ovw fiscal year 2011 sexual assault services formula grant program.pdf

OMB Number: 1122-0020

Expiration Date: 6/30/2013

U.S. Department of Justice

Office on Violence Against Women (OVW)

OVW Fiscal Year 2011

Sexual Assault Services Formula

Grant Program

Eligibility

Applicants are limited to any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern

Mariana Islands.

(See “Eligibility,” page 5)

Deadline

To ensure all applicants have ample time to complete the registration process through the Office of Justice Programs Grants Management System (GMS), applicants should register online with

GMS by March 22, 2011.

All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. E.T. on April 5, 2011.

(See “Deadline: Application,” page 4)

Contact Information

For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, contact OVW at (202) 307-6026.

In Fiscal Year 2011, OVW applications will be submitted through GMS. For further information and assistance, please see the OVW Grant Program Solicitation Reference Guide at http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/docs/resource-guidebook.pdf.

All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their applications by September 30, 2011.

CONTENTS

Overview of the OVW SASP Formula Grant Program p. 3

Civil Rights Compliance p. 4

Deadline: Registration p. 4

Deadline: Application p. 4

Eligibility p. 5

OVW SASP Formula Grant Program Specific Information p. 5

Availability of Funds p. 5

Award Period p. 5

Award Amounts p. 5

Program Scope p. 5

Unallowable Activities p. 6

Activities that May Compromise Victim Safety and Recovery p. 7

How To Apply p. 7

What An Application Must Include: p. 7

Summary Data Sheet p. 8

Project Narrative p. 8

Letters Demonstrating Meaningful Involvement p. 9

Application for Federal Assistance p. 10

Standard Assurances and Certifications p. 10

Letter of Nonsupplanting p. 10

Fiscal Requirements p. 10

Performance Measures p. 11

Notice of New Post-Award Reporting Requirements p. 11

Additional Requirements p. 12

Application Checklist p. 13

OVW Sexual Assault Services Formula Grant

Program

(CFDA 16.017)

Overview

This solicitation contains information on how to apply for the Sexual Assault Services Formula Grant Program. For general information on applying for all OVW grant programs, please see the OVW Fiscal Year 2011 Grant Program Solicitation Reference Guide (Reference Guide) at http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/docs/resource-guidebook.pdf. All applicants should read carefully both this solicitation and the Reference Guide before beginning the application process.

About the OVW SASP Formula Grant Program The Sexual Assault Services Program (SASP) was created by the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (VAWA 2005), 42 U.S.C. §14043g, and is the first Federal funding stream solely dedicated to the provision of direct intervention and related assistance for victims of sexual assault.

Women and men of all ages, as well as children, can be victims of sexual assault. The perpetrator can be a relative, acquaintance (e.g., boyfriend/girlfriend, friend, coworker, neighbor), or a stranger. Nationally, one in six women and one in thirty-three men will be sexually assaulted in her or his lifetime.1

For many victims, it may take years to recover from the physical and psychological trauma caused by rape and other forms of sexual violence. To heal from the trauma, survivors often need support from family and friends, as well as critical direct intervention and related assistance from victim-centered social service organizations such as rape crisis centers, through 24-hour sexual assault hotlines, crisis intervention, and medical and criminal justice accompaniment.

The Sexual Assault Services Formula Grant Program (SASP Formula Grant Program) directs grant dollars to States and Territories to assist them in supporting rape crisis centers and other nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations that provide core services, direct intervention, and related assistance to victims of sexual assault. Rape crisis centers and other nonprofit organizations such as dual programs providing both domestic violence and sexual violence intervention services play a vital role in assisting sexual assault victims through the healing process, as well as assisting victims through the medical, criminal justice, and other social support systems. Funds provided through the SASP Formula Grant Program are designed to supplement other funding sources directed at addressing sexual assault on the State and Territorial level.

1Tjaden, P., and Thoennes, N. (1998). Prevalence, incidence, and consequences of violence against women:

Findings from the national violence against women survey (NCJ Report No. 172837). Washington, DC: U.S.

Department of Justice.

Civil Rights Compliance All recipients of Federal grant funds are required to comply with nondiscrimination requirements contained in various Federal laws. In the event that a court or administrative agency makes a finding of discrimination on grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, or age against a recipient of funds after a due process hearing, the recipient must agree to forward a copy of the finding to the Office for Civil Rights of OJP. All applicants should consult the Assurances required with the application funds to understand the applicable legal and administrative requirements.

Services to Limited-English-Proficient (LEP) Persons:

National origin discrimination includes discrimination on the basis of limited English proficiency (LEP). To ensure compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act, recipients are required to take reasonable steps to ensure that LEP persons have meaningful access to their programs. Meaningful access may entail providing language assistance services, including interpretation and translation services, where necessary. Grantees are encouraged to consider the need for language services for LEP persons served or encountered both in developing their proposals and budgets and in conducting their programs and activities. Reasonable costs associated with providing meaningful access for LEP individuals are considered allowable program costs. The U.S.

Department of Justice has issued guidance for grantees to assist them in complying with Title VI requirements. The guidance document can be accessed on the Internet at www.lep.gov or by contacting the OJP’s Office for Civil Rights at (202) 307-0690, or by writing to the following address:

Office for Civil Rights Office of Justice Programs U.S. Department of Justice 810 7th Street, N.W., 8th Floor Washington, DC 20531

Deadline: Registration

The GMS registration deadline is March 22, 2011. For more information on the process of registering and applying in GMS, please see the Reference Guide at pages 15-19.

Deadline: Application

An application submission is complete if (a) a hard copy of the entire application, with original signatures, has been submitted via overnight delivery on or before the deadline and (b) the application has been submitted through GMS. Both electronic and hard copy submissions are required.

The deadline for applying for funding under this announcement is April 5, 2011, 11:59 p.m. E.T.

A hard copy must be sent via an overnight delivery method, date stamped by the shipping company on or before April 5, 2011 to:

The Office on Violence Against Women Attn: SASP Unit 145 N Street, NE, 10th Floor Washington, DC 20530

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their applications well in advance of the deadline to ensure a successful submission through GMS. For information on OVW’s policy for late applications, please see the Reference Guide at pages 17-19.

Eligibility

It is very important that you review this information carefully. Applications that are submitted by non-eligible entities will be screened out during an initial review process and omitted from further review.

By statute, eligible entities for this program are:

Any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands, which are hereafter collectively referred to as States and Territories.

OVW SASP Formula Grant Program – Specific Information

Availability of Funds All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and any modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by law. Funding is not guaranteed.

Award Period The award period for these grants will be 24 months.

Award Amounts SASP Formula Grant Program funds for FY 2011 will be awarded based on the following guidelines:

By statute, OVW will award a base amount to each State and Territory. Funds remaining after the allocated base amount will be distributed among the States and Territories based on population, including Tribal populations. The most accurate and complete data compiled by the United States Bureau of the Census are used to determine the populations.

Program Scope Overall, the purpose of the SASP, and therefore the SASP Formula Grant Program, is to provide intervention, advocacy, accompaniment (e.g., accompanying victims to court, medical facilities, police departments, etc.), support services, and related assistance to Adult, youth, and child victims of sexual assault;

Family and household members of such victims; and Those collaterally affected by the victimization (e.g., friends, coworkers, classmates), except for the perpetrator of such victimization.

Statutory Program Purposes By statute, funds under the SASP Formula Grant Program may be used for the following purposes:

To support the establishment, maintenance, and expansion of rape crisis centers and other programs and projects to assist those victimized by sexual assault.

SASP Formula grants shall be used by States and Territories to provide grants to rape crisis centers and other non-profit, nongovernmental organizations, including Tribal non-profit organizations, for programs and activities that provide direct intervention and related assistance.

Intervention and related assistance may include:

24-hour hotline services providing crisis intervention services and referral;

Accompaniment and advocacy through medical, criminal justice, and social support systems, including medical facilities, police, and court proceedings;

Crisis intervention, short-term individual and group support services, and comprehensive service coordination and supervision to assist sexual assault victims and family or household members;

Information and referral to assist the sexual assault victim and family or household members;

Community-based, linguistically and culturally specific services and support mechanisms, including outreach activities for underserved communities; and

The development and distribution of materials on issues related to the services described in the previous bullets.

Note: The SASP Formula Grant Program emphasizes the establishment, maintenance, and expansion of rape crisis centers and other nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations, such as dual programs addressing domestic violence and sexual assault, for the provision of direct intervention, core services, and related assistance to adult, youth, and child victims of sexual assault. Under the SASP Formula Grant Program, grant funds cannot be used to support sexual assault forensic examiner projects or criminal justice activities (e.g., law enforcement, prosecution, courts, or forensic interviews). OVW recommends that States and Territories, in partnership with their State and Tribal sexual assault coalitions, consider the array of needs of all sexual assault victims and available services in the State or Territory when developing its implementation strategies.

Program Priorities In shaping their strategies for FY 2011, States and Territories are strongly encouraged to develop and support projects that:

Support rape crisis centers in providing direct intervention and related assistance services;

and

Support dual programs that provide sexual assault and domestic violence services to enhance the provision of sexual assault-related direct intervention and related assistance services.

Unallowable Activities Grant funds under the SASP Formula Grant Program may not be used for any unauthorized purposes, including but not limited to the following activities:

Lobbying;

Fundraising;

Research projects;

Purchase of real property;

Construction;

Physical modifications to buildings including minor renovations (such as painting or carpeting);

Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner projects;

Activities focused on prevention efforts (e.g., bystander intervention, social norm campaigns, presentations on healthy relationships, etc.);

Criminal justice-related projects, including law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and forensic interviews; and Providing domestic violence services that do not relate to sexual violence.

Activities That May Compromise Victim Safety and Recovery The following is a list of activities that have been found to compromise victim safety, deter or prevent physical and emotional healing for victims, or allow offenders to escape responsibility for their actions. OVW strongly encourages you not to include these activities in your application for funding:

Crafting policies that deny individuals access to services based on their relationship to the perpetrator;

Developing materials that are not tailored to the dynamics of sexual assault or the culturally specific population to be served;

Crafting policies or engaging in practices that impose restrictive conditions to be met by the victim in order to receive services (e.g., counseling, seeking an order for protection);

Sharing confidential victim information with outside organizations and/or individuals without the documented consent of the victim; and

Crafting policies that require the victim to report the sexual assault to law enforcement.

Confidentiality Applicants should be cognizant of victims’ confidentiality. Please see Reference Guide p. 7 for more information.

How To Apply

See the Reference Guide at pages 15-19 for instructions on “how to apply.”

What An Application Must Include

Applicants must complete each of the following sections as part of their response to this solicitation. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that its application is complete by the deadline. The application should use headings and subheadings in the order below for ease of review.

Applications must follow the following page format requirements:

Double spaced (except that any included graphs and charts may be single-spaced)

8½ x 11 inch paper

One inch margins

Type no smaller than 12 point, Times New Roman font

Include a brief Summary Data Sheet

Include a list of all current OVW projects as described below (if applicable)

No more than 10 pages for the Project Narrative (item II below)

Word processing documents must be in the following formats: Microsoft Word (.doc), PDF files (.pdf), or Text Documents (.txt).

Your application must include:

Summary Data Sheet Project Narrative Letters Demonstrating Meaningful Involvement Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) Standard Assurances and Certifications Form (Form 4061/6) Letter of Nonsupplanting

Sections I through VI below describe the specific elements of a complete application.

I. Summary Data Sheet

Please list the following information on a single page. The Summary Data Sheet should be a separate attachment to the application in GMS and a separate section in the hard copy.

Name, title, address, phone number, and e-mail address for the authorized representative.

(Please see the Reference Guide at page 8 for more information on who can be an authorized representative.)

Name, title, address, phone number, and e-mail address for the grant point-of-contact.

Statement as to whether the agency has expended $500,000 in Federal funds in the past fiscal year for the applicant. Please specify the end date of the fiscal year.

If the State or Territory is passing the SASP Formula Grant Program funds through to its sexual assault coalition, the name, title, address, phone number, and e-mail address for the coalition authorized representative.

List of other awards from OVW for which the State/Territory is a recipient or partner.

II. Project Narrative

The following narrative should be a separate attachment to the application in GMS and a separate section in the hard copy. The Project Narrative may not exceed 10 pages in length, double-spaced. Please number the pages of your narrative. The narrative should include:

An overview of what sexual assault services are currently available to victims of sexual assault, including women, men, and children, throughout the State or Territory;

An overview of what current State or Territory efforts are in place to address sexual assault;

A brief description addressing how the State or Territory makes its subgrant awards (e.g., formula-based or competitive awards);

How funding under the SASP Formula Grant Program complements the State/Territory

STOP implementation plan;

A detailed description of how the State or Territory meaningfully involved its sexual assault coalition and representatives from underserved communities,2 including Tribes, in developing the application, including:

The process and communication method used by the State or Territory to involve the sexual assault coalition and representatives from underserved communities;

Which underserved communities the State or Territory included in this process and what methods were used to reach out and communicate with these communities;

The number of times the State or Territory has met with its coalition and representatives from underserved communities to discuss and develop this application;

Whether the coalition and representatives from underserved communities were provided an opportunity to review this application and provide comment, prior to its submission;

How the State or Territory has incorporated feedback and input from the coalition and representatives from underserved communities into this application;

A detailed description of how the State or Territory will meaningfully involve the sexual assault coalition and representatives from underserved communities, including Tribes, in implementing the plans of the State or Territory to administer the SASP Formula Grant Program, including:

How the State or Territory will work with the coalition and representatives from underserved communities to design a plan for distributing the subgrant funds;

Which underserved communities the State or Territory anticipates including in the above process;

What methods will be used to reach out to the underserved communities to ensure their active participation in the implementation of the plans to administer the SASP Formula Grant Program funds; and

What roles the State or Territory envisions for the coalition and representatives from underserved communities in implementing the plans;

A detailed description of procedures to be used by the State or Territory to ensure equitable distribution of grants and grant funds within the State or Territory and between urban and rural areas; and

A brief summary (not a detailed budget) of how the optional 5% administrative funds will be used, if at all.

2 Underserved communities are communities consisting of “populations underserved because of geographic location, underserved racial and ethnic populations, populations underserved because of special needs (such as language barriers, disabilities, alienage status, or age), and any other population determined to be underserved by the Attorney General or by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, as appropriate.” 42 U.S.C. § 13925(a)(33).

III. Letters Demonstrating Meaningful Involvement

Applicants must submit letters from the State or Territorial sexual assault coalition and representatives from underserved communities describing:

How they meaningfully participated in the developing the SASP Formula Grant Program application; and

Their commitment to participate meaningfully in implementing the State or Territory’s plans to administer the SASP Formula Grant Program.

Letters from the State or Territorial sexual assault coalition should be submitted on letterhead and signed by the Executive Director. Letters from representatives from underserved communities should also be submitted on letterhead when applicable, and the letters should indicate the victim service community represented.

IV. Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

Please see the Reference Guide at page 8 for additional information. In Block 7 (type of applicant), please do not select “other.” This form will be filled out online and you should print out a copy for your hard copy submission.

V. Standard Assurances and Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (Form 4061/6)

Please see the Reference Guide at page 8 for additional information. These forms will be filled out online and you should print out copies for your hard copy submission.

VI. Letter of Nonsupplanting

Applicants must submit a letter to OVW’s Director, signed by the Authorized Representative, certifying that federal funds will not be used to supplant State or local funds should a grant award be made. Please refer to http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/docs/nonsup_letter.pdf for a sample letter. This should be a separate attachment to the application in GMS and a separate section in the hard copy.

Fiscal Requirements

Budgets are not required for the SASP Formula Grant Program. However, States and Territories should be aware of the following fiscal requirements and limitations when implementing their internal budget processes. The following is a short list of fiscal guidelines based on the fiscal requirements and limitations:

Applicants are strongly discouraged from requesting consultant rates in excess of $650 per day because they require prior approval from the OVW Director.

Applicants may allocate grant funds to support activities that help to ensure that LEP persons have meaningful access to their programs. For example, grant funds can be used to support interpretation and translation services.

Applicants may not allocate any grant funds for building renovations. This includes such seemingly minor activities as painting or carpeting.

Applicants may not allocate any funds to purchase vehicles. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis for use by subgrantees, but only with prior OVW approval.

Applicants may not allocate any funds for the purpose of supporting sexual assault forensic examiner projects or criminal justice activities (e.g., law enforcement, prosecution, courts, or forensic interviews).

Applicants may not allocate any funds towards prevention education efforts (e.g., bystander intervention, social norm campaigns, presentations on healthy relationships, etc.).

Applicants may not allocate any funds towards generalized statewide sexual assault training or training of allied professionals (e.g., law enforcement, social service agencies, or prosecutors) or curriculum development that is not directly linked to the provision of direct sexual assault services.

By statute, not more than five percent of SASP Formula grant funds received by a State or Territorial governmental agency for any fiscal year may be used for administrative costs.

Applicants may not use any OVW funds for conducting research. However, up to 1% of the budget may be allocated for the purpose of assessing the effectiveness of funded activities.

For example, funds may be used to conduct pre- and post-testing of training recipients or victim satisfaction surveys. In conducting such testing or surveys, grantees may not collect, analyze, or disseminate any information identifiable to a private person during the course of assessing the effectiveness of funded activities.

A contribution of non-Federal dollars (“match”) is not required for this program, but applicants are encouraged to maximize the impact of Federal dollars by contributing to the costs of their projects. Supplemental contributions may be cash, in-kind services, or a combination of both.

Performance Measures

Grantees under this program are required to submit annual Progress Reports, which OVW will provide to grantees.

For more information, see the Reference Guide at pages 19-22.

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.

It is expected that reports regarding subawards will be made through the FFATA Subaward Reporting System (FSRS), found at https://www.fsrs.gov. Additional guidance on reporting will be provided in the near future by OVW and/or the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

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.

Additional Requirements

For information on additional requirements that apply to all OVW applicants and grantees, see the Reference Guide at pages 23-24.

Public Reporting Burden

Paperwork Reduction Act Notice Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. We try to create forms and instructions that are accurate, can be easily understood, and which impose the least possible burden on you to provide us with information. The estimated average time to complete and file this form is 30 hours per form. If you have comments regarding the accuracy of this estimate, or suggestions for making this form simpler, you can write to the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice, 145 N Street, NE, Washington, DC 20530.

Application Checklist Applicants must submit a fully executed application to OVW via overnight delivery, including all required supporting documentation. If you do not have the ability to upload signed documents, you may upload an unsigned version and include the signed original in the hard copy of the application. Applications will not be accepted via facsimile.

Application Document Required? Completed?

1. Standard Form 424 Yes

2. Standard Assurances and Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (Form 4061/6)

Yes

3. Summary Data Sheet Yes

4. Project Narrative Yes

5. Letter of Meaningful Involvement Yes

6. Letter of Nonsupplanting Yes

Applicants must send via overnight delivery a complete hard copy original of the application, date stamped by the shipping company on or before April 5, 2011 to:

The Office on Violence Against Women Attn: SASP Unit 145 N Street, NE, 10th Floor Washington, DC 20530

In addition, applications must be submitted through GMS by 11:59 p.m. E.T. on April 5, 2011.