Administration for Children and Families · Department of Health and Human Services
Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5) SMART Grant
Key facts
- Deadline
- Due Nov 20, 2026 · 43 days left
- Award size
- $500K – $15M
- Total available
- $224M · about 25 awards
- Match ?
- Required · Work out your budget and match
- Who can apply
- State government, and others named in the official notice
- Where
- Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee
How this fits you
- Available in Tennessee (nationwide program)
- Needs a match (see how much in the notice)
- Past Tennessee awards on file: 7
Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.
Official notice: https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/8d272419-96d1-4898-9706-0d86a1e63c03 · Printed from grantme.click/grants/00737992-981b-4b85-b21a-4966b51193e6
View on Grants.gov Add deadline to my calendar
More from Administration for Children and Families
- Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program: Development and Implementation Grants · Opens Dec 1, 2026 · due about Mar 2, 2027 Estimate, not confirmed by the funder
About this grant
This NOFO is modified. The webinar link was changed and the ECD website address changed. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), seeks applications for the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) SMART Grant: Strategic Measurement, Analytics, and Results using Technology. This funding opportunity will support states and territories to make targeted, one-year investments in statewide early care and education (ECE) technology and analytic data infrastructure that advance PDG B-5 purposes, including strengthening coordination across the mixed-delivery system, improving program quality and access, supporting informed family choice, and using data to better understand and address the needs of children from birth through age five. Applicants will propose a focused, feasible investment that strengthens the state's ability to generate actionable information for decision-making and produces a measurable result by the end of the project period.
Who can apply, from the official notice
Specific states and territories are eligible and will be identified in the NOFO. Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity.
Your schedule, working back from the deadline
- Oct8
Check that your SAM.gov registration is active (or start it now)
Grants.gov: allow up to 10 business days for SAM registration, weeks or months if information isn't verified. It must be renewed every year. Grants.gov - Oct30
Ask partners for letters of support or commitment
Suggested: partners need about three weeks to write and sign letters. - Nov13
Finish a complete draft for a final review
Suggested: leave about a week for someone else to read the draft. - Nov18
Submit
Grants.gov: submit at least 24–48 hours before the deadline: uploads fail, systems slow down, errors need fixing. Grants.gov blog - Nov20
Deadline
From the funder.
Save this grant to put these dates in My grants and your private calendar.
What the official notice requires
Pulled from the official notice Full_Announcement_hhs-2026-acf-ecd-tp-0039_1.pdf (60 pages) so you can see the requirements at a glance. Each item shows the notice's own words. Open the page to read it in context.
Registrations you need first (3)
SAM.gov, Grants.gov · p. 3
“Before you begin If you believe you are a good candidate for this funding opportunity, secure your SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations now.” Open page 3
Unique Entity ID (UEI) · p. 3
“This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).” Open page 3
Login.gov · p. 3
“Doing so requires a Login.gov registration as well.” Open page 3
Registration is free but can take weeks, so start now, not when the deadline is close. Get-ready checklist
Steps before the deadline
Informational webinar · p. 5
“Friday, November 20, 2026 Optional informational webinar:” Open page 5
What to submit
Form SF-424 · p. 27
“Project Abstract Summary No Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) No Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A) No Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B) No Key Contacts No Grants.gov Lobbying Form No Disclosure of Lobbying…” Open page 27
Form SF-424A · p. 27
“Project Abstract Summary No Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) No Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A) No Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B) No Key Contacts No Grants.gov Lobbying Form No Disclosure of Lobbying…” Open page 27
Form SF-424B · p. 27
“Project Abstract Summary No Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) No Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A) No Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B) No Key Contacts No Grants.gov Lobbying Form No Disclosure of Lobbying…” Open page 27
Form SF-LLL · p. 27
“Project Abstract Summary No Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) No Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A) No Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B) No Key Contacts No Grants.gov Lobbying Form No Disclosure of Lobbying…” Open page 27
Project abstract or summary · p. 29
“Must be single-spaced Project summary:” Open page 29
Budget narrative / justification · p. 29
“Must be double-spaced Line-item budget and budget narrative:” Open page 29
Timeline or schedule of completion · p. 33
“Project timeline and milestones Provide a timeline for your project that includes milestones.” Open page 33
Letters of support or commitment · p. 39
“Letters of support Attach statements from community, public, or commercial leaders that support your project.” Open page 39
Formatting rules
12-point font · p. 29
“Black Size: 12-point font Footnotes and text in tables and graphics may be 10-point.” Open page 29
single-spaced · p. 29
“Must be single-spaced Project summary:” Open page 29
double-spaced · p. 29
“Must be double-spaced Line-item budget and budget narrative:” Open page 29
Cost share or match
Cost share / match · p. 8
“Cost sharing This program requires you to contribute 30% of the ACF federal share of the award, according to section 9212(g)(4) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (42 U.S.C. 9831 note).” Open page 8
Cost share / match · p. 37
“Describe how the state will meet the 30% cost-sharing requirement by the end of the period of performance.” Open page 37
Cost share / match · p. 47
“Explain how your state will meet the 30 percent cost-sharing requirement by the end of the period of performance.” Open page 47
Dates in the notice
November 20, 2026 · p. 1
“Notice of Funding Opportunity Application due Friday, November 20, 2026 Office of Early Childhood Development Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) SMART Grant:” Open page 1
Mistakes that get applications rejected (7)
Could get your application rejected: Disqualifying factors We will review your application to make sure it meets these responsiveness requirements. · p. 8
“Disqualifying factors We will review your application to make sure it meets these responsiveness requirements.” Open page 8
Could get your application rejected: Can be single-spaced See disqualifying factors to understand what may disqualify your application from... · p. 29
“Can be single-spaced See disqualifying factors to understand what may disqualify your application from consideration.” Open page 29
Could get your application rejected: Application review Initial review We will review your application to make sure that it meets the... · p. 42
“Application review Initial review We will review your application to make sure that it meets the responsiveness requirements listed in the disqualification factors section.” Open page 42
Could get your application rejected: If your application does not meet these criteria, we will disqualify it and we will not move it to the... · p. 42
“If your application does not meet these criteria, we will disqualify it and we will not move it to the merit review (scoring) phase.” Open page 42
Could get your application rejected: We will let you know if your application is disqualified within 30 days of the application deadline. · p. 42
“We will let you know if your application is disqualified within 30 days of the application deadline.” Open page 42
Could get your application rejected: A disqualified application. · p. 50
“A disqualified application.” Open page 50
Sent the wrong way or format: We will email you if your application is disqualified or unsuccessful. · p. 50
“We will email you if your application is disqualified or unsuccessful.” Open page 50
Who in Tennessee has won this program
4 awards to Tennessee groups in 2 counties since 2022. Largest shown:
| Past winner | Where | Amount | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Department of Education | Nashville, Davidson County | $27M | 2024 |
| Tennessee Department of Education | Nashville, Davidson County | $4.7M | 2023 |
| State of Tennessee | Nashville | $1.6M spent that year | 2025 |
| Shelby County Board of Education | Memphis, Shelby County | $91K spent that year | 2025 |
Source: USAspending.gov, Federal Audit Clearinghouse. Past awards show who this program funds. They don't guarantee future awards.
Tennessee groups that got this money through Tennessee Department of Education
This federal money also reaches local groups as pass-through grants. In Tennessee, Tennessee Department of Education passes it on: watch that agency for applications, not the federal agency. 3 pass-through grants on file. Largest shown:
| Past winner | Where | Through | Amount | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claiborne County, Tennessee | Tazewell, Claiborne County | Tennessee Department of Education | $389K spent that year | 2024 |
| Knox County Government | Knoxville, Knox County | Tennessee Department of Education | $375K spent that year | 2025 |
| The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee | Nashville, Davidson County | Tennessee Department of Education | $204K spent that year | 2025 |
Source: USAspending.gov pass-through reports (the first recipient reports each one of $30,000 or more).
About the federal program
Every Student Succeeds Act/Preschool Development Grants, also called “Preschool Development Grants Birth Through 5”
Program number 93.434 (the federal Assistance Listing number) · U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families · Project grant
How applications are judged
In each year's official notice: read this year's.
Match
"Matching requirement.--Each State that receives a grant under this section shall provide funds from non-Federal sources (which may be provided in cash or in kind) to carry out the activities supported by the grant, in an amount equal to not less than 30 percent of the federal amount of the grant." [Note to 42 USC 9831]
In addition, we waive cost sharing up to $199,999 for awards to the governments of American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands (except for consolidated awards under 45 CFR Part 97). These territories must meet any amount of cost sharing over $199,999. See 48 U.S.C. 1469a(d) Congressional declaration of policy respecting �Insular Areas.�