Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2026 ACF ACYF AP 0003
The Personal Responsibility Education Program - Innovative Strategies (PREIS) is a federal funding opportunity designed to strengthen the evidence base for adolescent pregnancy prevention by rigorously testing newer, promising intervention models. The core aim is to identify what works for youth who are at higher risk for teen pregnancy and who are often underserved or culturally under-represented in existing research. Rather than funding broad service delivery without strong evaluation, PREIS is specifically geared toward building credible, generalizable findings about program impact so that effective approaches can be scaled or replicated with confidence.
PREIS focuses on interventions that intentionally target high-risk and vulnerable youth populations. The notice highlights several priority groups, including youth in foster care or child welfare settings, youth involved in the juvenile justice system, victims of trafficking, runaway and homeless youth, youth living with HIV/AIDS, and expectant or parenting youth under age 21 (including their partners). It also includes youth living in communities with high birth rates among adolescents. In practice, this means applicants need to show that their recruitment, program design, and service setting are meaningfully aligned with one or more of these populations, not just adjacent to them.
A key program requirement is that projects must deliver content in at least three of six congressionally mandated Adulthood Preparation Subjects (APS). These topics are: healthy relationships, adolescent development, financial literacy, parent-child communication, educational and career success, and healthy life skills. Applicants are expected to integrate these subjects into the intervention in a way that fits the target population and setting, and to describe clearly what will be delivered, to whom, by whom, and how fidelity will be maintained.
What sets PREIS apart is the level of evaluation rigor required. Funded projects must conduct an impact evaluation using either a randomized controlled trial (RCT) or a strong quasi-experimental design that includes assignment to treatment and control/comparison groups. The evaluation must be carried out by an independent third-party evaluator, meaning the evaluator cannot be the same entity delivering the program. This structure is meant to reduce bias and ensure credible measurement of outcomes, which is especially important when programs are being tested with complex, high-need populations.
PREIS is not intended for untested ideas at the concept stage. The interventions proposed for evaluation are expected to have compelling, positive preliminary evidence from previous research or implementation experience, but they must not yet have been evaluated through an RCT or a quasi-experimental design. Applicants also need to bring a well-specified theory of change and have intervention materials already developed, which signals readiness for rigorous testing rather than early-stage development.
From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement, which generally means there will be substantial federal involvement during the project period compared to a standard grant. The funding opportunity is issued by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), within ACYF/FYSB, under Assistance Listing (CFDA) 93.092. The opportunity number is HHS-2026-ACF-ACYF-AP-0003, with an original application closing date of August 18, 2026. The award ceiling is $900,000, and the program anticipates making about 12 awards.
Eligibility is broad across public and private sectors, including state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) organizations); and for-profit organizations (including small businesses, with the exception that the ineligible categories still apply). Faith-based and community organizations may apply as long as they meet the eligibility requirements. However, applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are explicitly ineligible and will be disqualified from merit review and funding consideration.
For collaborative or consortium applications, PREIS requires a clearly identified primary applicant who will be responsible for administering the award. That primary applicant must be named in the application and serves as the lead organization for compliance, reporting, and coordination among partners. Overall, PREIS is best understood as a funding stream for organizations that already have a structured, promising pregnancy prevention intervention, are ready to implement it with a defined high-risk youth population, and can support an independent, rigorous evaluation capable of producing publishable, decision-useful evidence about program effectiveness.Apply for HHS 2026 ACF ACYF AP 0003
- The Administration for Children Families - ACYF/FYSB in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Personal Responsibility Education Innovative Strategies (PREIS)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.092.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-07-17.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-08-18. (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 $900,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 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, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.
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Personal Responsibility Education Program - Innovative Strategies (PREIS) FAQs
What is PREIS and what is it designed to do?
The Personal Responsibility Education Program - Innovative Strategies (PREIS) is a federal funding opportunity focused on strengthening the evidence base for adolescent pregnancy prevention. Its purpose is to rigorously test newer, promising intervention models and produce credible, generalizable findings about program impact, especially for youth who are at higher risk for teen pregnancy and who are often underserved or culturally under-represented in existing research.
How is PREIS different from a typical service delivery grant?
PREIS is not aimed at funding broad service delivery without strong evaluation. It is specifically geared toward generating high-quality evidence about whether an intervention works. Projects must include a rigorous impact evaluation (an RCT or a strong quasi-experimental design) conducted by an independent third-party evaluator, which is a defining feature of this opportunity.
What is the core goal of a PREIS-funded project?
The core goal is to identify what works in adolescent pregnancy prevention for high-risk and vulnerable youth populations by testing promising interventions with rigorous methods so that effective approaches can be scaled or replicated with confidence.
Which youth populations does PREIS prioritize?
PREIS intentionally targets high-risk and vulnerable youth. The priority groups highlighted include:
- Youth in foster care or child welfare settings
- Youth involved in the juvenile justice system
- Victims of trafficking
- Runaway and homeless youth
- Youth living with HIV/AIDS
- Expectant or parenting youth under age 21 (including their partners)
- Youth living in communities with high adolescent birth rates
Do applicants need to directly serve one of the priority populations?
Yes. Applicants are expected to demonstrate that their recruitment approach, program design, and service setting are meaningfully aligned with one or more of the specified high-risk populations. Being only indirectly connected or generally adjacent to a priority group is not the intent described for PREIS.
What content areas must PREIS projects cover?
Projects must deliver content in at least three of the six congressionally mandated Adulthood Preparation Subjects (APS).
What are the six Adulthood Preparation Subjects (APS)?
The APS topics are:
- Healthy relationships
- Adolescent development
- Financial literacy
- Parent-child communication
- Educational and career success
- Healthy life skills
How should APS topics be incorporated into the intervention?
Applicants are expected to integrate APS content in a way that fits the target population and the setting. The application should clearly describe what will be delivered, to whom, by whom, and how program fidelity will be maintained.
What level of evaluation rigor is required under PREIS?
PREIS requires an impact evaluation using either a randomized controlled trial (RCT) or a strong quasi-experimental design that includes assignment to treatment and control/comparison groups. The intent is to produce credible impact findings for decision-making and potential replication.
Does PREIS require a control or comparison group?
Yes. The required evaluation designs (RCT or strong quasi-experimental) must include assignment to treatment and control/comparison groups.
Who must conduct the evaluation?
The impact evaluation must be conducted by an independent third-party evaluator. The evaluator cannot be the same entity that delivers the program intervention. This separation is meant to reduce bias and support credible measurement of outcomes.
Can the organization implementing the program also evaluate it?
No. The notice describes that the evaluator must be independent and cannot be the same entity delivering the program.
Is PREIS appropriate for brand-new concepts that have not been tried?
No. PREIS is not intended for untested ideas at the concept stage. The intervention proposed for evaluation is expected to have compelling, positive preliminary evidence from prior research or implementation experience.
What kind of prior evidence does PREIS expect?
The intervention should have positive preliminary evidence from previous research or implementation experience. At the same time, the intervention must not yet have been evaluated through an RCT or a quasi-experimental design (those are reserved for the PREIS-funded test).
Can an intervention that has already been evaluated with an RCT apply?
Based on the opportunity description, the interventions proposed for PREIS are expected not to have been evaluated through an RCT or a quasi-experimental design yet. The funding is intended to support that first rigorous impact evaluation.
What program readiness elements are expected at the time of application?
Applicants are expected to bring a well-specified theory of change and have intervention materials already developed. This signals readiness for rigorous testing rather than early-stage development work.
What type of federal award is PREIS?
PREIS is offered as a cooperative agreement, which generally means substantial federal involvement during the project period compared to a standard grant.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is issued by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), within ACYF/FYSB.
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for PREIS?
The Assistance Listing (CFDA) is 93.092.
What is the opportunity number?
The opportunity number is HHS-2026-ACF-ACYF-AP-0003.
When is the application due?
The original application closing date is August 18, 2026.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $900,000.
How many awards does PREIS expect to make?
The program anticipates making about 12 awards.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad across public and private sectors, including:
- State governments
- County governments
- City/township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3))
- For-profit organizations (including small businesses, except where ineligible categories apply)
Are faith-based or community organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based and community organizations may apply as long as they meet the eligibility requirements.
Who is not eligible to apply?
Individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are explicitly ineligible. Applications from these ineligible applicants will be disqualified from merit review and funding consideration.
Can a consortium or partnership apply?
Yes, collaborative or consortium applications are allowed, but they must designate a clearly identified primary applicant.
What is the role of the primary applicant in a consortium application?
The primary applicant must be named in the application and is responsible for administering the award. The primary applicant serves as the lead organization for compliance, reporting, and coordination among partners.
What does PREIS expect applicants to describe about implementation?
Applicants are expected to clearly describe what will be delivered, to whom, by whom, and how fidelity will be maintained, including how APS content will be integrated for the selected population and setting.
What types of results is PREIS trying to produce?
PREIS is designed to produce credible, decision-useful evidence about program effectiveness, with findings that can be generalized and used to support scaling or replication of effective approaches.
What kind of organization is a strong fit for PREIS?
A strong fit is an organization that already has a structured, promising pregnancy prevention intervention, is ready to implement it with a defined high-risk youth population, and can support an independent, rigorous evaluation capable of generating publishable, generalizable evidence of impact.
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