National Refugee Leadership and Lived Experience Council Program | HHS 2024 ACF ORR RB 0060

FAQs: National Refugee Leadership and Lived Experience Council (NRLLEC) Program

1) What is the National Refugee Leadership and Lived Experience Council (NRLLEC) Program?

The NRLLEC Program is a new funding opportunity from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). It supports the creation and operation of national-level councils made up of refugees and other ORR-eligible populations who have resettled in communities across the United States within the past five years.

2) What is the purpose of the NRLLEC Program?

The program is designed to create structured, recurring spaces where people with recent lived experience of resettlement can develop leadership skills, connect with peers nationwide, and share firsthand perspectives about integration challenges and opportunities.

3) What is the primary goal of this opportunity?

The primary goal is to strengthen the leadership capacity of council members in ways that positively affect both the participants and their broader communities.

4) Who is the funder and administering agency for this opportunity?

The funder is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through ACF, specifically ORR (Office of Refugee Resettlement).

5) What kind of award is this?

This opportunity is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement. That means ORR is likely to have substantial involvement during the project period.

6) What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement with substantial involvement?

Based on how this opportunity is described, ORR expects to be actively involved during the project period rather than operating at a distance. The award type is explicitly identified as a cooperative agreement, which typically signals closer collaboration with the federal agency during implementation.

7) How long is the project period?

The project period is three years.

8) How many councils must be created and operated under this award?

Across the three-year project period, the recipient will design, implement, evaluate, and promote a total of five councils.

9) Is there a council that repeats each year?

Yes. A core repeating component is a National Young Adult Leadership Council that will be convened each year for three years.

10) Who can participate in the National Young Adult Leadership Council?

Members of the National Young Adult Leadership Council must be between ages 18 and 24.

11) Will there be other councils besides the young adult council?

Yes. In addition to the National Young Adult Leadership Council, the program will run two additional councils with themes chosen in consultation with ORR.

12) How are the themes for the additional councils decided?

The themes will be chosen in consultation with ORR, allowing ORR and the recipient to tailor council topics to emerging needs or priority issues affecting ORR-eligible communities.

13) What activities is the funded organization expected to carry out?

Over the three-year period, the funded organization is expected to design, implement, evaluate, and promote the councils. The expectation also includes building infrastructure around the councils, such as recruitment and selection approaches, member support, facilitation, leadership development activities, learning and evaluation methods, and communication or outreach efforts that promote the councils nationally.

14) Is the program intended to produce formal recommendations, votes, or consensus statements?

No. The program is explicitly not intended to produce consensus recommendations or advisory votes.

15) If the councils do not produce consensus recommendations, what are they meant to produce?

The councils are intended to elevate individual lived experiences and perspectives. Those firsthand perspectives are meant to inform ORR and its broader recipient network about how guidance, services, program design, and future council efforts could be improved.

16) Who are the councils meant to represent?

The councils are made up of refugees and other ORR-eligible populations who resettled in U.S. communities within the past five years.

17) What does inclusivity mean in the context of this program?

The program emphasizes inclusivity, meaning council composition and activities should reflect the diversity of ORR-eligible populations, including differences in background, demographics, needs, and viewpoints.

18) How many awards does ORR expect to make?

ORR expects to make one award.

19) What is the maximum funding amount available for this opportunity?

The award ceiling is $1,500,000.

20) What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is HHS 2024 ACF ORR RB 0060.

21) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

This opportunity falls under CFDA 93.576 in the area of income security and social services.

22) When was this opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on May 9, 2024.

23) What is the application closing date listed for this opportunity?

The original application closing date listed is July 9, 2024.

24) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad across public and nonprofit sectors. Eligible applicants include various levels of government (state, county, city/township, and special districts), independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments, tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education).

25) Are nonprofits required to have 501(c)(3) status to apply?

No. Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status may be eligible, as long as they are not institutions of higher education.

26) Can faith-based organizations apply?

Yes. Public and private nonprofit organizations are explicitly encouraged to apply, including faith-based and community organizations that meet standard eligibility requirements. Faith-based organizations may compete on the same basis as other applicants.

27) Are there specific protections or rules noted for faith-based organizations?

Yes. ORR/ACF notes nondiscrimination protections tied to an organization’s religious character, consistent with applicable federal rules and statutes, including 45 CFR Part 87 and 42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq.

28) Are individuals allowed to apply?

No. Individuals (including sole proprietorships) are not eligible and would be disqualified from merit review.

29) Are foreign entities eligible to apply?

No. Foreign entities are not eligible and would be disqualified from merit review.

30) What types of organizations are explicitly encouraged to apply?

Public and private nonprofit organizations are explicitly encouraged to apply, including faith-based and community organizations that meet standard eligibility requirements.

31) What geographic scope is expected for the councils?

The councils are described as national-level councils, and the program includes national outreach and promotion. Membership is framed around people who have resettled in communities across the United States.

32) What is ORR hoping to gain from hearing directly from council members?

The program creates a formal channel for ORR to hear directly from people navigating resettlement. Those lived experiences are intended to inform ORR and its broader recipient network about opportunities to improve guidance, services, program design, and future council efforts.

33) Does the award recipient have responsibilities related to evaluation and learning?

Yes. The recipient is expected to evaluate the councils and build learning and evaluation methods as part of the infrastructure supporting the councils.

34) Does the award recipient have responsibilities related to communications and outreach?

Yes. The recipient is expected to promote the councils and to conduct communication or outreach efforts that promote the councils nationally.