Evaluations of Practices for Program Integrity and Fraud Prevention

The Evaluations of Practices for Program Integrity and Fraud Prevention program supports partnerships between CCDF Lead Agencies and research organizations to identify promising strategies to prevent fraud and waste and examine how well these efforts work. A key goal of this program is to share promising practices with other states, territories, and Tribes and to guide child care policy decisions and program improvement efforts to improve program integrity and reduce waste and fraud, including through improved data systems.

Projects must be conducted through partnerships between CCDF Lead Agencies (i.e., states, territories, or Tribes) and researchers from institutions of higher education, state agencies, research organizations, and/or other organizations with expertise in policy research. Partnership teams are expected to work collaboratively throughout all phases of the project to ensure that the research addresses CCDF Lead Agency priorities and aligns with ACF priorities. These collaborations should be mutually beneficial, provide high-quality evidence to inform policy decisions, and build capacity for policy-relevant research. Partnerships will also strengthen the field’s ability to produce and use rigorous research to inform child care policies. Teams are expected to participate in a research consortium, attend ACF-sponsored meetings, and share research findings.