draft ojjdp fy 2011 mentoring initiative for youth with disabilities32911 (2) (2).pdf

U.S. Department of Justice OMB No. 1121-0329

Office of Justice Programs

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) is seeking applicants for its Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative. This program furthers DOJ’s mission by supporting the development and enhancement of mentoring initiatives that serve youth with disabilities.

OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative

Eligibility

Applicants are limited to states (including territories), units of local government (including federally-recognized tribal governments, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior), nonprofit and for-profit organizations (including tribal nonprofit and for-profit organizations), and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education). (See “Eligibility,” page 3.)

Deadline

Registration with Grants.gov is required prior to application submission. (See “How To Apply,” page 9.) All applications are due by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on May 16, 2011. (See “Deadlines: Registration and Application,” page 3.)

Contact Information

For technical assistance with submitting an application, call the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 1-800-518-4726 or e-mail support@grants.gov. Hotline hours of operation are 24 hours, 7 days a week, except federal holidays.

For assistance with any other requirements of this solicitation, contact the Justice Information Center at 1–877–927–5657 or via email to JIC@telesishq.com. The Center’s hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. On the solicitation close date, the Center will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time.

Grants.gov number assigned to this announcement: OJJDP-2011-2981

Release Date: March 30, 2011 http://www.usdoj.gov/ http://www.ojp.gov/flash.htm http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp mailto:support@grants.gov mailto:JIC@telesishq.com

OMB No. 1121-0329 OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative Approval Expires 02/28/2013 OJJDP-2011-2981

Contents

_Toc284246533Overview

Deadlines: Registration and Application

Eligibility

Program-Specific Information

Performance Measures

Project Evaluations

Notice of New Post-Award Reporting Requirements

How To Apply

What an Application Is Expected To Include

Standard Form-424 (SF-424)

Program Narrative

Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

Tribal Authorizing Resolution

Other Attachments

Other Standard Forms

Selection Criteria

Review Process

Additional Requirements

Appendix: Application Checklist

OMB No. 1121-0329 OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative Approval Expires 02/28/2013 OJJDP-2011-2981

OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative

(CFDA #16.726)

Overview

OJJDP invites community mentoring partnerships or collaboratives that target youth with disability-related challenges that heighten their risk for delinquency to apply. This initiative builds upon the foundation of evidence-based practices for effective mentoring and encourages communities to implement and enhance mentoring programs for youth with disabilities. These mentoring efforts will integrate best practices and proven principles into mentoring service models, including efforts to systematically recruit, train, and support mentors in their efforts to encourage individual youth to maximize personal strengths and to develop compensatory skills in specific areas of disability.

This program will be authorized by an Act appropriating funds for the Department of Justice.

Deadlines: Registration and Application

Registration with Grants.gov is required prior to application submission. OJJDP encourages applicants to register several weeks before the application deadline of 11: 59 p.m., Eastern Time, on May 16, 2011. See “How To Apply,” page 9, for details.

Eligibility

Applicants are limited to states (including territories), units of local government (including federally-recognized tribal governments, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior), nonprofit and for-profit organizations (including tribal nonprofit and for-profit organizations), and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education). For-profit organizations must agree to forgo any profit or management fee.

Eligible applicants who propose to provide direct services to youth must serve youth who are younger than 18 years old.

OJJDP welcomes joint applications from two or more eligible applicants; however, one applicant must be clearly indicated as the primary applicant (for correspondence, award, and management purposes) and the others indicated as co-applicants.

Program-Specific Information

As defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, a disability may include a broad array of physical or mental impairments that substantially limit an individual’s performance of one or more major life activities. The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services of the U.S. Department of Education administers the Individuals with Disabilities Act, which requires state educational agencies to provide students with disabilities appropriate educational services that meet their individual needs to the same extent as students http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp

OMB No. 1121-0329 OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative Approval Expires 02/28/2013 OJJDP-2011-2981 without disabilities. States must provide these services to youth with disabilities in educational settings in the community as well as in correctional settings.

Children and youth with disabilities face daily challenges that can heighten their risk for delinquency. By no means are all disabilities associated with increased risk for delinquency, nor do all individuals with any particular disability experience the onset of delinquency.

Research suggests that youth with certain intellectual, learning, emotional, and behavioral disabilities are more likely to engage in delinquency and other negative behaviors. For instance, youth who find it difficult to achieve age appropriate educational milestones due to an intellectual or learning disability may be more likely than their peers to experience frustration and embarrassment in the classroom and less likely to attend school, stay on task in the classroom, and aspire to achieve educational goals. For youth with emotional disabilities and behavioral/conduct problems, not only is it difficult to focus on academic tasks, it may be difficult to interact appropriately with adults and peers, to control impulses, to follow rules, or to adapt to stressful situations. Those youth who become physically disabled, as a result of criminal involvement and/or victimization may also be at increased risk for involvement in delinquency.

For further research information, refer to the National Gang Center’s “Review of Risk Factors for Juvenile Delinquency and Youth Gang Involvement” at the following link:

www.nationalgangcenter.gov/SPT/Risk-Factors/Research-Review-Criteria.

Compared with their non-disabled peers, youth with disabilities have been shown to be more likely to develop mental health impairments, have an unintended pregnancy, and become involved in the juvenile justice system. Youth with disabilities are also more likely than their non-disabled peers to drop out or to be “pushed out” of school, are at a disproportionately greater risk for suspension and expulsion, and are less likely to attend or finish college.

Although specific research on mentoring youth with disabilities is lacking, research on evidence-based mentoring has indicated that children and youth benefit greatly from a caring, sustained relationship with a mentor. Some evidence also suggests that mentoring can assist youth with disabilities with a variety of developmental tasks including social skill and leadership development, career awareness, academic achievement, and developing skills to overcome societal barriers. In addition, research suggests that effective mentoring of youth with disabilities can assist with improving school attendance, reducing disciplinary issues, raising grade point averages, and increasing self esteem.

Successful applicants for this initiative will integrate best practices and proven principles into mentoring service models that target youth with disabilities. These best practices include the following:

Mentoring relationships should be structured to support a relationship that lasts at least 1 year or through an entire school year, although relationships that last 2 or more years significantly increase positive outcomes for youth.

Research suggests that mentor-mentee relationships that end prematurely can result in negative outcomes for the mentee. Accordingly, attention should be given to creating matches that are more likely to endure.

Research also demonstrates that mentoring programs in which mentors have both frequent contact with mentees and knowledge of and contact with their mentees’ families have significantly better outcomes.

http://portal.ojp.usdoj.gov/portal/portal.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_0_208_208_6886_43/http%3B/ojpwasapp33.ojp.usdoj.gov%3B11930/collab/docman/download/53230/0/0/0/www.nationalgangcenter.gov/SPT/Risk-Factors/Research-Review-Criteria

OMB No. 1121-0329 OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative Approval Expires 02/28/2013 OJJDP-2011-2981

Because structured support is crucial for the mentoring relationship, significant training for the mentor, oversight of the relationship, and data collection to track the relationship and outcomes arising from it are critical components for effective programs.

Additionally, because much of the literature on effective interventions with youth with disabilities focuses on the importance of individualized treatment and services, working with a well-coordinated network of services is also critical. To this end, OJJDP expects successful applicants to outline how they will integrate mentoring efforts into innovative cross-system collaborations among public and private partners to ensure that each youth’s particular needs are addressed.

Purpose

The program will support the prevention and reduction of delinquency and other negative behaviors (e.g., truancy, school disciplinary infractions) in at-risk youth with disabilities and enhance positive behaviors, personal strengths, compensatory skill development, and interpersonal relationships with these youths’ families, peers, school personnel, and other community members. Applicants will achieve these changes in targeted behavior through the development of strategic mentoring programs that address the specific needs of youth with disabilities, building upon the foundation of evidence-based mentoring practices.

At-risk Youth. For purposes of this solicitation, “at-risk youth” are defined as those youth who are likely to become involved in the juvenile justice system due to possessing certain predictive/correlative characteristics or who are already involved in the juvenile justice system.

OJJDP recognizes that this is a broad definition that can be interpreted in different ways.

Applicants should fully address how the behaviors, characteristics, factors, etc. for at-risk youth relate to involvement in the juvenile justice system. In defining the criteria for selecting youth with disabilities to receive mentoring services, the applicant must clearly specify how the disabilities or areas targeted are associated with increased levels of risk for involvement in delinquency.

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables

The initiative’s goals are to support communities’ efforts to ensure youth with disabilities have the support and services they need to develop into healthy, productive adults. The initiative will support the creation and expansion of evidence-based mentoring programs targeted to youth with disabilities who are involved with the juvenile justice system or who are at risk of involvement in delinquency. This initiative will consider applications from disability-specific programs as well as community or school-based programs that propose to develop and implement or expand mentoring programs and services for youth with disabilities.

To this end, this initiative will fund organizational and community capacity building to effectively serve youth with disabilities. This includes the creation or improvement of training for staff, mentors, and community members focused on supporting youth with disabilities; the design or integration of a well-coordinated network of services to meet youth and family needs; creative strategies to recruit and retain both mentees and mentors; and a robust culturally competent system to elicit and sustain family, school, and community involvement.

OJJDP will assign major tasks and deliverables under this guidance based on a review of the application. At a minimum, grantees will submit semiannual progress reports.

OMB No. 1121-0329 OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative Approval Expires 02/28/2013 OJJDP-2011-2981

Evidence-based Programs or Practices

OJP considers programs and practices to be evidence-based when their effectiveness has been demonstrated by causal evidence, generally obtained through 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 OJP considers a program or practice to be evidence-based.

For further discussion of evidence-based practices, see the OJJDP Model Programs Guide discussion of mentoring listed under prevention programs at www.ojjdp.gov/mpg/.

Amount and Length of Awards

OJJDP intends to award multiple grants under this initiative. Each grant award will be for as much as $300,000 for an award period not to exceed 3 years. This amount is for the entire award period. OJJDP will make no additional awards in subsequent years. OJJDP anticipates that the Office will make any awards under this solicitation by September 30, 2011.

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

Budget Information

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver: With respect to any award of more than $250,000 made under this solicitation, federal funds may not be used to pay total cash compensation (salary plus bonuses) to any employee of the award recipient at a rate that exceeds 110% 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 2011salary table for SES employees is available at www.opm.gov/oca/11tables/indexSES.asp.) Note: A recipient may compensate an employee at a higher 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.)

The limitation on compensation rates allowable under an award may be waived on an individual basis at the discretion of the Assistant Attorney General for OJP. An applicant that wishes to request a waiver must include a detailed justification in the budget narrative of its application.

Unless the applicant submits a waiver request and justification with the application, the applicant should anticipate that OJP will request the applicant to adjust and resubmit its budget.

The justification should include: the particular qualifications and expertise of the individual, the uniqueness of the service being provided, the individual’s specific knowledge of the program or project being undertaken with award funds, and a statement explaining that the individual’s salary is commensurate with the regular and customary rate for an individual with his/her qualifications and expertise, and for the work that is to be done.

Match Requirement. Match is not required for this program.

http://www.ojjdp.gov/mpg/ http://www.opm.gov/oca/11tables/indexSES.asp

OMB No. 1121-0329 OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative Approval Expires 02/28/2013 OJJDP-2011-2981

Performance Measures

To assist the Department in fulfilling its responsibilities under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, applicants that receive funding under this solicitation must provide data that measure the results of their work. Any award recipient will be required, post award, to provide the data requested in the “Data Grantee Provides” column so that OJP can calculate values for the “Performance Measures” column. Performance measures for this solicitation are as follows:

Objective Performance Measure(s) Data Grantee Provides

Establish/improve administration of mentoring programs for at-risk, underserved youth with disabilities, including expansion of mentoring strategies and program design.

Percentage increase in number of program mentors recruited.

Percentage of program mentors successfully completing training.

Percentage of trained program mentors with increased knowledge of the program area.

Number of program mentors.

Number of mentors at beginning of program.

Number of mentors at close of reporting period.

Number of mentors.

Number of trained program mentors.

Number of mentors successfully completing training.

Number of trained mentors demonstrating increased knowledge of the program area.

Number of mentors at the beginning of the reporting period.

Number of mentors who left the program.

Improve outcomes for at-risk youth in mentoring programs by establishing and strengthening collaborative community approaches.

Number of program youth served.

Percentage of program youth completing program requirements.

Percentage of program youth who offend/reoffend.

Percentage of program youth exhibiting desired change in the targeted behavior, which will depend on specific program goals and activities and may include

Number of youth carried over from the previous reporting period, plus new admissions during the current period.

Number of youth in the program.

Number of youth who complete the program requirements.

Number of program youth.

Number of youth with a new offense.

Number of youth exhibiting a desired change in targeted behavior.

Number of youth served.

OMB No. 1121-0329 OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative Approval Expires 02/28/2013 OJJDP-2011-2981 academic achievement, school attendance, social competence, etc.

Percentage of youth with whom an evidence-based practice was used.

Number of youth served using an evidence-based practice.

Submission of performance measures data is not required for the application. Instead, applicants should discuss in their application their proposed methods for collecting data for performance measures. Refer to the section “What an Application Is Expected To Include,” page 10, for additional information.

Project Evaluations

Applicants that propose to use funds awarded through this solicitation to conduct project evaluations should be aware that certain project evaluations (such as systematic investigations to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge) may constitute “research” for purposes of applicable DOJ human subjects protections. However, project evaluations that are intended to generate internal improvements to a program or service or to meet OJP’s performance measure data reporting requirements likely do not constitute “research.” Applicants should provide sufficient information for OJP to determine whether the particular project they propose would either intentionally or unintentionally collect and/or use information in such a way that it meets the DOJ regulatory definition of research.

Research, for the purposes of human subjects protections for OJP-funded programs, is defined as “a systematic investigation, including research development, testing, and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge” [28 C.F.R. § 46.102(d)]. For additional information on determining whether a proposed activity would constitute research, see the decision tree on the “Research and the Protection of Human Subjects” section of the OJP “Other Requirements for OJP Applications” Web page (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/other_requirements.htm). Applicants whose proposals may involve a research or statistical component also should review the “Confidentiality” section on that Web page.

For more information about OJJDP performance measures, see www.ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/grantees/pm/index.html.

Notice of New Post-Award Reporting Requirements

Applicants should anticipate that all recipients (other than individuals) of awards of $25,000 or more under this solicitation, consistent with the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (FFATA), will be required to report award information on any first-tier subawards totaling $25,000 or more, and, in certain cases, to report information on the names and total compensation of the five most highly compensated executives of the recipient and first-tier subrecipients. Each applicant entity must ensure that it has the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the reporting requirements should it receive funding.

Reports regarding subawards will be made through the FFATA Subaward Reporting System (FSRS), found at www.fsrs.gov.

Please note also that applicants should anticipate that no subaward of an award made under this solicitation may be made to a subrecipient (other than an individual) unless the potential subrecipient acquires and provides a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number.

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/other_requirements.htm file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/callagha/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/ETFILUII/www.ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/grantees/pm/index.html http://www.fsrs.gov/

OMB No. 1121-0329 OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative Approval Expires 02/28/2013 OJJDP-2011-2981

How To Apply

Applications should be submitted through Grants.gov. Complete instructions on how to register and submit an application can be found at www.grants.gov. Applicants who experience difficulties during this process should call the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 1-800- 518-4726. Hotline hours of operation are 24 hours, 7 days a week, except federal holidays.

Registering with Grants.gov is a one-time process; however, processing delays may occur and it can take several weeks for first-time registrants to receive confirmation and a user password.

OJJDP recommends that applicants register as early as possible to avoid delays in submitting their applications by the deadline.

All applicants are required to complete the following steps:

1. Acquire a DUNS number. A DUNS number is required for Grants.gov registration. OMB requires that all applicants for federal funds (other than individuals, who are exempt from this requirement) include a DUNS number in their applications for a new award or renewal of an existing award. A DUNS number is a unique nine-digit sequence recognized as the universal standard for identifying and tracking entities receiving federal funds. The identifier is used to validate address and point of contact information for federal assistance applicants, recipients, and subrecipients. The DUNS number will be used throughout the grant life cycle. Obtaining a DUNS number is a free, one-time activity. Obtain a DUNS number by calling 1–866–705–5711 or by applying online at www.dnb.com.

2. Acquire or Renew Registration with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) Database. OJP requires that all applicants (other than individuals) for federal financial assistance maintain current registrations in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database. An applicant must be registered in the CCR to successfully register in Grants.gov.

The CCR database is the repository for standard information about federal financial assistance applicants, recipients, and subrecipients. Organizations that have previously submitted applications via Grants.gov are already registered with CCR. However, applicants must update or renew their CCR registration annually to maintain an active status.

Information about CCR registration procedures can be accessed at www.ccr.gov.

3. Acquire an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and a Grants.gov Username and Password. Complete the AOR profile on Grants.gov and create a username and password. Applicants must use their organization’s DUNS number to complete this step. For more information about the registration process, visit www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp.

4. Acquire Confirmation for the AOR from the E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC).

The applicant’s E-Biz POC must log into Grants.gov to confirm the organization’s AOR. An organization can have more than one AOR.

5. Search for the Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov. Use the following identifying information when searching for the funding opportunity on Grants.gov. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number for this solicitation is 16.726, titled “Juvenile Mentoring Program,” and the funding opportunity number is OJJDP-2011-2981.

6. Submit an Application Addressing All Solicitation Requirements. Within 24–48 hours after submitting an electronic application, the applicant should receive an e-mail validation http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.dnb.com/ http://www.ccr.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp

OMB No. 1121-0329 OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative Approval Expires 02/28/2013 OJJDP-2011-2981 message from Grants.gov. The validation will state whether OJJDP has received and validated the application or rejected it, with an explanation. Important: OJJDP urges applicants to submit their applications at least 72 hours prior to the due date of the application to allow time to receive the validation message and to correct any problems that may have caused a rejection notification.

Grants.gov will forward the application to OJP’s Grants Management System (GMS). GMS does not accept executable file types as application attachments. These disallowed file types include, but are not limited to, the following extensions: “.com,” “.bat,” “.exe,” “.vbs,” “.cfg,” “.dat,” “.db,” “.dbf,” “.dll,” “.ini,” “.log,” “.ora,” “.sys,” and “.zip.”

Grants.gov Technical Issues

Applicants who experience unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues that prevent them from submitting their applications by the deadline must contact OJJDP staff within 24 hours after the deadline and request approval to submit their applications. At that time, OJJDP staff will instruct the applicant to submit specific information detailing the technical difficulties. The applicant must e-mail a description of their technical difficulties, a timeline of submission efforts, their complete grant application, their DUNS number, and Grants.gov Help Desk tracking numbers they have received. After OJJDP reviews the information and contacts the Grants.gov Help Desk to validate the technical issues reported, OJP will contact the applicant to inform them whether their request has been approved or denied. If OJJDP cannot validate the technical issues reported, the Office will reject the application as untimely.

To ensure a fair competition for limited discretionary funds, the following conditions are not valid reasons to permit late submissions: (1) failure to begin the registration process in sufficient time,

(2) failure to follow Grants.gov instructions on how to register and apply as posted on its Web site, (3) failure to follow all of the instructions in the OJP solicitation, and (4) technical issues experienced with the applicant’s computer or information technology environment.

Notifications regarding known technical problems with Grants.gov, if any, are posted at the top of the OJP funding Web page, www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/solicitations.htm.

What an Application Is Expected To Include

This section describes what an application should include and sets out a number of elements.

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 OJJDP decide to make an award, it may result in OJJDP including special conditions that preclude access to or use of award funds pending satisfaction of the conditions.

Moreover, applicants should anticipate that some application elements are so critical that applications that do not respond to the scope of the solicitation, that do not meet the eligibility requirements, that do not request funding within the funding limit, that do not include a program narrative, budget detail worksheet, or a budget narrative will neither proceed to peer review nor receive further consideration.

OJP strongly recommends that applicants use appropriately descriptive file names (e.g., “Program Narrative,” “Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative,” “Timelines,” http://www.ojp.gov/funding/solicitations.htm

OMB No. 1121-0329 OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative Approval Expires 02/28/2013 OJJDP-2011-2981

“Memoranda of Understanding,” “Resumes”) for all attachments. OJP recommends that applicants include resumes in a single file.

Standard Form-424 (SF-424)

The SF-424 is a standard form required for use as a cover sheet for submission of pre-applications, applications, and related information. Grants.gov and GMS take information from the applicant’s profile to populate the fields on this form. When selecting "type of applicant" if the applicant is a for-profit entity, select "For-Profit Organization" or "Small Business" (as applicable). Instructions on completing the SF-424 are available at www07.grants.gov/assets/SF424Instructions.pdf.

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 project abstract, 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 “Other Attachments” sections will not count toward the program narrative page count. If the program narrative fails to comply with these length-related restrictions, noncompliance may be considered in peer review and in final award decisions.

The program narrative should address the following selection criteria: (1) statement of the problem, (2) performance measures requirements, (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.

Statement of the Problem

Applicants should briefly describe the nature and scope of the problem that the program will address, clearly specifying the target population for this delinquency prevention mentoring initiative. Applicants should define the selection criteria for target youth, which include (1) a delineation of the type of disability or spectrum of disabilities they plan to include and (2) evidence that the targeted disability area or areas are associated with increased risk for involvement in delinquent behavior.

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 applicants are expected to review the research literature for relevant studies, they should also explore whether unpublished local sources of research or evaluation data are available.

Project Abstract. Applicants should include a project abstract as the first page of the program narrative, and it is included in the page limitation specified above. The abstract should not exceed 200 words and briefly describe the project’s purpose, identify the population to be served, and summarize the activities that the applicant will implement to achieve the project’s http://www07.grants.gov/assets/SF424Instructions.pdf

OMB No. 1121-0329 OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative Approval Expires 02/28/2013 OJJDP-2011-2981 goals and objectives. These goals and objectives should focus on short-term and intermediate outcomes (see “Performance Measures Requirements,” below). The abstract should describe how the applicant will measure progress toward these goals.

Performance Measures Requirements

Applicants should describe the goals of the proposed program and identify its objectives. When formulating the program’s goals and objectives, applicants must be cognizant of the performance measures that will be required of successful applicants.

Goals. Applicants should describe the program’s intent to change, reduce, or eliminate the problem noted 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 problem identified in the preceding section and measurable.

Performance Measures. Award recipients are required to report data in support of mandated performance measures for this solicitation (see "Performance Measures," page 7.) OJJDP does not require applicants to submit performance measures data with their applications. Applicants must describe the steps they will take to assemble the information needed to comply with OJJDP’s performance measures reporting requirements. Award recipients will be encouraged to use information from existing program records to fulfill performance measures reporting requirements, rather than initiating new data collection activities for this purpose. To ensure confidentiality of program records, award recipients will also be required to submit a completed Privacy Certificate pre-award. (See www.ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/grantees/pm/faq.html for more information).

Program Design/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 provide a detailed description of activities that they will undertake during any planning period before they implement program activities. OJJDP encourages applicants to select evidence-based practices for their programs and adopt a project design that will facilitate the gathering of data on the required performance measures.

This section should also include details regarding any leveraged resources (cash or in-kind) from local sources to support the project and discuss plans for sustainability beyond the grant period including the identification of any other federal, state, or private foundation grants that serve the same local area and target population.

Applicants must describe the following parameters of their mentoring program:

The youth population that the program will serve, including a complete description of how the program will recruit youth. If the applicant will use partnering organizations to recruit youth, then the application should include memoranda of agreement from that referral.

A description of the recruitment and retention strategies, including the types of individuals the program will recruit as mentors as well as a training plan, plan for criminal background checks, and ongoing support to facilitate the success of mentor-mentee matches.

http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/grantees/pm/faq.html

OMB No. 1121-0329 OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative Approval Expires 02/28/2013 OJJDP-2011-2981

The type of mentoring that the program will offer and the structure of the mentoring program, including a description of where and when the mentoring will take place, the nature of the mentoring sessions, how often mentors and mentees will meet and how long the mentoring matches should last. Applicants should include a description of how the program design specifically provides the types of support that youth with disabilities need.

What the program will accomplish and the outcomes that will result for participants, including mentors, mentees, and sponsoring organizations and how the program will evaluate success. This should include ongoing strategies for monitoring individual and program performance to identify and solve problems that could impact success.

Mentoring services should be a part of a comprehensive positive youth development program plan and continuum of services that will support youth with disabilities. It is critical that a component of the program link youth and families to services and resources in the community, i.e. educational services; employment assistance; socialization and life skills training;

entrepreneurial training and exposure; substance abuse treatment; housing; family functioning;

special recreational interests; social, civic, and leadership opportunities; etc. Applicants should include a discussion of existing and anticipated community partnerships that can provide a range of support and services for youth with disabilities. Applicants should include in the attachments letters of support or memoranda of agreement for those that play a key role in the program design. In addition, successful applicants will include:

A description of the plan to develop or strengthen collaborations that will increase the community’s capacity to provide mentoring services for at-risk youth with disabilities. This plan should include elements to facilitate the communication, collaboration, and delivery of mentoring services among service providers, community stakeholders, and government partners. OJJDP encourages applicants to include strategies to involve schools, child welfare, social service, and juvenile justice system representatives to coordinate services and eliminate redundant efforts.

A description of the nontraditional partners that may not have mentoring as their primary mission but have areas of common interest that include providing services and support to youth with disabilities. Examples may include faith-based organizations, for-profits (local businesses), physical and mental health organizations, substance abuse prevention organizations, social services, early childhood/elementary educational systems, educational/ vocational entities, universities/colleges, and other government or tribal units and agencies.

OJJDP encourages applicants to seek to expand existing partnerships among a broad spectrum of organizations and to develop and implement initiatives that seek to pilot innovative approaches to mentoring.

Logic Model. Applicants should include a logic model that graphically illustrates how the performance measures are related to the project’s problems, goals, objectives, and design.

Sample logic models are available at ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/grantees/performance.html. The logic model should be submitted as a separate attachment, as stipulated in “Other Attachments,” page 15.

Timeline. Applicants should submit a timeline or milestone chart that indicates major tasks, 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 (see “Sample Project Timelines” at ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/grantees/timelines.html). The timeline should be http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/grantees/performance.html http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/grantees.html

OMB No. 1121-0329 OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative Approval Expires 02/28/2013 OJJDP-2011-2981 submitted as a separate attachment, as stipulated in “Other Attachments,” page 15. On receipt of an award, the timeline may be revised based on training and technical assistance provided by

OJJDP.

Capabilities/Competencies

Applicants should describe the roles and responsibilities of project staff and explain the program’s organizational structure and operations. Management and staffing patterns should be clearly connected to the project design described in the previous section. This section should describe the experience and capability of the applicant’s organization and any contractors 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 that have previously received funding from OJJDP must provide a description of their past performance in meeting goals and objectives outlined in funded proposals. Include any relevant information that should be considered when evaluating applicants’ past performance implementing OJJDP funded initiatives.

Letters of Support/Memoranda of Understanding. If submitting a joint application, as described under “Eligibility,” page 3, applicants must 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.

estimate of the percent of time that the partner will devote to the planning and operation of the project.

Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative

Applicants should provide a budget that (1) is complete, allowable, and cost effective in relation to the proposed activities; (2) shows the cost calculations demonstrating how they arrived at the total amount requested; and (3) provides a brief supporting narrative to link costs with project activities. The budget should cover the entire award period.

Budget Detail Worksheet

The worksheet should provide the detailed computation for each budget line item, listing the cost of each and showing how the applicant calculated it. For example, costs for personnel should show the annual salary rate and the percentage of time devoted to the project for each employee paid through grant funds. The budget detail worksheet should present a complete and detailed itemization of all proposed costs.

A sample Budget Detail Worksheet can be found at www.ojp.gov/funding/forms/budget_detail.pdf. If the budget is submitted in a different format, the budget categories listed in the sample budget worksheet should be included.

http://www.ojp.gov/funding/forms/budget_detail.pdf

OMB No. 1121-0329 OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative

Budget Narrative

The Budget Narrative should thoroughly and clearly describe every category of expense listed in the Budget Detail Worksheet. The narrative should be mathematically sound and correspond with the information and figures provided in the Budget Detail Worksheet. The narrative should explain how all costs were estimated and calculated and how they are relevant to the completion of the proposed project. The narrative may include tables for clarification purposes but need not be in a spreadsheet format. As with the Budget Detail Worksheet, the Budget Narrative should be broken down by year.

For questions pertaining to budget and examples of allowable and unallowable costs, see the OJP Financial Guide at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/financialguide/index.htm.

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)

Indirect costs are allowed only if the applicant has a federally approved indirect cost rate. (This requirement does not apply to units of local government.) A copy of the rate approval should be attached. If the applicant does not have an approved rate, one can be requested by contacting the applicant’s cognizant federal agency, which will review all documentation and approve a rate for the applicant organization or, if the applicant’s accounting system permits, costs may be allocated in the direct cost categories. If DOJ is the cognizant federal agency, obtain information needed to submit an indirect cost rate proposal at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/financialguide/part3/part3chap17.htm.

Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable)

If an application is being submitted by either (1) a tribe or tribal organization, or (2) by a third party proposing to provide direct services or assistance to residents on tribal lands, then a current authorizing resolution of the governing body of the tribal entity or other enactment of the tribal council or comparable governing body authorizing the inclusion of the tribe or tribal organization and its residents should be included with the application. In those instances where an organization or consortium of tribes proposes to apply for a grant on behalf of a tribe or multiple specific tribes, then the application should include a resolution from all tribes that will be included as a part of the services/assistance provided under the grant. A consortium of tribes for which existing consortium bylaws allow action without support from all tribes in the consortium (i.e., without authorizing resolution or other enactment of each tribal governing body) may submit a copy of its consortium bylaws with the application in lieu of tribal resolutions.

If an applicant is unable to obtain a signed copy of a tribal resolution documenting support for its application, then, at minimum, the applicant must should submit an unsigned, draft tribal resolution as part of its application (except in cases where, with respect to a tribal consortium applicant, consortium bylaws allow action without the support of all consortium member tribes).

If selected for funding, use of and access to funds will be contingent on receipt of the signed tribal resolution.

Other Attachments

Applicants should submit the following information, as stipulated in the cited pages, as attachments to their application. While the materials listed below are not assigned specific point values, peer reviewers will, as appropriate, consider these items when rating applications. For example, reviewers will consider résumés when assessing “Capabilities/Competencies.” Peer http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/financialguide/index.htm http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/financialguide/part3/part3chap17.htm

OMB No. 1121-0329 OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative Approval Expires 02/28/2013 OJJDP-2011-2981 reviewers will not consider any additional information that the applicant submits other than that specified below.

logic model (see “Logic Model,” page 13) timeline or milestone chart (see “Timeline,” page 13) résumés of all key personnel job descriptions outlining roles and responsibilities for all key positions letters of support/memoranda of understanding from partner organizations (see “Letters of Support/Memoranda of Understanding,” page 14) evidence of nonprofit status, e.g., copy of tax exemption letter from the Internal Revenue Service evidence of for-profit status, e.g., copy of articles of incorporation.

Other Standard Forms

Additional forms that may be required in connection with an award are available with their instructions on OJP’s funding page at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/forms.htm. For successful applicants, receipt of funds may be contingent upon submission of all necessary forms. Note in particular the following forms:

Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire (required for any applicant other than an individual that is a non-governmental entity and that has not received any award from OJP within the past 3 years; this form must be downloaded, completed, and then uploaded)

Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (required to be submitted in GMS prior to the receipt of any award funds)

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (required for any applicant that expends any funds for lobbying activities; this form must be downloaded, completed, and then uploaded)

Standard Assurances (required to be submitted in GMS prior to the receipt of any award funds).

Selection Criteria

OJJDP will rate applications that proceed to peer review on a 100-point scale, based on the following point values for the selection criteria:

1. Statement of the Problem (20 points)

2. Performance Measures Requirements (10 points)

3. Program Design and Implementation (40 points)

4. Capabilities and Competencies/past performance (20 points)

5. Budget (10 points) http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/forms.htm http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/forms/financial_capability.pdf http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/forms/certifications.pdf http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/forms/certifications.pdf http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/forms/disclosure.pdf http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/forms/std_assurances.pdf

OMB No. 1121-0329 OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative

See “What an Application Is Expected To Include,” page 10, for descriptions of the above criteria.

OMB No. 1121-0329 OJJDP FY 2011 Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Initiative Approval Expires 02/28/2013 OJJDP-2011-2981

Review Process

OJP is committed to…