The Office of Community Services (OCS) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) plans to issue a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for a cooperative agreement for the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Legal Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA) Center.

Since 2013,

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OCS has awarded cooperative agreements focusing on expanding the capacity and ability of CSBG-eligible entities resolving concerns related to legal matters.

The CSBG Legal T/TA Center cooperative agreement has contributed to the long-term capacity of State Agencies and local CSBG-eligible entities by increasing accountability and organizational performance through legal T/TA.

This FOA is intended to support a 3-year effort for the CSBG Legal T/TA Center to provide continued supportive T/TA strategies for organizational assessment that can be utilized by State Agencies and local CSBG-eligible entities to encourage a culture of success, transparency, and partnerships.

By design, T/TA efforts will identify and focus on organizational, fiscal, and legal matters concerning the organizational standards in the following areas:
consumer input and involvement, community engagement, community assessment, leadership, board governance, strategic planning, human resource management, financial operations and oversight, and data and analysis.

This cooperative agreement will support the implementation of T/TA strategies designed for State Agencies and CSBG-eligible entities to help address legal issues in three major focus areas:
(1) providing organizational stability and support for CSBG-eligible entities experiencing significant fiscal or organizational challenges, including consultation focused on entities that are considering legal options for strategic restructuring, shared administrative or service arrangements, or mergers; (2) providing education and training to enhance general knowledge and understanding of CSBG statutory and regulatory requirements and the ability to address changing legal and regulatory issues affecting State Agencies and local CSBG-eligible entities in the CSBG Network; and (3) promoting exemplary legal practices and policies related to organizational approaches that help promote innovation, accountability, and responsiveness to specific community needs related to the reduction of poverty, the revitalization of low-income communities, and the empowerment of low-income families and individuals in rural and urban areas to become fully self-sufficient.