Announcements

• Register now for the Child Care Bureau’s 14th Annual National American Indian and Alaska Native Child Care Conference, which will be held May 13-15, 2008 in Portland, Oregon.
• The Head Start Bureau announces the continuation of the National Head Start Facilities Assistance Desk.
• The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) releases the 2008 Tribal Resource Directory of ACF Programs (PDF).

Funding Opportunities

• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services is accepting applications for FY 2008 for Circles of Care IV: Infrastructure Development for Children’s Mental Health Systems in American Indian/Alaska Native Communities (Short Title: Circles of Care) grants. The purpose of this program is to provide tribal and urban Indian communities with tools and resources to plan and design a holistic, community-based system of care to support mental health and wellness for their children, youth, and families. In FY 2008, SAMHSA/CMHS is especially interested in projects that focus on improving the linkages between primary care and behavioral health. Details about the application process, eligibility, funding levels, and technical assistance for grant applicants can be found online at http://samhsa.gov/Grants/2008/sm_08_012.aspx. The application deadline is May 09, 2008.
• The ACF Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) announces the availability of funds for Child Care State Research Capacity cooperative agreements to support CCDF lead agencies' analyses of administrative data; data improvements, including linking data across programs; and measurement of the effects of CCDF on program outcomes. Eligible applicants are State, Territory, and Tribal governments. All applicants must address specific research questions; agree to attend and present information at the Annual Meeting of the Child Care Policy Research Consortium; archive final data sets and other research products with Research Connections; and provide a non-Federal share, through cash or in-kind contributions, of at least 20 percent of the total approved cost of the project. A Letter of Intent to apply for a cooperative agreement under this announcement is due by April 14, 2008; the complete application is due by May 13, 2008. Details about this funding opportunity can be found online at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2008-ACF-OPRE-YE-0031.html.
• The ACF Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) announces the availability of funds for Child Care Research Scholars grants to support dissertation research on child care policy issues in partnership with State Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) lead agencies. Eligible applicants are accredited public, State-controlled, and private institutions of higher education acting on behalf of doctoral-level graduate students including faith-based institutions of higher education; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCUs); Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs). Details about the specific goals of this grant program, research topics of particular interest to OPRE, award amounts, and application information can be found online at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2008-ACF-OPRE-YE-0010.html. A Letter of Intent to apply for the grant is due by April 14, 2008; the complete application is due by May 13, 2008.