25CS02 Trauma Responsive NOFO FINAL.pdf

25CS02

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) is seeking applications for funding under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 to create a number of resources to provide community supervision agencies assistance in the training and implementation of trauma-responsive practices with people on supervision. These resources include training for agency leaders, mid-level supervisors, and staff; foundational documents to determine readiness and to guide policy review; a glossary; and a literature and resource search

NIC FY 2025 Trauma-Responsive Training and Resources for Community Supervision Agencies

Applicants to NIC for awards with expected issuance dates on or after October 1, 2024, should be aware of revisions to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR Part 200) effective from that date. All NIC awards issued on or after October 1, 2024, will be subject to the revised regulations. You may incorporate these changes into your applications now.

Significant changes to 2 CFR Part 200 that may be most relevant for NIC’s applicants and recipients include:

an increase in the de minimis indirect cost rate from 10% to 15% of Modified Total Direct Costs (2 CFR § 200.414 [f]), an increase in the threshold for determining equipment from a per unit cost of $5,000 to $10,000 (2 CFR § 200.313), an increase in the upper limit for computers as supplies from $5,000 to $10,000, an increase in the threshold for reporting unused supplies from an aggregate value of greater than $5,000 to $10,000 (2 CFR § 200.314), an increase in the threshold for excluding subaward costs from the modified total direct cost base from $25,000 to $50,000.

a requirement that recipients verify that subrecipients are not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded from receiving Federal funds (2 CFR § 200.332), and an increase in the Single Audit Threshold from $750,000 to $1 million (2 CFR § 200.501).

Recipients of NIC awards issued prior to October 1, 2024, will not be subject to the new regulations, although supplements to these awards will.

NIC encourages applicants and recipients to read OMB’s final rule, now entitled OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance, at: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/22/2024- 07496/guidance-for-federal-financial-assistance .

https://nicic.gov/ https://nicic.gov/ https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/22/2024-07496/guidance-for-federal-financial-assistance https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/22/2024-07496/guidance-for-federal-financial-assistance

Eligibility

NIC invites applications from nonprofit organizations (including faith-based, community, and tribal organizations), for-profit organizations (including tribal for-profit organizations), and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education). Recipients, including for-profit organizations, must agree to waive any profit or fee for services. Foreign governments, international organizations, and non-governmental international organizations/institutions are not eligible to apply.

Proof of 501(c) (3) status as determined by the Internal Revenue Service or an authorizing tribal resolution is required.

NIC welcomes applications that involve two or more entities; however, one eligible entity must be the applicant and the others must be proposed as subrecipients. The applicant must be the entity with primary responsibility for administering the funding and managing the entire program. Only one (1) application will be accepted from a submitting organization.

NIC may elect to make awards for applications submitted under this solicitation in future fiscal years, dependent on the merit of the applications and on the availability of appropriations.

For additional eligibility information, see Section C. Eligibility Information.

Deadline

Applicants must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application. NIC encourages applicants to register several weeks before the application submission deadline. In addition, NIC urges applicants to submit applications 72 hours prior to the application due date. All applications are due to be submitted and in receipt of a successful validation message in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on October 15, 2024.

Late applications are neither reviewed nor considered.

For additional information, see How To Apply in Section D Application and Submission Information.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html

Contact Information

For programmatic questions concerning this solicitation contact Lorie Brisbin National Program Advisor, National Institute of Corrections at lbrisbin@bop.gov. Responses to programmatic questions will be posted on NIC’s website for public review. The website will be updated regularly and postings will remain on the website until the closing date of this solicitation.

For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726, or via e-mail to support@grants.gov. Hotline hours of operation are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except federal holidays.

Applicants who experience unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond their control that prevent them from submitting their application by the deadline must e-mail the NIC at BOP-NIC/General@bop.gov within 24 hours after the application deadline and request approval to submit their application. Additional information on reporting technical issues is found under “Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues” in the How To Apply section.

Grants.gov number assigned to this announcement: 25CS02 Release date: August 16, 2024 mailto:lbrisbin@bop.gov mailto:support@grants.gov mailto:BOP-NIC/General@bop.gov

Contents NIC FY 2025 Trauma-Responsive Training and Resources for Community Supervision Agencies

Eligibility

Deadline

Contact Information

NIC FY 2025 Trauma-Responsive Training and Resources for Community Supervision Agencies

(Assistance Listing Number (CFDA) # 16.601)

A. Program Description

Overview

Program-Specific Information

Goals

Objectives

Deliverables

Applications must include in Program Narrative and Budget Narrative the incorporation of products delivered meet Plain Language and 508 Standards

Cooperative Agreements require significant staff involvement excluding the basic monitoring of the project, progress, deliverables and reports

B. Federal Award Information

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls

Budget Information

C. Eligibility Information

D. Application and Submission Information

What an Application Should Include Statement of the problem

Project Design and Implementation

Logic Model

Timeline or Milestone Chart

Capabilities and Competencies, Résumés of All Key Personnel

Letters of Support/Memoranda of Understanding

Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative

Budget and Budget Justification

How to Apply

All applicants are required to complete the following steps:

Acquire and maintain registration with the System for Award Management (SAM)

Acquire an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and a Grants.gov username and password

How to Submit an Application to the National Institute of Corrections via Grants.gov Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace

Applicant Support

Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

Duplicate applications

Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues

E. Application Review Information Selection Criteria

Programmatic Review (40)

Organizational Review (35)

Management/Administrative Review (25)

Review Process

F. Federal Award Administration Information Federal Award Notices

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements

Plain Language

Section 508 Accessibility

Paperwork Reduction Act

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)

H. Other Information Provide Feedback to NIC

NIC FY 2025 Trauma-Responsive Training and Resources for Community Supervision Agencies

(Assistance Listing Number (CFDA) 16.601)

A. Program Description

Overview Trauma-Informed Care understands and considers the pervasive nature of trauma and promotes environments of healing and recovery rather than practices and services that may inadvertently re-traumatize. Being trauma-informed requires an active, ongoing commitment on behalf of all members of an organization in maintaining a basic understanding of trauma and adversity; recognizing and reflecting on how one’s self-view and worldview influence the interpretation of the here and now; and acknowledging that being trauma-informed is about the workforce as much as it is about individuals receiving services.

(University at Buffalo Center for Social Research)

NIC is making a distinction in this project between trauma-informed practices and trauma-responsive practices. It is important to understand the six trauma-informed principles of (1) safety, (2) trustworthiness,

(3) peer support, (4) collaboration, (5) empowerment, and (6) cultural, historical, and gender issues.

However, staff also need to be provided with strategies and approaches in how to actively use these principles in their interactions with individuals under supervision.

Harris and Fallot first articulated the concept of trauma-informed care (TIC) in 2001. They focused on three primary issues: instituting universal trauma screening and assessment, not causing re-traumatization through the delivery methods of professional services and promoting an understanding of the biopsychosocial nature and effects of trauma. (Harris, Maxine; Fallot, Roger D.)

Since that time, medical and mental health providers have readily embraced the concepts of trauma-informed care and interest in this work has spread to other disciplines and professions. The use of trauma-informed practices and the requirement to train staff in these concepts is beginning to appear in state statutes as a requirement for state agencies. This project represents the intent to provide agencies across the country with a community supervision specific training in trauma-responsive practices that will address this need.

Statutory Authority: Public Law 93-415

Program-Specific Information This multi-year project will rely in part on previous contracted work managed by NIC staff on this topic area, which included the formation of a working group, individual interviews of working group members, and a written report and debriefing presentation.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Downloads/25CS02-Trauma-Responsive-Training-Interview- Summary-7-31-2024.pdf https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Downloads/Trauma-Responsive-Training-for-Community- Supervision-Recommendations.pdf

The decision to move forward on this curriculum project was based on interviews and information provided by the working group members. The group included practitioners, service providers, federal providers, and https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Downloads/25CS02-Trauma-Responsive-Training-Interview-Summary-7-31-2024.pdf https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Downloads/25CS02-Trauma-Responsive-Training-Interview-Summary-7-31-2024.pdf https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Downloads/Trauma-Responsive-Training-for-Community-Supervision-Recommendations.pdf https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Downloads/Trauma-Responsive-Training-for-Community-Supervision-Recommendations.pdf others who have knowledge of trauma-informed training and practices. A series of standard questions was used to elicit responses from the working group members, and they were encouraged to share their observations and knowledge regarding trauma-informed and trauma-responsive practices.

Topic areas covered were:

• Strengths of the Existing Curriculum (see below)

• Defining the Needs of the Field

• Opportunities

• Effective Learning Strategies

• Available Resources

Most members of the working group were familiar with the widely used How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses, which is the primary federally funded curriculum currently used nationally. The curriculum was developed by Policy Research Associates (PRA) under a cooperative agreement supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Two formats for the training are available. A 1/2-day training program for criminal justice professionals is designed to:

• Increase understanding of trauma

• Create an awareness of the effects of trauma on behavior

• Develop trauma-informed responses

The overall opinion of the group was that the training available through SAMHSA was appropriate but too general in nature and that the creation of a community supervision specific curriculum would be extremely useful and was needed. (All information about the recommendations of the working group may be found:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Downloads/25CS02-Trauma-Responsive-Training-Interview- Summary-7-31-2024.pdf https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Downloads/Trauma-Responsive-Training-for-Community- Supervision-Recommendations.pdf

It should be noted that the group identified the need for a readiness assessment for agencies wishing to use this curriculum as it is recommended that staff wellness services be in place prior to implementing the training. Staff who do not believe they are supported by their agency are not likely to embrace the training, use the principles and concepts, or implement trauma-responsive strategies.

Foundational work for this project includes a literature review and the review of existing research and resources, state statutes, and administrative rules along with compiling of a recommended glossary. This information will be used in the development of a self-assessment policy guide for agencies that wish to examine their policies, practices, and available training. The development of a readiness assessment is to help an agency determine if they are prepared to deliver the training and offers recommendations for how an agency may prepare themselves to be in a state of readiness. The convening of a virtual working group of eight to ten subject matter experts to act as content contributors and/or reviewers is a required element of this project. The NIC program manager will assist with the identification and facilitation of this working group.

The initial year of this project should be focused on the foundational work as described above and at least the first 9 deliverables as listed below. All training designed under this cooperative agreement should include pre- and post-test elements to determine training effectiveness and to provide a feedback loop to agency trainers.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Downloads/25CS02-Trauma-Responsive-Training-Interview-Summary-7-31-2024.pdf https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Downloads/25CS02-Trauma-Responsive-Training-Interview-Summary-7-31-2024.pdf https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Downloads/Trauma-Responsive-Training-for-Community-Supervision-Recommendations.pdf https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Downloads/Trauma-Responsive-Training-for-Community-Supervision-Recommendations.pdf

There may be an opportunity to conduct an in-person meeting of the working group. If funding becomes available for this, the NIC program manager will provide support for planning, potential locations, and travel funds for working group members, and it will be covered within NIC’s budget outside of the cooperative agreement.

The format and duration of the training for staff will be determined by awardee curriculum developers in collaboration with the program manager. However, this training is not intended to be lengthy. An example of a possible format is: (1) the current e-course as a pre-requisite, (2) a 60-minute VILT, (3) intersession work, and (4) a 30- to 60-minute VILT to address the intersession work, resolve questions, and provide additional resources.

Once this initial curriculum plan is approved, the creation of separate trainings for mid-level supervisors and for agency leadership will commence. These trainings may be developed using video resources available through NIC, existing materials, and scenarios. These two trainings need to be specifically tailored to the intended audience with consideration to their different roles and responsibilities.

Train-the-trainer materials would need to be created for each of the trainings and would initially be conducted by NIC with this function being transitioned to the agency to assist them in building internal capacity.

A pilot for this training in at least three agencies is required and will be a collaboration between the awardee and the NIC program manager. The pilots would require a formal feedback sheet for use by each student and may include both a Likert-type scale and narrative responses. Agency feedback may result in changes to the executive training, the mid-level supervisor curriculum, and staff training curriculum. The awardee will work to incorporate any approved changes.

As part of this project, the awardee will actively engage in opportunities that will promote the trainings and materials such as conference workshops and informational webinars.

All layout and design work should be completed within Microsoft Word and/or PowerPoint. Any templates created for development of the course documents will be provided to NIC for future use.

Download a copy of the NIC style guide here: https://nicic.gov/plain-language for further information about the appearance of the finished products.

Goals To develop training materials and resources that will assist community supervision agencies in educating staff and implementing trauma-responsive practices in the management of people under supervision.

Objectives A proposal responsive to this solicitation should, at a minimum identify a plan to address the scope and timeframe of the project; determine the methodology and resources necessary to deliver the work products;

and identify a team that includes members with experience in designing and developing instructional materials for adult learners in both in-person and virtual environments. Objectives of this project include development of:

1. Reference and resource materials for use by all community supervision agencies

2. Tools, such as a self-assessment policy guide to assist agencies in identifying gaps and opportunities

3. Curriculum, including training for trainers, suitable for training agency staff at all levels https://nicic.gov/plain-language

Deliverables In addition to the strategy and content of the program design, the successful applicant must complete the following deliverables during the project period. All project deliverables are listed for reference and planning purposes. The program narrative should reflect how the applicant will specifically accomplish the first 9 activities for year one and generally describe the plan for completing the remaining activities.

Deliverables received as a result of this solicitation will be accepted based in part on Plain Writing Act requirements for plain language and Section 508 requirements for accessibility.

1. Meet virtually with NIC National Programs Advisor (NPA) Program Manager for initial kickoff meeting to clarify goals, objectives, and deliverables, including the setting of initial deadlines and role clarification within 30 days of award.

2. Participate in virtual monthly meetings with NIC project staff and provide a meeting record.

3. Produce a literature review and summary of currently available information and resources (including information on trauma-informed training in community supervision and related professions), current relevant state statutes, administrative rules, and a sampling of community supervision agency policies (working draft within 120 days).

4. Conduct periodic virtual working group meetings with eight to ten subject matter experts approved by the NIC project manager beginning within 90 days of award. This group may include all or part of the current working group. The working group members are to provide content and information as subject matter experts and may be asked to review materials and provide feedback. A summary record of each meeting is required.

5. Develop a standard glossary for use with this body of work.

6. Develop readiness criteria to determine whether an agency is prepared to engage in this training and provide a set of recommendations for agencies that need help reaching an appropriate level of readiness.

7. Develop a self-assessment guide for agencies to examine their policies, practices, and available training.

8. Develop a plan and materials to educate and inform agency leaders regarding trauma-responsive training and agency readiness.

9. Develop a written virtual training concept plan for the training of line-level staff, including ideal duration, number of participants, and number of trainers and phases (i.e., preparation/readiness, content delivery, etc.). This plan should include identified learning modules, presentation slides, and facilitator scripts.

10. Deliver at least one conference presentation in conjunction with NIC staff. The location and timing of this event will be a collaboration and open for discussion.

11. Develop virtual learning modules, including selected topics and activities that adhere to the Instructional Theory Into Practice model (ITIP). This can include videos, games, and other activities and resources.

12. Develop a train-the-trainer curriculum for training line-level staff that will be suitable for delivery by NIC and for future agency delivery as a capacity building measure.

13. Submit drafts of course materials according to an agreed upon schedule to the NIC project manager for review.

14. Create participant manuals with all training materials and a glossary of terms as back matter.

15. If it is determined that a VILT will be used, the awardee, in collaboration with the NIC program manager, will schedule and complete VILT curriculum rehearsals. Rehearsals will be conducted on NIC’s WebEx training platform. The awardee is responsible for acting as, or providing, the producer for all rehearsals and instructional sessions throughout the pilot delivery of the new VILT curriculum.

16. Conduct an appropriate pilot of the initial curriculum in at least three agencies and issue a feedback tool for gathering information on participant experience.

https://nicic.gov/resources/nic-library/all-library-items/itip-toolkit-guide-working-curriculum-developers

17. Revise the course materials as needed post-pilot and as determined by the NIC project manager.

18. Package and submit the final product according to NIC’s required format.

Applications must include in Program Narrative and Budget Narrative the incorporation of products delivered meet Plain Language and 508 Standards.

NIC Staff Responsibilities Cooperative Agreements require significant staff involvement excluding the basic monitoring of the project, progress, deliverables and reports.

The NIC program manager will be involved in the following aspects of the cooperative agreement:

• Provides oversight and project management, working collaboratively with awardee on all aspects of the project

• Serves as a subject matter expert and as a member of the working group

• Provides and assists in identifying and engaging subject matter experts for the working group

• Provides access for various materials (e.g., video recordings) from NIC’s library

• Participates in conference presentations

• Works collaboratively on piloting the initial training and provides train-the-trainer facilitation

• Approves of materials (drafts and final versions)

Before approving a deliverable, NIC reserves the right to test the deliverable against the applicant’s Section 508 claims. If NIC determines that the applicant’s claims were false and at higher level of conformance than what was actually received, NIC may, at its option, reject the deliverable and require the applicant to remediate the deliverable to align with the applicant’s stated Section 508 conformance claims before its approval.

Additionally, before approving a deliverable, NIC reserves the right to review the applicant’s deliverables for conformance to federal plain writing guidelines and NIC Guidelines for Preparing and Submitting Manuscripts for Publication. If NIC determines that the applicant’s deliverables do not meet all applicable guidelines, NIC may, at its option, reject the deliverable and require the applicant to remediate the deliverable align with those guidelines.

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices.

NIC strongly emphasizes the use of data and evidence in policy making and program development.

• improving the quantity and quality of evidence NIC generates;

• integrating evidence into program, practice, and policy decisions within NIC and the field; and

• improving the translation of evidence into practice.

NIC considers programs and practices to be evidence-based when their effectiveness has been demonstrated by causal evidence, generally obtained through one or more outcome evaluations. Causal evidence documents a relationship between an activity or intervention (including technology) and its intended outcome, including measuring the direction and size of a change, and the extent to which a change may be attributed to the activity or intervention. Causal evidence depends on the use of scientific methods to rule out, to the extent possible, alternative explanations for the documented change. The strength of causal evidence, based on the factors described above, will influence the degree to which NIC considers a program or practice to be evidence-based.

Accessibility Requirements Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-

220) requires that when federal agencies develop, buy, maintain, or use information and communication technology (ICT), it shall be accessible to people with disabilities. Federal employees and members of the public who have disabilities must have access to and use of information and data comparable to employees and members of the public without disabilities.

Deliverables submitted as part of this project must conform to the Revised Section 508 Standards (see 36 C.F.R. § 1194.1 & Apps. A, C & D), which are available online at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2017-title36-vol3/xml/CFR-2017-title36-vol3-part1194.xml.

All functional performance criteria apply when the requirements outlined Chapters 4–6 of the Revised 508 Standards either (1) do not address one or more functions of ICT or (2) provide lower accessibility and usability for people with disabilities than would be provided by using alternative design or technology. All Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Level A and AA success criteria and 502 Interoperability with Assistive Technology and 503 Application of the Revised 508 Standards apply. All requirements for hardware features, components, and support services and documentation also apply. See https://www.section508.gov/

Plain Language Requirements The Plain Writing Act of 2010 requires federal agencies to use plain writing in documents that are necessary for obtaining government funding, providing information about federal government benefits or services, or explaining to the public how to comply with a requirement that the federal government administers or enforces. The Act also requires agencies to use plain writing in every paper or electronic letter, publication, form, notice, or instruction. Its purpose is to improve the effectiveness and accountability of federal agencies. See http://www.nicic.gov/plainlanguage and https://plainlanguage.gov/law/

Deliverables submitted as part of this project must adhere to the federal plain writing guidelines, which are available at https://www.plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/, and the NIC Guidelines for Preparing and Submitting Manuscripts for Publication, which is available at https://www.nicic.gov/plainlanguage.

Additional resources NIC training and technical assistance awardee standards. NIC has developed the TA Handbook] to promote among providers the consistency and quality of NIC-sponsored training and technical assistance and to advance common expectations of performance excellence. The standards present minimum expectations that providers must meet for effective practice in the planning, coordination, delivery, and evaluation of training.

B. Federal Award Information

NIC expects to make one award for as much as $150,000.00 for a 12-month project period, beginning on December 2, 2024. Requests for amounts more than a total of $150,000.00, including direct and indirect costs will not be considered.

Type of award. NIC expects to make an award from this solicitation in the form of a cooperative agreement which is a particular type of grant used when NIC expects to have ongoing substantial involvement in award activities. Substantial involvement includes direct oversight and involvement with the grantee organization in implementation of the grant but does not involve day-to-day project management, additional information on the substantial involvement can be found in Section A. See https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2017-title36-vol3/xml/CFR-2017-title36-vol3-part1194.xml https://www.section508.gov/ http://www.nicic.gov/plainlanguage https://plainlanguage.gov/law/ https://www.plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/ https://www.nicic.gov/plainlanguage https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements, under Section F. Federal Award Administration, for details regarding the federal involvement anticipated under an award from this solicitation.

All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and to any modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by law.

If the awardee demonstrates significant progress toward implementing project activities and achieving project goals, NIC may, in certain cases, provide supplemental non-competitive funding for FY- 2026 and FY 2027 to the awardee. With the supplemental funding, the project period can be extended up to two additional 12-month increments for an overall project period of 36 months. Important considerations in decisions regarding supplemental funding include, among other factors, the availability of funding, strategic priorities, assessment of the quality of the management of the award (for example, timeliness and quality of progress reports), and assessment of the progress of the work funded under the Award.

Performance measures capture outcomes of cooperative agreement activities, demonstrating if programs accomplish goals and objectives. Performance measures. NIC requires all applicants to submit quarterly progress reports demonstrating progress towards completion of the work proposed under this solicitation. The performance measures for this solicitation outlined on the following page:

Objective Performance Measure(s)

Description Data Grantee Provides

Develop literature review

Initial draft within 120 days of award; final draft

Identify existing research and guidance information on trauma-informed practices in community supervision

Source of research and information, a summary, and a detailed document of the results.

Develop reference and resource materials

Draft glossary, final version

Identify appropriate glossary terms for inclusion in the final document

Initial draft review within 90 days of award; final version

Meet with NIC program manager and subject matter experts

Eight to ten subject matter experts identified and willing to participate, plan for additional meetings

Convene an initial virtual meeting within 90 days of award, plan for and schedule additional meetings

List and provide contact information for working group members, draft and final agenda for meeting, plan for scheduling additional meetings according to need, produce summary meeting reports

Develop readiness assessment and recommendations

Draft and final versions of readiness assessment and recommendations

Determine criteria to assess readiness of agency to engage in the training and provide recommendations for how reach readiness

Initial draft of assessment and recommendations, final version

Create self-assessment policy guide

Initial draft guide with review process using working group, final version provided

Self-assessment for agencies to determine their gaps and opportunities regarding addressing staff sexual misconduct

Full record of resources used, draft guide, final version

Develop education and information for use with agency leadership

Draft of materials and written plan, final version of materials

Develop a plan and materials to educate agency leaders regarding trauma-responsive practices and agency readiness

Written plan and materials in draft form, final version

Present the materials at a national conference

Draft of presentation, final version of presentation

A presentation at a national conference in conjunction with NIC staff

Draft presentation, final version.

Create curriculum for training staff and mid-level supervisors

Draft plan provided, make revisions, final plan provided

VILT approach based on content and information gathered, approach should include rationale for training pieces

Draft plans, final plans

Create VILT Virtual learning modules for training staff and supervisors

VILT modules to train staff Draft modules, final modules

Develop train-the-training curriculum and materails

Draft curriculum materials, make revisions, final curriculum documents

Train-the-trainer curriculum and training materials for staff and supervisors, including pre- and post-tests

Draft curriculums, final curriculums

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls

Award recipients and subrecipients (including recipients or subrecipients that are pass-through entities) must, as described in Part 200 Uniform Requirements as sent out as set out at 2 C.F.R. 200.303:

Establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the nonfederal entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in “Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government” issued by the Comptroller General of the United States and the “Internal Control Integrated Framework”, issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).

Comply with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal awards.

Evaluate and monitor the nonfederal entity's compliance with statute, regulations, and the terms and conditions of federal awards.

Take prompt action when instances of noncompliance are identified, including noncompliance identified in audit findings.

Take reasonable measures to safeguard protected personally identifiable information and other information the federal awarding agency or pass-through entity designates as sensitive or the nonfederal entity considers sensitive consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding privacy and obligations of confidentiality.

Budget Information

Funding Restrictions Foreign Travel is not allowed unless prior written approval is received from Awarding Agency (NIC).

Equipment purchases are not allowed. Construction is not an allowable activity.

Incentives or Stipends Unless specifically listed in Section A, NIC will not fund incentives or Stipends.

Pre-Agreement Cost Approvals NIC does not typically approve pre-agreement costs; an applicant must request and obtain the prior written approval of NIC for all such costs. If approved, pre-agreement costs could be paid from grant funds consistent with a grantee’s approved budget, and under applicable cost standards. However, all such costs prior to award and prior to approval of the costs are incurred at the sole risk of an applicant.

Generally, no applicant should incur project costs before submitting an application requesting federal funding for those costs. Should there be extenuating circumstances that appear to be appropriate for NIC’s consideration as pre-agreement costs, the applicant should contact the point of contact listed on the title page of this announcement for details on the requirements for submitting a written request for approval.

Limitation on use of award funds for employee compensation; waiver With respect to any award of more than $250,000 made under this solicitation, recipients may not use federal funds to pay total cash compensation (salary plus cash bonuses) to any employee of the award recipient at a rate that exceeds 110 percent of the maximum annual salary payable to a member of the Federal Government’s Senior Executive Service (SES) at an agency with a Certified SES Performance

Appraisal System for that year. The 2024 salary table for SES employees is available at the Office of Personnel Management website. Note: A recipient may compensate an employee at a greater rate, provided the amount in excess of this compensation limitation is paid with non-federal funds. (Any such additional compensation will not be considered matching funds where match requirements apply.)

C. Eligibility Information

NIC invites applications from nonprofit organizations (including faith-based, community, and tribal organizations), for-profit organizations (including tribal for-profit organizations), and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education). Recipients, including for-profit organizations, must agree to waive any profit or fee for services. Foreign governments, international organizations, and non-governmental international organizations/institutions are not eligible to apply.

Proof of 501(c) (3) status as determined by the Internal Revenue Service or an authorizing tribal resolution is required.

NIC welcomes applications that involve two or more entities; however, one eligible entity must be the applicant and the others must be proposed as subrecipients. The applicant must be the entity with primary responsibility for administering the funding and managing the entire program. Only one (1) application will be accepted from a submitting organization.

NIC may elect to make awards for applications submitted under this solicitation in future fiscal years, dependent on the merit of the applications and on the availability of appropriations.

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement This solicitation does not require cost sharing or match. However, if a successful application proposes a voluntary cost share or match amount, and NIC approves the budget, the total cost share or match amount shall be incorporated into the approved budget, and becomes mandatory and subject to audit. Cost sharing or match will not be used as a factor during the merit review of applications.

Limit on Number of Application Submissions If an applicant submits multiple versions of the same application, NIC will review only the most recent system-validated version submitted. For more information on system-validated versions, see How To Apply.

D. Application and Submission Information

What an Application Should Include

Applicants should anticipate that if they fail to submit an application that contains all of the specified elements, it may negatively affect the review of their application; and, should a decision be made to make an award, it may result in the inclusion of special conditions that preclude the recipient from accessing or using award funds pending satisfaction of the conditions. See attached checklist.

Moreover, applicants should anticipate that applications that are determined to be nonresponsive to the scope of the solicitation, do not request funding within the funding limit, or that do not include the application elements that NIC has designated to be critical, will neither proceed to peer review nor receive https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2023/executive-senior-level further consideration. Under this solicitation, NIC has designated the following application elements as critical: Project Abstract, Program Narrative, Accessibility Conformance Report, Budget Detail Worksheet, Budget Narrative, Logic Model, Timeline or Milestone Chart and résumés of all key personnel.

Applicants should review the “Note on File Names and File Types” under How To Apply to be sure that they submit their applications in the permitted formats.

NIC strongly recommends that applicants use appropriately descriptive file names (e.g., “Accessibility Conformance Report”, “Program Narrative,” “Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative,” “Timelines,” “Memoranda of Understanding,” “Résumés”) for all attachments. Also, NIC recommends that applicants include résumés in a single file.

Information to Complete the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) The SF-424 is a required standard form used as a cover sheet for submission of pre- applications, applications, and related information. This form can be found on Grants.gov and NIC’s website https://nicic.gov/invitations-bid-and-requests-proposal.

Intergovernmental review This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order 12372. (In completing the SF-424, applicants are to make the appropriate selection in response to question 19 to indicate that the “Program is not covered by E.O. 12372.”)

Project Abstract Applications must include a high-quality project abstract that summarizes the proposed project in 400 words or less. Project abstracts should be

• written for a general public audience;

• submitted as a separate attachment with “Project Abstract” as part of its file name; and

• single-spaced, using a standard 12-point font (Times New Roman) with 1-inch margins.

As a separate attachment, the project abstract will not count against the page limit for the program narrative.

The abstract should briefly describe the project’s purpose, the population to be served, and the activities that the applicant will implement to achieve the project’s goals and objectives. The abstract should describe how the applicant will measure progress toward these goals.

Program Narrative Applicants must submit a program narrative that presents a detailed description of the purpose, goals, objectives, strategies, design, and management of the proposed program. The program narrative should be double-spaced with 1-inch margins, not exceeding 30 pages of 8½ by 11 inches, and use a standard 12-point font, preferably Times New Roman. Pages should be numbered “1 of 30,” etc. The tables, charts, pictures, etc., including all captions, legends, keys, subtext, etc., may be single-spaced and will count in the 30-page limit. Material required under the Budget and Budget Narrative and Additional Attachments sections will not count toward the program narrative page count. Applicants may provide bibliographical references as a separate attachment that will not count toward the 30-page program narrative limit. If the program narrative fails to comply with these length-related restrictions, NIC may consider such noncompliance in peer review and in final award decisions.

https://www.grants.gov/forms https://nicic.gov/invitations-bid-and-requests-proposal http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html

The program narrative should address the following selection criteria: (1) statement of the problem; (2) goals, objectives, and performance measures; (3) program design and implementation; and (4) capabilities/competencies. The applicant should clearly delineate the connections between and among each of these sections. For example, the applicant should derive the goals and objectives directly from the problems to be addressed. Similarly, the project design section should clearly explain how the program’s structure and activities will accomplish the goals and objectives identified in the previous section.

The following sections should be included as part of the program narrative:

Statement of the problem.

Applicants should describe any research or evaluation studies that relate to the problem and contribute to the applicant’s understanding of its causes and potential solutions. While NIC expects applicants to review the research literature for relevant studies, they should also explore whether unpublished local sources of research or evaluation data are available.

Goals, objectives, and performance measures.

Applicants should describe the goals of the proposed training and technical assistance program and identify its objectives. When formulating the program’s goals and objectives, applicants should be cognizant of the performance measures that NIC will require successful applicants to provide.

Goals. Applicants should describe the program’s intent to deliver training and technical assistance, as described in the previous section and outline the project’s goals.

Program objectives. Applicants should explain how the program will accomplish its goals.

Objectives are specific, quantifiable statements of the project’s desired results. They should be clearly linked to the training and technical assistance strategy identified in the preceding section and measurable.

NIC does not require applicants to submit performance measures data with their application.

Performance measures are included as an alert that NIC will require successful applicants to submit specific data as part of their reporting requirements. For the application, applicants should indicate an understanding of these requirements and discuss how they will gather the required data, should they receive funding.

Project Design and Implementation Applicants should detail how the project will operate throughout the funding period and describe the strategies that they will use to achieve the goals and objectives identified in the previous section.

Applicants should describe how they will complete the deliverables stated in the Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables section on page 5. NIC encourages applicants to select evidence-based practices for their programs.

Logic Model Applicants must include a logic model that graphically illustrates how the performance measures are related to the project’s problems, goals, objectives, and design. Applicants should submit the logic model as a separate attachment, as stipulated in Additional Attachments.

Timeline or Milestone Chart Applicants must submit a milestone chart that indicates major tasks associated with the goals and objectives of the project, assigns responsibility for each, and plots completion of each task by month or quarter for the duration of the award, using “Year 1,” “Month 1,” “Quarter 1,” etc., not calendar dates.

Applicants should submit the timeline as a separate attachment, as stipulated in Additional Attachments, page 19. On receipt of an award, the recipient may revise the timeline, based on training and technical assistance that NIC will provide.

Capabilities and Competencies, Résumés of All Key Personnel This section should describe the experience and capability of the applicant organization and any contractors or subawards that the applicant will use to implement and manage this effort and its associated federal funding, highlighting any previous experience implementing projects of similar design or magnitude. Applicants should highlight their experience/capability/capacity to manage subawards, including details on their system for fiscal accountability. Management and staffing patterns should be clearly connected to the project design described in the previous section. Applicants should describe the roles and responsibilities of project staff and explain the program’s organizational structure and operations. Applicants should include a copy of an organizational chart showing how the organization operates, including who manages the finances; how the organization manages subawards, if there are any;

and the management of the project proposed for funding.

Letters of Support/Memoranda of Understanding If submitting a joint application, as described under Section C: Eligibility Information, page 1, applicants should provide signed and dated letters of support or memoranda of understanding for all key partners that include the following:

expression of support for the program and a statement of willingness to participate and collaborate with it;

description of the partner’s current role and responsibilities in the planning process and expected responsibilities when the program is operational; and estimate of the percentage of time that the partner will devote to the planning and operation of the project.

Accessibility Conformance Report Applicants must provide an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) for each type of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) (e.g., electronic document, web-based content, web-based training, podcast, or video) offered through this Cooperative Agreement. Create the ACR using the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) Version 2.1 or later, located at https://www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/vpat. Complete each ACR in accordance with the instructions provided in the VPAT template.

Each ACR must address the applicable Section 508 requirements referenced in the statement of work and program description. Use the remarks/explanations column or additional narrative to explain how the ICT meets, fails to meet, or does not apply to the standards (e.g., user functionality, administrator functionality, and reporting). For ICT features that do not fully conform to Section 508 standards, describe your plan to remedy those features.

Finally, the applicant should describe the evaluation methods that were used to support Section 508 conformance claims. NIC reserves the right, prior to making an award decision, to perform testing on some or all of the applicant’s proposed ICT items to validate Section 508 conformance claims made in the ACR.

https://www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/vpat

Plain Writing Attestation Letter For the deliverables…