INFORMATION MEMORANDUM  [See Attachment at the bottom]

TO: Head Start Grantee and Delegate Agencies

SUBJECT: Head Start Program Grant Application and Budget Instrument - Final Draft

INFORMATION: The Administration for Children and Families has developed a new standardized Head Start Grant Application and Budget Instrument, the final draft of which is attached. Head Start and Early Head Start agencies will use the new application to apply for their annual refunding, as well as for supplements and amendments to their grants. The application was developed after conducting nation-wide focus groups and extensive consultations with Head Start programs and ACF Regional Office personnel.

The application is intended to make the process of applying for Head Start grants simpler and more efficient. An important feature is that programs will submit a full application (project description, budget, and budget narrative) only in the first year of each three-year grant cycle. In the other two years, programs will submit a greatly abbreviated application.

We plan to provide applicants with pre-programmed data disks so they may submit applications via the internet to Regional Offices. We feel that this electronic submission capability will also enhance the efficiency of the application process.

After final approval of this new application by the Office of Management and Budget, your regional office will begin implementing three-year grant cycles for all grantees. We will provide you with copies of the final, approved Head Start Grant Application and Budget Instrument forms and additional information explaining when your program should actually begin to use the new forms.

You are invited to submit any comments you may have about the Grant Application and Budget Instrument to Kevin Costigan, ACF Room 2224, 330 'C' Street S.W., Washington, D.C. 20447. Comments must submitted by November 19, 1999.

/S/
Helen H. Taylor
Associate Commissioner

Attachment:
Grant Application to Continue a Head Start or Early Head Start Program Administration for Children and Families Department of Health and Human Services