HHS-2021-ACF-ACYF-EV-1943.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Administration on Children, Youth and Families - Family and Youth Services Bureau

Family Violence Prevention and Services Discretionary Grant Program - National Indian

Resource Center Addressing Domestic Violence (NIRC)

HHS-2021-ACF-ACYF-EV-1943

Application Due Date: 07/05/2021

Family Violence Prevention and Services Discretionary Grant Program - National Indian

Resource Center Addressing Domestic Violence (NIRC)

HHS-2021-ACF-ACYF-EV-1943

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview Executive Summary

I. Program Description II. Federal Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

3. Other

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management

(SAM)

4. Submission Dates and Times

5. Intergovernmental Review

6. Funding Restrictions

7. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

3. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

VI. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notices

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

3. Reporting

VII. HHS Awarding Agency Contact(s) VIII. Other Information

Department of Health & Human Services Administration for Children and Families

Funding Opportunity Title: Family Violence Prevention and

Services Discretionary Grant Program - National Indian Resource Center Addressing Domestic Violence (NIRC)

Announcement Type: Initial Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2021-ACF-ACYF-EV-1943 Primary CFDA Number: 93.592 Due Date for Letter of Intent: 06/05/2021 Due Date for Applications: 07/05/2021

Executive Summary

Notice:

Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the entire funding opportunity announcement (FOA) carefully and observe the application formatting requirements listed in Section IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission.

For more information on applying for grants, please visit "How to Apply for a Grant" on the ACF Grants & Funding Page at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/howto.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB), Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) program will award one grant authorized under FVPSA to establish and maintain the National Indian Resource Center Addressing Domestic Violence and Safety for Indian Women (NIRC).

The NIRC shall offer a comprehensive array of technical assistance and training resources to Indian tribes and tribal organizations to enhance their capacity to respond to domestic violence;

enhance the intervention and prevention efforts of Indian tribes and tribal organizations to increase the safety of Indian women; and coordinate activities with other federal agencies, offices, and grantees that address the needs of Indians (including Alaska Natives), and Native Hawaiians that experience domestic violence, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Office of Justice Services, the Department of Health and Human Services' Indian Health Service, and the Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women.

The NIRC is part of a network of national, special issue, culturally specific, and capacity building resource centers providing leadership, training, technical assistance, resources, and support to programs and systems serving victims of domestic violence and their children.

One cooperative agreement will be awarded under this funding opportunity to support the

NIRC.

I. Program Description http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/howto

Statutory Authority The statutory authority for this FOA is FVPSA 42 U.S.C. 10410(a)(2)(A)(i), (b)(1)(A), and (c)(2).

Description History and Purpose of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act FVPSA provides the primary federal funding stream dedicated to the support of emergency shelter and supportive services for victims of domestic violence, as well as their dependents.

First authorized as part of the Child Abuse Amendments of 1984 (Public Law 98-457), FVPSA became the first federal commitment to creating a pathway to safety for survivors of domestic violence and their children. FVPSA has been amended eight times and most recently was reauthorized in December 2010 for five years by the Child Abuse and Treatment Act Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 10401 - 10414).

Since 1984, Congress has continued to make its intent clear that FVPSA funds are to be used to raise awareness of domestic violence, prevent its occurrence, provide services to victims and their children, and support domestic violence providers to enhance their responses through training and technical assistance.

Specifically, FVPSA's statutory purposes are as follows:

1. Assist states and Indian tribes in efforts to increase public awareness about, and primary and secondary prevention of domestic violence;

2. Assist states and Indian tribes in efforts to provide immediate shelter and supportive services for victims of domestic violence and their dependents;

3. Provide for a national domestic violence hotline; and

4. Provide for technical assistance and training relating to domestic violence programs to states and Indian tribes, local public agencies (including law enforcement agencies, courts, and legal, social service, and health care professionals), nonprofit private organizations (including faith-based and charitable organizations, community-based organizations, and voluntary associations), tribal organizations, and other persons seeking such assistance and training.

FVPSA is administered by the FVPSA Program, located in the FYSB, a division of the ACYF.

FYSB administers mandatory FVPSA formula grants to states and territories, tribes, and state domestic violence coalitions. FVPSA awards grants to every state and territory and over 200 tribes. Funds awarded to states, territories, and tribes reach more than 1,600 local public, private, non-profit, and faith-based organizations and programs demonstrating effectiveness in the field of domestic violence services and prevention. These programs provide victims of domestic violence and their children with emergency shelter, safety planning, crisis counseling, information and referral, legal advocacy, and additional support services. According to FY 2018 performance data, FVPSA-funded programs provided emergency shelter and supportive services to 871,271 women; 303,293 children; and 84,719 men.

The FVPSA Program also administers funding for the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1- 800-799-SAFE) to operate a confidential 24-hour national, toll-free telephone hotline to provide information and assistance to adult and youth victims of family violence, domestic violence or dating violence, their family, and others affected by the violence in an effort to build healthy, safe, and supportive communities. In addition, FVPSA funding supports the Stronghearts Native Helpline, the first national Native helpline (1-844-7NATIVE) for native victims of domestic violence. The Native helpline provides specialized supportive services to address the unique barriers often faced by Native survivors of intimate partner abuse, including culturally-specific and tribally-based resources for American Indians and Alaska Natives.

In order to ensure the safety of adult, youth, and child victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, and their families, FVPSA grantees and subgrantees shall protect the confidentiality and privacy of such victims and their families (45 CFR § 1370.4). FVPSA grantees and subgrantees shall not do the following:

1. Disclose any personally identifying information (as defined in 45 CFR § 1370.2) collected in connection with services requested (including services utilized or denied) through grantees’ and subgrantees’ programs;

2. Reveal any personally identifying information without informed, written, reasonably time-limited consent by the person about whom information is sought, whether for this program or any other federal, tribal, or state grant program, including whether to comply with federal, tribal, or state reporting, evaluation, or data collection requirements; or

3. Require an adult, youth, or child victim of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence to provide consent to release his or her personally-identifying information as a condition of eligibility for the services provided by the grantee or subgrantee.

FYSB Priorities FYSB is one of two bureaus within ACYF. The mission of FYSB is to support the organizations and communities that work every day to put an end to youth homelessness, adolescent pregnancy, and domestic violence. FYSB achieves this by supporting programs that provide shelter, community services and prevention education for youth, adults and families. In partnership with communities across the nation, FYSB has a leadership role in orchestrating the effective convergence of resources, expertise, and connections into an integrated effort that promotes a future where all of our nation’s youth, individuals, and families – no matter what challenges they may face – can live healthy, productive, violence-free lives.

The National Indian Resource Center (NIRC) Addressing Domestic Violence and Safety for Indian Women FVPSA authorizes an NIRC to address domestic violence and safety for Indian women. The NIRC will support tribal-specific family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence prevention and intervention nationwide by offering the following: 1) a comprehensive array of technical assistance and training resources to Indian tribes and tribal organizations, specifically designed to enhance the capacity of the tribes and organizations to respond to domestic violence; 2) enhancing the intervention and prevention efforts of Indian tribes and tribal organizations; and 3) coordinating activities with other federal agencies, offices, and grantees that address the needs of Indians (including Alaska Natives) and Native Hawaiians.

The NIRC should have on their advisory committee or Board representatives who are from domestic violence services programs and who are geographically and culturally diverse, including representation from Hawaii and diverse tribal nations.

Domestic Violence Resource Network (DVRN) Activities The NIRC will be a part of FYSB's Domestic Violence Resource Network (DVRN), a nationwide network composed of national resource centers, special issue resource centers, culturally specific special issue resource centers, and emerging issue capacity building centers focused on the intervention and prevention of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence. The DVRN will provide information, resources, training, and technical assistance to improve the capacity of individuals, organizations, governmental agencies, local communities, tribes, and tribal organizations, to prevent family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence, and to provide evidence-based and evidence-informed intervention services. As part of the DVRN, NIRC will work collaboratively to share their national expertise and deliver domestic violence- and dating violence-related training and technical assistance.

The NIRC will be expected to participate in the DVRN, including yearly meetings, training/webinars, technical assistance coordination, research, reporting, and resource development, as needed. The NIRC will coordinate with other DVRN members and work collaboratively to coordinate national training, technical assistance, public awareness, or research initiatives. FYSB expects the NIRC to plan travel expenses for at least one representative from the NIRC to participate in two DVRN meetings each project period and no less than four FYSB sponsored meetings each project period. For information on the DVRN, go to https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/programs/family-violence-prevention-services/progr ams/centers.

While the NIRC grantee is a member of the DVRN, it will maintain independent governance of its own organizations, but will be required to share expertise with other DVRN members, actively participate in the coordination of technical assistance, attend semi-annual DVRN meetings, and work collaboratively to develop resources as needed.

All DVRN resource centers are expected to conduct their activities in an accessible, linguistically appropriate, culturally responsive, and trauma informed manner and to proactively focus their activities to address racial inequities that exist for survivors of domestic violence, both within victim services and other systems related to the issue areas of the specific resource center. DVRN resource centers actively work to ensure access to services for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning (LGBTQ) and Two-Spirit survivors and their children, and to ensure that no person shall on the basis of actual or perceived gender identity or sexual orientation be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under, any program or activity funded in whole or in part through FVPSA, in accordance with FVPSA regulations at 45 CFR part 1370 (a) and (c).

NIRC Program Expectations

Enhance public awareness through the development of resources and distribution of information related to trauma-informed domestic violence/dating violence intervention/prevention strategies, prevalence statistics, emerging issues, culturally specific populations, and special topics.

Support service innovation by identifying evidence-based and evidence-informed practices, including cultural knowledge or practices specific to tribal people, for prevention and intervention of domestic violence and dating violence while assisting with the dissemination, promotion, adoption, and adaptation of such practices in the http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/programs/family-violence-prevention-services/programs/centers http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/programs/family-violence-prevention-services/programs/centers domestic violence field.

Enhance the capacity of domestic violence programs, state domestic violence coalitions, tribes, and tribal organizations to offer trauma-informed services that address lifetime exposure to violence and historical trauma, and include trauma-focused intervention strategies by fostering promising practice development, adaptation, and implementation throughout the domestic violence field, which includes training, technical assistance, and creating/gathering guidelines, materials, and policies.

Address emerging issues related to family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence through the provision of training and technical assistance for domestic violence programs, domestic violence coalitions, tribes, tribal organizations, government agencies, and community-based organizations that is comprehensive and national in scope. For example, in recent years, emerging issues included the co-occurrence of HIV and intimate partner violence; human trafficking; family/youth homelessness;

poverty/economic insecurity; child support enforcement procedures in families affected by domestic violence; service needs of girls/women of color and Indian girls/women;

services for male victims; needs of children of all ages who witness violence; trauma-informed support for formerly incarcerated survivors; the intersection of intimate partner violence, gun violence, and community violence prevention; and meeting the needs of survivors with substance use histories.

Lead or contribute to research related to domestic violence and dating violence prevention or intervention for victims of domestic violence and children exposed to domestic violence.

o Prevention Definitions:

Primary Prevention: Strategies, policies, and programs to stop first-time perpetration and first-time victimization. Primary prevention is stopping domestic and dating violence before they occur. Primary prevention includes, but is not limited to: School-based violence prevention curricula, programs aimed at mitigating the effects on children of witnessing domestic or dating violence, community campaigns designed to alter norms and values conducive to domestic or dating violence, worksite prevention programs, and training and education in parenting skills and self-esteem enhancement.

Secondary Prevention: Identifying risk factors or problems that may lead to future family, domestic, or dating violence, and taking the necessary actions to eliminate the risk factors and the potential problem, and may include, but are not limited to, healing services for children and youth who have been exposed to domestic or dating violence, home visiting programs for high-risk families, and screening programs in health care settings.

Maintain a clearinghouse library in order to collect, prepare, analyze, and disseminate information and statistics related to the incidence, intervention, and prevention of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence, and the provision of shelter, supportive services, and prevention services to adult and youth victims of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence, which includes services to prevent repeated incidents of violence.

Maintain the organizational capacity to implement the NIRC project, including relevant subject matter expertise; research and evaluation, administrative, and project management capacity; national resource center leadership; sufficient staffing to meet project goals and deliverables; and documentation of plans to maintain organizational capacity and continuity of services during an emergency, disaster, pandemic situation, and/or transition of key project staff.

Ensure that grant approach, workplans, and deliverables are consistent with a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality. Grantee will provide a comprehensive community equity plan (or other similar documentation within the application) that demonstrates the processes and policies the grantee has in place to ensure the proactive identification of systemic barriers to opportunities and benefits for people of color and other underserved populations and strategic incorporation of activities to redress such barriers in ongoing workplans. This plan (or other similar documentation within the application) will also address policies and practices that are in place to ensure that the grant staffing plan supports the capacity to address those disparities in an ongoing, strategic, and culturally responsive manner, especially for particular underserved populations with documented history of long-standing significant disparities related to the topic of the grant.

o “Underserved” definition: For purposes of this FOA, “underserved population”, “underserved communities” or “people who have been historically underserved” should be read to be consistent with FVPSA statutory and regulatory definitions (at 42 U.S. Code § 10402 (14) and 45 CFR part 1370.2).

For reference, the definition at 45 CFR part 1370.2 is given here: “Underserved populations means populations who face barriers in accessing and using victim services, and includes populations underserved because of geographic location, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, underserved racial and ethnic populations, and populations underserved because of special needs including language barriers, disabilities, immigration status, and age. Individuals with criminal histories due to victimization and individuals with substance use disorders and mental health issues are also included in this definition. The reference to racial and ethnic populations is primarily directed toward racial and ethnic minority groups (as defined in section 1707(g) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300(u–6)(g)), which means American Indians (including Alaska Natives, Eskimos, and Aleuts); Asian American; Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders; Blacks and Hispanics. The term ‘‘Hispanic’’ or ‘‘Latino’’ means individuals whose origin is Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or any other Spanish speaking country. This underserved populations’ definition also includes other population categories determined by the Secretary [of Health and Human Services] or the Secretary’s designee to be underserved.

Ensure that grant approach, workplans, and deliverables are consistent with prohibitions on discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation and proactively support access and redress barriers for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning (LGBTQ) and Two-Spirit survivors and their children and that technical assistance and training in conducted in alignment with FVPSA regulations at 45 CFR part 1370 (a) and (c) requiring ensuring that no person shall on the basis of actual or perceived gender identity or sexual orientation be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under, any program or activity funded in whole or in part through FVPSA.

NIRC Training and Technical Assistance The NIRC is expected to offer tribal and native-specific and comprehensive regional, local, and national training and technical assistance that is related to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence intervention and prevention programming and services in tribes and tribal communities, with some priority given to FVPSA-funded tribal formula grantees including Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians. This technical assistance is required to include programs and research related to victims of domestic violence and children who are exposed to domestic violence.

The NIRC will enhance the capacity of tribes and tribal organizations to comprehensively respond to victims of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence, as well as increase the safety of Indian victims of domestic violence, which includes working with tribal domestic violence programs, urban tribal programs, government agencies, mainstream domestic violence programs and services, tribal coalitions, state domestic violence coalitions, community-based programs, and other national or special issue resource centers. The NIRC is intended to provide tribal/native-specific evidence-based and evidence-informed intervention and prevention strategies and information that fosters safe, comprehensive, and culturally relevant responses to victims of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence.

NIRC Training and Technical Assistance Activities The following is required of the NIRC grantee:

Deliver a comprehensive array of national technical assistance and training to expand the capacity of domestic violence programs, state domestic violence coalitions, tribes, tribal organizations, government agencies, and community-based organizations to provide domestic violence intervention and prevention services that are accessible to all victims of domestic violence.

Enhance domestic violence programs' organizational capacity and accessibility by offering innovative and comprehensive educational opportunities, conferences, and peer-to-peer meetings/consultations that allow community-based programs to learn from the NIRC's expertise.

Identify training and technical assistance needs of the domestic violence field and provide targeted technical assistance based on those needs.

Lead advocacy and service practice improvements and capacity-building by offering comprehensive technical assistance and solution-based strategies to address existing needs, challenges, or emerging issues.

Develop emerging training and technical assistance strategies, such as organizational capacity building, programmatic accessibility, trauma-informed services, or victim-centered advocacy, in order to sustain or enhance existing domestic violence intervention and prevention services, including those that respond to specialized issues, current advocacy challenges, service barriers, and emerging trends.

Identify and address current and emerging issues related to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence through the provision of training and technical assistance that is comprehensive and national in scope. Topics of relevance may include the co-occurrence of HIV and domestic violence; human trafficking; family/youth homelessness; family self-sufficiency; social capital/community-based supports for families; safe access to child support; service needs of girls/women of color; engaging faith communities; needs of elder victims; needs of LGBTQ victims; services for male victims; needs of children of all ages who witness violence; maternal health and maternal mortality; trauma-informed support for formerly incarcerated survivors;

meeting the needs of survivors with substance use histories; and other topics identified as priorities by FYSB and the FVPSA Program.

Training and technical assistance provided by the NIRC grantee shall be victim-centered, trauma-informed, culturally relevant, linguistically appropriate, and age-appropriate, and shall be accessible to victims of domestic violence from diverse and underserved communities, including culturally specific (or racial/ethnic) communities;

formerly incarcerated domestic violence victims; victims living with HIV/AIDS;

trafficked victims; victims with disabilities; and other marginalized populations. The grantee shall identify tribal/Native population groups that are documented to have particular barriers in accessing services as survivors of domestic violence and ensure that training and technical assistance is designed to address and ameliorate those barriers.

Coordinate broader technical assistance efforts with the DVRN whenever possible.

Maintain the capacity to provide virtual training to a range of audiences and audience sizes, including but not limited to, securing the necessary technical tools/platforms, and ensuring staff or consultant subject matter expertise on adult learning, instructional design, and learning management systems best practices.

Conduct needs assessments of the tribal populations as related to domestic violence in order to identify unmet training and technical assistance needs, including the identification of unaddressed or under-addressed topic areas and audiences.

Provide FVPSA with updates on training and technical assistance needs and unaddressed or under-addressed topic areas, based on information gathered from needs assessments.

Create and implement a plan to maintain up-to-date expertise on the tribal populations/communities and domestic violence, including periodic needs assessments of the domestic violence field in order to identify unmet training and technical assistance needs, which includes the identification of unaddressed or under-addressed topic areas and audiences. This shall include, but not be limited to, completion of a national needs assessment in the first 6 months of project year 1 and year 4.

As this is a cooperative agreement that will include substantial involvement from the FVPSA Program in FYSB, the NIRC grantee must actively partner with the FVPSA program officers in implementing the resource centers' deliverables. The grantee shall plan conferences, meetings, or major project meetings in conjunction with FYSB to allow participation of FYSB staff. The grantee shall plan to develop, review, and discuss a detailed plan for project implementation, a work-plan, a trainings/events schedule, an evaluation schedule, and a plan for reporting on the effectiveness of the project. The NIRC grantee will need to plan to partner with FVPSA program officers in the planning, coordination, and implementation of meetings and consultations for FVPSA grantees.

More information on how FYSB will be involved is included in Section II. Federal Award Information: Description of ACF's Anticipated Substantial Involvement Under the Cooperative Agreement. The grantee must plan travel to participate in at least one FVPSA Program/FYSB meeting per project period. The NIRC grantee must plan to assist FYSB with technical and logistical support of grantee meetings and conferences, including providing insight from first-hand knowledge and experience that can inform planning, analysis, and implementation as related to identified training and technical assistance topics, identifying meeting/conference venues; subcontracting with quality presenters, facilitators, and consultants; working with stakeholders to develop an agenda; arranging travel; providing onsite support; and following up on conference evaluations.

Additionally, and for the purposes of this FOA, the NIRC training and technical assistance activities must include the following focus in an effort to decrease the incidence of violent crimes against Indian women:

a. Strengthening the capacity of tribes to exercise their sovereign authority to respond to violent crimes committed against Indian women.

b. Demonstrating a history of engaging tribes and tribal organizations and developing outreach strategies on a national level relevant to the diversity of tribes and tribal communities.

c. Demonstrating the organizational staffing structure that is inclusive of the diversity of tribes and tribal organizations, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiians.

d. Enhancing the capacity of tribes, tribal organizations, and tribal domestic violence programs as well as non-tribal domestic violence programs, which includes working with tribal domestic violence programs, urban tribal programs, mainstream domestic violence services, state domestic violence coalitions, tribal coalitions, government agencies, community-based organizations, and other national and special issue resource centers to respond to Indian and Native American domestic violence victims, children, and families.

e. Creating technical assistance resources where gaps have been identified by tribes, tribal programs or organizations, Native Hawaiian programs or organizations, the FVPSA program, or the NIRC to enhance domestic violence intervention and prevention efforts, including trauma-informed services, for Indian and Native American domestic violence victims, children, and families, as well as tribal communities.

f. Providing training, technical assistance, policy analysis, and resource development to enhance tribes and tribal communities' involvement with coordinating community responses to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence.

g. Developing a community engagement, education, and outreach strategy to involve tribes and tribal communities in the creation and implementation of services relevant to the ethnic, racial, cultural, and lingual diversity; geographic isolation; or oppression of victims of domestic violence.

h. Maintaining a clearinghouse library in order to collect, prepare, analyze, and disseminate information and statistics related to the incidence, intervention, and prevention of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence; and the provision of shelter, supportive services, and prevention services to adult and youth victims of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence, which includes services to prevent repeated incidents of violence.

Training and Technical Assistance Definitions

1. Trainings and presentations are pre-scheduled and provide in-depth information on a particular topic or topics; they can be in person, in a targeted geographic area, over the phone, or online.

2. Technical assistance is specific, detailed guidance and can include the following: phone calls or e-mails on a specific topic; provision of written materials; referrals; review and feedback/comments/advice on materials prepared by individuals or organizations; or on-site visits involving intensive assistance and an exchange of information and resources.

Public Awareness and Resources Development Activities The following is required of the NIRC grantee:

Gather and create resources addressing a range of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence intervention and prevention issues, including promising practices, guidelines, and clearinghouse informational materials, and make this information available to the domestic violence field.

In order to ensure that products and activities are appropriately survivor-centered, the NIRC shall create and implement effective strategies to regularly incorporate input and feedback from people with lived experience as survivors of domestic violence and their children into grant activities at multiple points in the development process.

Distribute and develop comprehensive statistics, fact sheets, and specialized resources addressing a range of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence intervention and prevention issues, including emerging topics.

Distribute and develop materials to support the adaptation of model programs, evidence-based practices, promising practices, and exemplary projects.

Develop a national dissemination strategy to share promising practices, outcomes, and resources using tools that will enhance the accessibility of statistics, fact sheets, and specialized domestic violence and dating violence resources, including content management systems, communities of practice, electronic lists, websites, and webinars;

Maintain a clearinghouse library in order to collect, prepare, analyze, and disseminate information and statistics related to the incidence, intervention, and prevention of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence; and the provision of shelter, supportive services, and prevention services to adult and youth victims of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence, which includes services to prevent repeated incidents of violence.

Wherever appropriate, the NIRC shall include information on FYSB-funded domestic violence hotlines (The Hotline, Strong Hearts Native Hotline, Love is Respect) in materials.

Policy Development and System Engagement Activities The following is required of the NIRC grantee:

https://www.thehotline.org/ https://strongheartshelpline.org/ https://www.loveisrespect.org/

Engage public and private systems to create national, statewide, tribal, and local improvements in systemic responses to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence intervention and prevention, thus minimizing barriers for victims of domestic violence and their children who need to safely access these systems.

Engage public and private systems in conducting needs assessments to address emerging trends, gaps, and accessibility barriers domestic violence victims may face when accessing services.

Collaborate with public and private systems to strengthen policies and institutionalize training to improve accessibility and service effectiveness for tribal/native victims of domestic violence and their children.

Coordinate systems improvements and policy development/changes collaboratively with community partners and stakeholders to ensure that responses are informed by domestic violence victims and service providers and take into consideration any unintended consequences, service gaps, and availability of community resources.

Research Activities Research activities are not required to be large-scale but must be broad in scope and specifically related to the NIRC's area of focus. Examples of activities may include literature reviews, research papers, published reports, and focus groups.

The following is required of the NIRC grantee:

Review the scope of available research and national standards to identify gaps and key questions for future research opportunities or projects. The scope of this review may be limited to the specific expertise of the NIRC.

Collaborate with the domestic violence field and the DVRN to review and understand domestic violence-related lessons learned; national standards; and evidence-based and promising practices for addressing emerging issues, needs, gaps, or accessibility challenges.

Collaborate with the domestic violence field and the DVRN to assess evidence-based and promising practices for their applicability for domestic violence victims and their children. The NIRC is also expected to work with the domestic violence field to assist with the adoption and implementation of evidence-based and promising practices within domestic violence settings.

Integrate the results of research into training and technical assistance, and other activities on an ongoing basis.

Develop a plan for national distribution of research or findings that integrates the NIRC's area of expertise and shares those findings with the domestic violence field as well as the general public.

Develop a plan to incorporate the results of evaluation activity to improve future training and technical assistance on an ongoing basis.

Program Performance Evaluation The following is required of the NIRC:

The NIRC is expected to successfully meet FYSB’s training and technical assistance requirements, the program activities and requirements and activities, and the DVRN requirements expectations.

Throughout each budget period, the NIRC will provide an array of training, expertise, problem-solving strategies, and on-site and distance learning technical assistance that successfully meet objectives, namely, to improve the intervention and prevention of domestic violence and dating violence.

The NIRC must have an evaluation plan to complete the following:

assess outcomes of technical assistance delivery and the outcomes for technical assistance recipients and training participants.

demonstrate their success in achieving the project objectives and completing the activities proposed in their project plan.

measure success delivering national scope training and technical assistance that addresses the needs of the domestic violence field.

incorporate the results of evaluation activity to improve future training and technical assistance on an ongoing basis.

The NIRC will be required to report the specific number of training events, technical assistance responses, public awareness activities, community engagement activities, and resource development projects regarding family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence intervention and prevention on a semi-annual basis.

The NIRC will be required to report on outcomes achieved such as what was produced because of the project/training/technical assistance, or the results; what was achieved because of the project/training/technical assistance, or the benefits; and what is changed because of the project/training/technical assistance, or the successes.

II. Federal Award Information Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement Estimated Total Funding: $1,600,000 Expected Number of Awards: 1 Award Ceiling: $1,600,000 Per Budget Period Award Floor: $1,100,000 Per Budget Period Average Projected Award Amount: $1,150,000 Per Budget Period Anticipated Project Start Date: 09/30/2021

Length of Project Periods:

Length of Project Period: 60-month project period with five 12-month budget periods

Additional Information on Awards:

Awards made under this announcement are subject to the availability of federal funds.

Applications requesting an award amount that exceeds the Award Ceiling per budget period, or per project period, as stated in this section, will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement. This disqualification applies only to the Award Ceiling listed for the first 12-month budget period for projects with multiple budget periods. If the project and budget period are the same, the disqualification applies to the Award Ceiling listed for the project period. Please see Section III.3. Other, Application Disqualification Factors.

Note: For those programs that require matching or cost sharing, recipients will be held accountable for projected commitments of non-federal resources in their application budgets and budget justifications by budget period or by project period for fully funded awards, even if the projected commitment exceeds the required amount of match or cost share. A recipient's failure to provide the required matching amount may result in the disallowance of federal funds. See Section III.2. of this announcement for information on cost-sharing or matching requirements.

Awards, on a competitive basis will be for a 1-year budget period, although projects may be for five years. Applicants should provide a budget for the 1-year budget period, but must include a plan for the full five years.

Applications for continuation grants funded under these awards beyond the 1-year budget period will be considered in subsequent years on a non-competitive basis, subject to the availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the grantee, review and approval of the project plan submitted in year one, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the federal government.

Description of ACF's Anticipated Substantial Involvement Under the Cooperative Agreement

The specific responsibilities of FYSB and the successful applicant will be identified and incorporated into the terms and conditions of the award during the pre-award negotiations. It is anticipated that the cooperative agreement will not change the program requirements and activities for the grantees included under Section I. Program Description, in this announcement. The applicant may anticipate substantial involvement in the following areas:

FYSB will collaborate and/or participate in activities specified in the award and as appropriate.

FYSB may engage in decision-making at specified milestones related to performance, e.g., requiring approval before undertaking the next phase of a project.

FYSB may propose and/or make changes to the project plan and activities in consultation with the grantee, as needed to ensure alignment with the agency's priorities.

FYSB may review and approve final drafts of all updated or new materials, articles, major publications, and research reports that are developed or distributed with resources made available under this cooperative agreement.

FYSB will be involved in the development of long-term strategies for the implementation of the project and will participate in major project activities, such as local and regional FVPSA grantee monitoring and technical assistance site visits, conferences, topical meetings, or major project meetings.

FYSB may request the NIRC to plan all local and regional FVPSA grantee monitoring and technical assistance site visits, conferences, topical meetings, and major project meetings in conjunction with FYSB to allow participation of FYSB staff.

FYSB may require the NIRC to provide updated detailed plans for project implementation, work plans, training/events schedule, and evaluation schedule over the course of the project.

FYSB will organize periodic consultations, meetings, briefings, teleconferences, webinars, and other forums necessary to review current and planned activities; to share information; to keep the grantee informed about expectations for performance, current FYSB policy, and FYSB’s vision for addressing family violence; and to promote national coordination.

FYSB will require the NIRC to facilitate at least four FYSB-sponsored webinars each budget period.

FYSB does not anticipate substantial involvement in the grantee's creation of data collection activities, such as those related to needs assessments, evaluations, and requests for feedback, and grantees are not expected to submit such data collection instruments for program office review and approval. In cases where FYSB is directly involved in the creation of data collection activities under this FOA, data collection will be conducted consistent with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, (44 U.S.C.

3501-3521) and display a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

To be eligible to receive a grant to establish or maintain an NIRC under FVPSA (42 U.S.C.

10410(b)(1)(B)), an entity shall be a tribal organization or a non-profit private organization with 501c3 status that focuses primarily on issues of domestic violence with Indian tribes and that can demonstrate the ability to meet the following specific FVPSA eligibility requirements for the NIRC.

1. Experience working with Indian tribes and tribal organizations to respond to domestic violence and the findings of the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-162, sec. 901);

2. Experience providing Indian tribes and tribal organizations with assistance in developing tribally based prevention and intervention services addressing domestic violence and safety for victims of domestic violence;

3. Strong support for the entity's designation as the NIRC from advocates working within Indian tribes to address family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence as well as the safety of Indian domestic violence survivors;

4. A record of demonstrated experience in and successful outcomes from, assisting Indian tribes and tribal organizations with prevention and intervention services addressing family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence;

5. The capacity to serve Indian tribes (including Alaska Native villages and regional and village corporations) across the United States, including Native Hawaiians; and

6. A record of demonstrated experience in and successful outcomes from delivering national training and technical assistance, enhancing service delivery, and maintaining a clearinghouse library accessed by service providers.

Faith-based organizations may apply for this award on the same basis as any other organization, as set forth at and, subject to the protections and requirements of this part and 42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq., the Department will not, in the selection of recipients, discriminate against an organization on the basis of the organization’s religious character, affiliation, or exercise.

Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement. See Section III.3. Other, Application Disqualification Factors.

Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity announcement.

See Section IV.2. Legal Status of Applicant Entity for documentation required to support eligibility.

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement: No

For all federal awards, any shared costs or matching funds and all contributions, including cash and third-party in-kind contributions, must be accepted as part of the recipient’s cost sharing or matching when such contributions meet all of the criteria listed in 45 CFR § 75.306.

For awards that require matching by statute, recipients will be held accountable for projected commitments of non-federal resources in their application budgets and budget justifications by budget period, or by project period for fully funded awards, even if the projected commitment exceeds the amount required by the statutory match. A recipient’s failure to provide the statutorily required matching amount may result in the disallowance of federal funds. Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

For awards that do not require matching or cost sharing by statute, where “cost sharing” refers to any situation in which the recipient voluntarily shares in the costs of a project other than as statutorily required matching, recipients will be held accountable for projected commitments of non-federal resources in their application budgets and budget justifications by budget period, or by project period for fully funded awards. These include situations in which contributions are voluntarily proposed by a recipient or subrecipient and are accepted by ACF.

Non-federal cost sharing will be included in the approved project budget so that the recipient will be held accountable for proposed non-federal cost-sharing funds as shown in the Notice of Award (NOA). A recipient’s failure to provide voluntary cost sharing of non-federal resources that have been accepted by ACF as part of the approved project costs and that have been shown as part of the approved project budget in the NOA, may result in the disallowance of federal funds. Recipients will be required to report these funds in the

Federal Financial Reports.

III.3. Other

Application Disqualification Factors Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement.

Award Ceiling Disqualification Applications that request an award amount that exceeds the Award Ceiling per budget period or per project period ("per project period" refers only to fully funded awards), as stated in Section II. Federal Award Information, will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement. This disqualification applies only to the Award Ceiling listed for first 12-month budget period for projects with multiple budget periods. If the project and budget period are the same, the disqualification applies to the Award Ceiling listed for the project period.

Required Electronic Application Submission ACF requires electronic submission of applications at www.Grants.gov. Paper applications received from applicants that have not been approved for an exemption from required electronic submission will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement.

Applicants that do not have an Internet connection or sufficient computing capacity to upload large documents to the Internet may contact ACF for an exemption that will allow the applicant to submit applications in paper format.