ACF grants
ACF funds programs for children and families, including Head Start and Early Head Start, child care, child welfare, refugee resettlement and family violence prevention. Head Start grants go to local nonprofits, school districts, tribes and public agencies that run the program.
- Open now
- 2
- Upcoming
- 5
- Next deadline
- November 20, 2026
Open and forecast ACF opportunities
From Grants.gov, soonest deadline first.
- Closes20 NOV
Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5) SMART Grant
ACF · States, Others
This NOFO is modified. The webinar link was changed and the ECD website address changed. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), seeks applications for the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) SMART Grant: Strategic Measurement, Analytics, and Results using Technology. This f
- Closes01 OCT
Home Study and Post-Release Services for Unaccompanied Alien Children
ACF · Nonprofits, Counties, Private colleges, +12 more
This NOFO is modified. Changes are made to Step 1: Review the Opportunity. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) provides temporary housing and care for children who arrive in the United States alone. These are children who are under 18 years old, don't have legal permission to be in the U.S., and don't have a parent or legal guardian in the U.S. who can
- Expected08 DEC
Residential Services for Unaccompanied Alien Children
ACF · Housing authorities, Special districts, Tribal organizations, +11 more
The Residential Services for Unaccompanied Alien Children funding opportunity is intended to support organizations that can provide high-quality, child-centered care that promotes children's safety and well-being. Funded providers must offer services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and have the capacity to accept children at any time, when it is safe to do so
- Expected15 DEC
Early Head Start Expansion and Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership Grants in Multiple States
ACF · For-profits, Private colleges, Counties, +10 more
This forecast has been modified to update the Estimated Total Funding and the states where a funding opportunity is available. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Head Start (OHS), announces a competitive notice of funding opportunity to provide high-quality, comprehensive services to pregnant women, low-income infants and toddlers
- Expected15 DEC
Head Start/Early Head Grants in Multiple States
ACF · Others, States, Housing authorities, +10 more
This forecast has been modified to update the Estimated Total Funding. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Head Start (OHS), announces a competitive notice of funding opportunity to provide high-quality Head Start Preschool (HSP) and Early Head Start (EHS) services for low-income children and families. This funding opportunity advan
- Expected02 MAR
Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program: Development and Implementation Grants
ACF · Tribes, Tribal organizations, Others
The Office of Early Childhood Development (ECD) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) will be soliciting applications for the Fiscal Year 2027 Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program: Development and Implementation Grants. Funds will support 5-year cooperative agreements between ACF and federally recogn
- Expected10 MAR
Human Trafficking Youth Prevention Education (HTYPE) Demonstration Program
ACF · Others
The purpose of the HTYPE Demonstration Program is to fund local education agencies (LEAs) to establish, expand, and support programs to educate school staff to recognize and respond to signs of human trafficking and to provide age-appropriate information to students on how to avoid becoming victims of human trafficking. LEAs, with the support of a nonprofit
Where ACF grant money went in 2025
Awards from October 2024 to September 2025, from USAspending.gov.
| Program (Assistance Listing) | Awarded |
|---|---|
| Temporary Assistance for Needy Families 93.558 | $17 billion |
| Head Start 93.600 | $12 billion |
| Child Care and Development Block Grant 93.575 | $8.6 billion |
| Child Support Enforcement 93.563 | $4.6 billion |
| Low-Income Home Energy Assistance 93.568 | $4.1 billion |
| Foster Care Title IV-E 93.658 | $4 billion |
| Adoption Assistance 93.659 | $3.1 billion |
| Refugee and Entrant Assistance State/Replacement Designee Administered Programs 93.566 | $2.6 billion |
| Recipient | Awarded |
|---|---|
| Southwest Key Programs INC | $672 million |
| Compass Connections | $508 million |
| Catholic Charities Diocese of Fort Worth Endowment, INC. | $273 million |
| U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, INC. | $243 million |
| Los Angeles County Office of Education | $202 million |
| Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service INC | $197 million |
| Lutheran Social Services of the South, INC | $131 million |
| Neighborhood House Association | $97 million |
Questions
When is the next ACF grant deadline?
The next deadline is November 20, 2026 for Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5) SMART Grant.
How do I apply for a ACF grant?
Register your organization in SAM.gov to get a Unique Entity ID, create a Grants.gov account, then find the opportunity and submit before its deadline. Some agencies finish the application in their own system, such as JustGrants, eRA Commons or Research.gov.
Can individuals get ACF grants?
Rarely. Federal grants go mostly to organizations: nonprofits, local governments, tribes, schools, colleges and, in research programs, small businesses. Help for individuals usually comes through state and local agencies.
Do I have to pay to apply for a grant?
No. Real grant programs never charge to apply or to receive an award. Anyone asking for a fee before you get grant money is running a scam.