell · HHS services agencies (SAMHSA / HRSA / CDC / ACF) conventions SEE AN HHS EXAMPLE →
Funder-faithful document skeletons — HHS services agencies (SAMHSA / HRSA / CDC / ACF)'s document set with section headings, page limits, reviewer guidance, and writing prompts; add a project idea to get [DRAFT] starter bullets. Download as .md for Word or Overleaf.