Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2021 ACF ORR ZI 1910
The Refugee Individual Development Accounts (IDA) Program is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The program is designed to help low-income refugees build assets through structured, goal-based savings accounts known as Individual Development Accounts (IDAs). Funded projects are expected to establish and manage these accounts for eligible refugee participants, support participants in saving consistently over time, and ensure the accounts are used for approved, long-term economic mobility purposes rather than short-term consumption.
Under this program, refugees who enroll as participants open IDAs and make regular deposits toward specific Savings Goals. Allowable goals include homeownership, business capitalization (such as starting or expanding a small business), and purchasing a vehicle when it is needed for education or employment purposes. The program also supports workforce and education advancement by allowing savings goals tied to professional certification and education expenses. Education is limited to postsecondary and/or continuing education and may also cover practical barrier-reduction costs like college entrance exam fees, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) fees, and General Education Development (GED) diploma preparation and test fees. In other words, the program is geared toward helping refugees invest in assets and credentials that increase stability, earnings potential, and long-term self-sufficiency.
A central feature of this opportunity is that ORR funds may be used to provide matching contributions to participants savings, which is what makes IDAs especially powerful as an asset-building tool. Grantees can allocate federal funds to match a participants savings in the IDA up to 2,000 per individual refugee and up to 4,000 per refugee household. The notice clarifies an important point about terminology: the word match here does not mean the applicant organization must bring outside non-federal funds to match the federal award. Instead, it refers to the portion of the federal grant that the grantee sets aside to match the refugees own deposits into their IDAs, according to the projects rules and approved savings goals.
Successful applicants are expected to run their IDA projects in alignment with ORR requirements and to coordinate policies and procedures with ORR as well as with the existing refugee IDA network. Practically, that means awardees should anticipate adopting common standards or compatible practices for how accounts are opened and administered, how participant eligibility is verified, how savings and matched funds are tracked, how withdrawals are approved for eligible purchases, and how programs maintain consistency and accountability across the broader IDA community serving refugees.
The opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2021-ACF-ORR-ZI-1910; CFDA 93.576) supports awards up to 250,000, with an expected 7 awards. Eligible applicants are broad and include state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities; and nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (along with other entities as specified in the full announcement). Applications were due June 18, 2021, submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. ET on the deadline date. Overall, the grant funds community organizations and public entities to operate matched-savings programs that help refugees convert steady saving habits into tangible assets, education, and career credentials that support long-term integration and financial resilience.Apply for HHS 2021 ACF ORR ZI 1910
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - ORR in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Refugee Individual Development Accounts (IDA) Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.576.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 19, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 18, 2021 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Refugee Individual Development Accounts (IDA) Program Grant - FAQs
1. What is the Refugee Individual Development Accounts (IDA) Program grant?
The Refugee Individual Development Accounts (IDA) Program is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). It funds projects that establish and operate structured, goal-based savings accounts (IDAs) for eligible refugees to help them build assets and improve long-term economic mobility.
2. What is the purpose of an IDA in this program?
An Individual Development Account (IDA) is a structured savings account where participating refugees make regular deposits toward a specific, approved Savings Goal. The program is intended to support long-term stability and self-sufficiency by helping participants save for assets and credentials, rather than short-term consumption.
3. Who funds and administers this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by HHS through ACF and is administered by ORR (Office of Refugee Resettlement).
4. What are the allowable Savings Goals for refugee participants?
Allowable Savings Goals described in the opportunity include:
- Homeownership
- Business capitalization (such as starting or expanding a small business)
- Purchasing a vehicle when it is needed for education or employment purposes
- Professional certification and education-related expenses (within the stated limits)
5. What education expenses can IDA savings be used for under this program?
The opportunity allows savings goals tied to professional certification and education expenses. Education is limited to postsecondary and/or continuing education. The description also notes that education-related savings may cover practical barrier-reduction costs, such as:
- College entrance exam fees
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) fees
- GED (General Education Development) diploma preparation and test fees
6. Can a participant use IDA funds for short-term needs or everyday consumption?
The program is designed to ensure IDAs are used for approved, long-term economic mobility purposes (assets and credentials) rather than short-term consumption.
7. How does the savings match work in this program?
ORR funds may be used to provide matching contributions to participants savings. Grantees can use a portion of the federal grant to match a participant's own deposits into their IDA, according to the project rules and approved savings goals.
8. Does the word "match" mean the applicant organization must provide non-federal matching funds?
No. The notice clarifies that "match" does not mean the applicant organization must bring outside non-federal funds to match the federal award. In this program, "match" refers to the portion of the federal grant that the grantee sets aside to match the refugees deposits into their IDAs.
9. What are the maximum match amounts allowed using ORR funds?
Grantees may allocate federal funds to match savings up to:
- $2,000 per individual refugee participant
- $4,000 per refugee household
10. What are funded projects expected to do?
Funded projects are expected to establish and manage IDAs for eligible refugee participants, support participants in saving consistently over time, and ensure withdrawals are used for approved Savings Goals tied to long-term economic mobility.
11. What types of program operations and controls are awardees expected to have in place?
The opportunity indicates awardees should anticipate adopting common standards or compatible practices for key functions, including:
- How accounts are opened and administered
- How participant eligibility is verified
- How savings and matched funds are tracked
- How withdrawals are approved for eligible purchases
- How consistency and accountability are maintained across the broader refugee IDA community
12. Do awardees need to coordinate with other organizations?
Yes. Successful applicants are expected to run IDA projects in alignment with ORR requirements and to coordinate policies and procedures with ORR and with the existing refugee IDA network.
13. What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is HHS-2021-ACF-ORR-ZI-1910.
14. What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity lists CFDA 93.576.
15. What is the maximum award amount?
The opportunity supports awards up to $250,000.
16. How many awards were expected?
The notice indicates an expected 7 awards.
17. Who was eligible to apply for this funding?
Eligible applicants described in the opportunity include a broad range of entities, including:
- State, county, and local governments
- Special districts
- Independent school districts
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations
- Public housing authorities
- Nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status
- Other entities as specified in the full announcement
18. When was the application due?
Applications were due June 18, 2021.
19. How were applications submitted and what was the deadline time?
Applications were submitted electronically and were due by 11:59 p.m. ET on the deadline date.
20. What is the overall focus of the program?
Overall, the program funds community organizations and public entities to operate matched-savings programs that help refugees build steady savings habits and convert those savings into tangible assets, education, and career credentials that support long-term integration, financial resilience, and self-sufficiency.
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