National Center on Child Maltreatment Fatality Data Practices and Reporting

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Administration for Children and Families and the Children’s Bureau, has released a funding opportunity for the National Center on Child Maltreatment Fatality Data Practices and Reporting. The grant program seeks to address the persistent issue of inconsistent, incomplete, and delayed reporting on child maltreatment fatalities across states and jurisdictions. The initiative aims to enhance state and local capacity for accurate identification, classification, and reporting of child maltreatment-related fatalities, aligning with federal statutory requirements and supporting broader child welfare system improvements:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to establish a national center that will provide leadership, resources, and technical assistance to improve data practices related to child maltreatment fatalities. The center will promote evidence-informed approaches and standardized methodologies for data collection, analysis, and reporting. This will ensure that states and child welfare systems have reliable information to inform prevention strategies, strengthen interagency collaboration, and advance national efforts to reduce and ultimately prevent child fatalities due to abuse and neglect:contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}. The scope of the award encompasses developing a comprehensive framework for states to align their child maltreatment fatality data practices with federal requirements, such as the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). The center will work with stakeholders including child welfare agencies, medical examiners, law enforcement, public health officials, and community organizations. Funds must be directed toward activities that build capacity for accurate reporting, establish consistent definitions, and provide training and technical support. Unallowable costs include activities unrelated to program purposes or duplication of existing federal reporting functions:contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}. Eligibility for this program includes a wide range of applicants: state governments, county and city governments, Native American tribal organizations, nonprofit organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, independent school districts, and other eligible entities. For-profit organizations, including small businesses, may also apply, though awards will not be used to support profit-making activities. The program specifically excludes individuals from eligibility:contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov, with a due date of January 22, 2026. No letter of intent, concept paper, or pre-application requirement is listed, but applicants must meet all federal registration requirements prior to submission. The application package requires a detailed project narrative, budget, and supporting documentation consistent with federal grant requirements. Proposals will be reviewed based on responsiveness to the program purpose, quality of the proposed framework and strategies, organizational capacity, and the strength of evaluation and sustainability plans:contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}. The award ceiling is $3,000,000, with an expected minimum award of $2,500,000, and the program anticipates issuing one award. No cost sharing or match requirement is imposed. Funding is provided on a cooperative agreement basis, meaning that substantial involvement from the federal agency is expected. This includes joint planning, progress monitoring, and collaboration between the awardee and federal staff throughout the project period. The anticipated start date for the award is September 30, 2026, with an initial project period of 60 months:contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}. Applicants with questions may contact the designated program officer at the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families. Contact information is provided in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. Applicants are encouraged to carefully review all requirements and evaluation criteria outlined in the full announcement and to allow ample time to complete federal registrations and submission steps. The program represents a significant investment in advancing national capacity to accurately measure and ultimately reduce child fatalities due to maltreatment:contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.

Applicants should emphasize collaboration, clear data practices, and strong evaluation plans