Tribal Budget and Narrative Justification Template

To receive child support funding under 42 U.S.C. 655(f) and 45 CFR Part 309, tribes and tribal organizations must submit the financial forms described in 45 CFR 309.130(b) and other forms as the Secretary may designate, due no later than August 1 annually. The optional Tribal Budget and Narrative Justification Template helps to improve efficiency and establish uniformity and consistency in the annual budget preparation, submission, and review processes. Tribes use the Excel or Word version of the template to prepare and submit the required financial information. On May 30, 2023, OMB approved the extension of the Tribal Budget Narrative Justification Template (OMB #0970-0548) until May 31, 2026. On February 12, 2024, the Federal Register published the Final Rule for the Elimination of the Non-Federal Share. With the approval of the Final Rule for Elimination of the NFS, tribes no longer qualify for Section 1115 Demonstration Grants. Tribal child support programs can pursue demonstration projects using Section 1115 Waivers to provide a service not ordinarily approved by regulation. As part of their Section 1115 waiver request, tribes must provide a budget describing how they will use the funds. Tribes already must provide an annual budget submission to OCSS for their tribal child support program funds. Most tribes use the Tribal Budget Narrative Justification Template (OMB #0970-0548) in Excel when submitting their annual budget. To reduce the administrative burden for tribes requesting a Section 1115 waiver, OCSS made two small changes to the Excel budget template. The first is to add TAB-5A_1115 WAIVER WORKSHEET where they can include the budget for the waiver. This worksheet is a replica of TAB-5_BUDGET WORKSHEET. The second change is adding lines to each other section headers in TAB-5_BUDGET WORKSHEET that includes the totals from the responding sections from TAB-5A_1115 WAIVER WORKSHEET. This allows the totals from the waiver tab to be included in the annual budget submission totals for a complete award amount.

The latest form for Tribal Budget and Narrative Justification Template expires 2026-05-31 and can be found here.

Tribal Budget and Narrative Justification – Excel

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Community and Social Services - Social Services

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