The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Children Trust Michigan has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to increase community-based efforts that help prevent child abuse and neglect for at-risk families.

Proposals should support strengths-based programs that build upon the five Strengthening Families Protective Factors.

The Direct Service Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Program supports local or statewide public, private or nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and federally recognized tribes or a group of federally recognized tribes or Urban Indian Health Centers with community-based, secondary prevention programs and services designed to promote strong, nurturing families and prevent child abuse and neglect. Organizations currently receiving funding for a direct service program are eligible to apply only if they meet the requirements in Section II.6 program requirements of the RFP document. Only applications that establish new programs or add dimensions or components to existing programs are eligible for funding.

A total of $400,000 is available, with a maximum award of $80,000 per grantee. MDHHS anticipates issuing up to five awards.

Priority will be given to applications that propose one or more of the following:

• Program/curriculum is evidence-based/evidenced-informed.
• Offers participants parent education, peer support, and training opportunities.
• Demonstrates community collaboration.

Examples of other child abuse prevention programs that could be funded under this opportunity but not limited to:

• Parent Cafés.
• Parenting Education.
• Fatherhood Initiatives.
• Respite Care/Crisis Nurseries.
• Family Resource Centers.
• Kinship Care.

Project director requests to get access to the application are due by 5 p.m., Wednesday, April 24. Grant applications must be submitted electronically through EGrAMS by 3 p.m., May 1. The program period begins Oct. 1, 2024, and ends Sept. 30, 2025. Successful applications may be awarded continuing funding based on funding availability and performance.

A pre-application conference will be held to discuss this funding opportunity and provide instruction on using the EGrAMS system at 9 a.m., Thursday, March 21, and will last approximately 90 minutes. The webinar can be accessed at https://bit.ly/3ux28I3. At the conclusion of the conference, this link can be used to access the recording of this webinar.

Any questions concerning the content of this RFP must be sent via email to childrentrustmichigan@michigan.gov by Monday, March 25. Questions may be discussed verbally at the pre-application conference. MDHHS will compile all relevant questions and answers and post these as well as any other clarifications or revisions to the initial RFP by Monday, April 1, 2024, on the EGrAMS website.

For more information or to apply, visit the EGrAMS website and select "About EGrAMS" link in the left panel to access the "Competitive Application Instructions" training manual. The complete RFP can be accessed under the ‘Current Grants’ section under the “Children Trust Michigan” link and selecting the “DS-2025” grant program.