PKG00251455-instructions..pdf

OMB No. 1121-0329 Approval Expires 11/30/2020

U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Office for Victims of Crime

FY 2019 Project Beacon: Increasing Services for Urban American Indian and Alaska Native Victims of Sex Trafficking FY 2019 Competitive Grant Solicitation

CFDA # 16.841

Grants.gov Solicitation Number: OVC-2019-15584

Solicitation Release Date: May 30, 2019

Application Deadline: 11:59 p.m. eastern time on July 15, 2019

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is seeking applications for the FY 2019 Project Beacon: Increasing Services for Urban American Indian and Alaska Native Victims of Sex Trafficking. This program furthers the Department’s mission by increasing access to services for victims of sex trafficking.

This solicitation incorporates the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide by reference. The OJP Grant Application Resource Guide provides guidance to applicants for the preparation and submission to OJP of applications for funding. If this solicitation expressly modifies any provision in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide, the applicant is to follow the guidelines in this solicitation as to that provision.

Eligibility (Who may apply): For information on eligibility, see Section C. Eligibility Information.

Contact information For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800–518–4726, 606–545–5035, at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html, or at support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Support Hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except on federal holidays.

An applicant that experiences unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond its control that prevent it from submitting its application by the deadline must email the OVC contact identified below within 24 hours after the application deadline to request approval to submit its application after the deadline. Additional information on reporting technical issues appears under “Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues” in the How To Apply (Grants.gov) section in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

For assistance with any other requirements of this solicitation, contact OVC’s National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Response Center: toll free at 800–851–3420; via TTY at 301–240–6310 (hearing impaired only); email to grants@ncjrs.gov; fax to 301–240–5830; or web chat at https://webcontact.ncjrs.gov/ncjchat/chat.jsp.The NCJRS Response Center https://www.usdoj.gov/ https://www.ojp.gov/ http://www.ovc.gov/ http://www.ovc.gov/ https://www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/Grant-App-Resource-Guide.htm https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/Grant-App-Resource-Guide.htm mailto:grants@ncjrs.gov https://webcontact.ncjrs.gov/ncjchat/chat.jsp

OVC-2019-15584

operates from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., eastern time, Monday through Friday, and from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., eastern time on the solicitation closing date.

Pre-Application Webinar OVC will conduct one pre-application webinar on Wednesday, June 19, 2019, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. eastern time. Participation in the webinar is optional. OVC staff will review the solicitation requirements and conduct a question and answer session with interested potential applicants. You may register for the webinar at https://www.ovc.gov/grants/webinars.html.

Post-Award Legal Requirements Notice If selected for funding, in addition to implementing the funded project consistent with the OJP-approved application, the recipient must comply with all award conditions, and all applicable requirements of federal statutes and regulations (including applicable requirements referred to in the assurances and certifications executed in connection with award acceptance). OJP strongly encourages prospective applicants to review information on post-award legal requirements and common OJP award conditions prior to submitting an application.

For additional information on these legal requirements, see the “Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements” section in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

Deadline details Applicants must register with Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html prior to submitting an application. All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on July 15, 2019.

To be considered timely, an application must be submitted by the application deadline using Grants.gov, and the applicant must have received a validation message from Grants.gov that indicates successful and timely submission. OJP urges applicants to submit applications at least 72 hours prior to the application due date, to allow time for the applicant to receive validation messages or rejection notifications from Grants.gov, and to correct in a timely fashion any problems that may have caused a rejection notification.

An applicant must use the Add Attachment button to attach a file to its application. Do not click the paperclip icon to attach files. This action will not attach the files to the application. After adding an attachment, select the View Attachment button to confirm you attached the correct file. To remove the file, select the Delete Attachment button.

OJP encourages all applicants to read this Important Notice: Applying for Grants in Grants.gov.

For additional information, see the “How to Apply (Grants.gov)” section in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

https://www.ovc.gov/grants/webinars.html https://www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/Grant-App-Resource-Guide.htm https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html https://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Grants-govInfo.htm

Contents A. Program Description

Overview

Program-Specific Information

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables

Resource Coordination

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices

Information Regarding Potential Evaluation of Programs and Activities

B. Federal Award Information

Type of Award

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls

Budget Information

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training Costs

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable)

C. Eligibility Information

D. Application and Submission Information

What an Application Should Include

How To Apply (Grants.gov)

E. Application Review Information

Review Criteria

Review Process

F. Federal Award Administration Information

Federal Award Notices

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements

Information Technology (IT) Security Clauses

General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)

H. Other Information

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552 and U.S.C. 552a)

Provide Feedback to OJP

Appendix A: Performance Measures Table

Appendix B: Application Checklist

FY 2019 Project Beacon: Increasing Services for Urban American Indian and Alaska Native

Victims of Sex Trafficking

CFDA # 16.841

A. Program Description

Overview The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) will make awards to increase the quantity and quality of services currently available to American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) victims of sex trafficking who reside in urban areas.1 Award recipients will use the funding to develop and enhance their capacity to address the needs of AI/AN victims of sex trafficking through a combination of staff training and education on the topic, building strategic collaborative partnerships with other community-based organizations and agencies, and public awareness activities.

Statutory Authority: This program is authorized by the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2019, Section 510.

Program-Specific Information Recent research on the incidence of sex trafficking among American Indian and Alaska Native populations has focused on the plight of AI/AN women and girls who are involved in sex trafficking in urban areas. There is some evidence to support women and girls are too often arrested for prostitution when, in fact, they are victims of sex trafficking.2 Migration from tribal reservation communities increases the vulnerability of American Indians and Alaska Natives to become involved in sex trafficking along with other risk factors this demographic unfortunately experiences at high rates, including poverty, involvement in the foster care system, prior victimization (e.g., childhood sexual abuse and/or sexual assault as an adolescent or young adult), prior involvement in the juvenile or adult criminal justice systems, and substance abuse.3

In FY 2016, OVC launched Project Beacon: Increasing Services for Urban American Indian and Alaska Native Victims of Sex Trafficking Program (Project Beacon). The overall aim of Project Beacon is to bridge the divide between urban Indian centers and AI/AN victims of sex trafficking.

In its inaugural year, the program provided funding to three organizations with expertise in meeting the health, safety, and welfare needs of urban Native communities to develop the

1 For purposes of this solicitation, “American Indian and Alaska Native” refers to an individual who is an enrolled member of a federally recognized Indian tribe (25 U.S.C. § 479), “sex trafficking” refers to an incident “…in which a commercial act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age.” (22 U.S.C. §7102(9)(a)), and the definition of “urban area” is consistent with the U.S. Census Bureau’s definition of “urbanized area,” which refers to an area with a total population of “50,000 or more people” (https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural.html).

2 Farley, M., Matthews, N., Deer, S., Lopez, G., Stark, C., & Hudon, E. (2011). Garden of Truth: The Prostitution and Trafficking of Native Women in Minnesota. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition and Prostitution Research and Education.

3 Farley, M., et al.; Suave, M. (2015). Human Trafficking and Indigenous Populations. Washington, DC:

Administration for Native Americans, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural.html https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural.html capacity of these organizations to provide direct services to urban AI/AN victims of sex trafficking.

In FY 2019, OVC will expand Project Beacon by making awards under two purpose areas that are described below.

(1) Purpose Area 1: Direct Services (OVC-2019-15586)

Eligible applicants may apply to this purpose area to request funding to: develop or enhance their organizational capacity to provide services to urban AI/AN victims of sex trafficking; develop and sustain collaborative partnerships; conduct community outreach and awareness activities; and provide training to other stakeholders on how to meet the needs of urban AI/AN victims of sex trafficking. Applicants for this purpose area must demonstrate that they will provide services to the target population in an urban community as defined on page 4.

(2) Purpose Area 2: Training and Technical Assistance (OVC-2019-15587)

Eligible applicants may request funding to provide capacity-building training and technical assistance (TTA) to successful grantees under Purpose Areas 1.

Term of Service Provision The funds available under Purpose Area 1 of this program are primarily intended to support costs associated with the provision of short-term direct services that support the long-term goals of autonomy and self-sufficiency for recently identified victims of sex trafficking. OVC does not set time limits on the provision of services, and supports the grantee’s provision of ongoing, specialized case management services for victims of sex trafficking when there are no other local organizations or agencies who provide such services. The funds awarded under this program are not intended to provide long-term financial support to victims of sex trafficking. Grantees are expected to develop a plan for the provision of long-term services to victims of sex trafficking that anticipates close coordination with other existing programs and services for victims of sex trafficking in the local community.

Victim Eligibility for Services OVC strongly encourages all grantees to assist clients in complying with reasonable requests by local, state, federal, or tribal government agencies with the authority to investigate or prosecute trafficking acts. OVC is committed to the elimination of all forms of trafficking in persons, which requires the prosecution of traffickers as a key part of a multifaceted strategy. Victim-centered investigations and prosecutions of traffickers reduce harm and increase safety for our communities while supporting the healing of victims.

Comprehensive Services Model Applicants to Purpose Area 1 of this program are not expected to have the capacity to fulfill all of the needs of AI/AN victims of sex trafficking. Rather, OVC will provide Purpose Area 1 grant award recipients under this program with the training and technical assistance necessary to develop a plan to meet the comprehensive needs of the victims they will serve through a coordinated, community-wide response that relies on collaborative partnerships and cross-referrals for services.

Purpose Area 2 applicants should familiarize themselves with the required services and collaborative partners for the Comprehensive Services Model (below), and be able to provide training and technical assistance to the Purpose Area 1 grantees. However, Purpose Area 2 grantees are prohibited from providing direct services to victims with these funds.

The Comprehensive Services Model includes 4 components: (1) collaborative partnerships;

(2) adoption of a victim-centered approach to service delivery; (3) intensive case management services; and (4) specific required categories of victim services.

(1) Collaborative Partnerships The following is a partial list of potential community stakeholders who should be included in a coordinated community response to sex trafficking:

• Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and victim-witness coordinators.

• Civil legal assistance providers.

• State and tribal child welfare and child protection services professionals.

• Tribal and non-tribal domestic violence, homeless, and youth shelter programs and transitional housing programs.

• Tribal and non-tribal mental health services providers, including drug- and alcohol-treatment programs.

• Federal, state, and local adult and youth detention facilities, halfway houses, and group homes.

• Educational services and job-training programs for adults and youth.

Award recipients under Purpose Area 1 will be required to develop MOU’s with key stakeholders in the local community to strengthen collaborative partnerships by memorializing their commitment to assisting AI/AN victims of sex trafficking. OVC will provide award recipients with technical assistance to develop and execute an MOU which outlines the roles and responsibilities of each collaborative partner.

(2) Victim-Centered Approach to Service Delivery Additionally, under the Comprehensive Services Model, all Purpose Area 1 grantees will be required to develop programs that are victim-centered. Key aspects of a victim-centered approach to providing direct services to victims of sex trafficking include:

• Adopting a trauma-informed approach to the provision of services.

• Creating individualized service plans to meet the needs of each victim.

• Educating victims about their options so they may make informed decisions about the support they need to overcome their victimization; address socio-economic, psychological, and other issues that may have contributed to their victimization; and formulate and achieve personal goals.

(3) Intensive Case Management Services Intensive case management is a key component of the Comprehensive Services Model. The careful and consistent coordination of the delivery of services to victims across multiple systems ensures that the victim’s holistic needs are met. Intensive case management also ensures that victims have the support necessary to make decisions about their lives and futures, while also working to address the impact of ongoing traumatic stress related to their victimization, and their cooperation with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers and prosecutors in the investigation and prosecution of their trafficker(s).

Award recipients under Purpose Area 1 must develop a service delivery plan that provides access to case management services for all victims, regardless of where the victim resides

(e.g., minor victims who reside in a group home, foster care placement, or with family; or adults living on their own, in a residential substance abuse program, or an emergency shelter).

(4) Required Comprehensive Victim Services With training and technical assistance provided by the Purpose Area 2 award recipient, each Purpose Area 1 grantee will be required to develop and implement a comprehensive plan for the delivery of services to urban AI/AN victims of sex trafficking which includes, at a minimum, a plan to provide or refer victims to the following services:

• Intake and assessment of eligibility for services.4

• Intensive case management, including: assessment of client needs; development of individualized service plans; assessment of eligibility for other public or community-based services; assistance in accessing publicly funded programs; safety planning;

assistance with completing crime victim compensation claims; information and referral services; documentation of services provided; and routine follow-up to ensure that the victim’s needs are being met.

• Emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing (including group and independent living options), and food/sustenance resources.

• Medical and dental care.

• Mental health counseling, including emergency or crisis services, clinical evaluation and assessments, substance abuse treatment, and individual or group counseling, as appropriate.

• Victim advocacy, including assisting victims with: accessing information about crime victim’s rights and services; communicating or coordinating with victim-witness professionals at federal agencies (e.g., Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, United States Attorneys’ Offices), and victim-witness professionals at state, local, or tribal law enforcement and prosecution agencies; communicating and coordinating services with victim advocates and other staff employed by tribal and nontribal domestic violence shelter programs and rape/sexual assault response centers and programs;

communicating and coordinating services with local and tribal Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) programs and/or Sexual Assault Response Teams (SART). Specific tasks associated with advocating on behalf of victims of sex trafficking in these settings may include: keeping the victim informed of the status of an investigation or prosecution;

assisting a victim with completing an application for state crime victim compensation benefits; educating victims about the availability of sexual assault medical forensic exams; accompanying victims to court proceedings; and assisting victims with exercising their rights as crime victims under federal or state law.

• Literacy education, job training, and/or education and GED assistance that is culturally appropriate.

• Life skills training, including managing personal finances, self-care, parenting classes, and programs that help victims achieve self-sufficiency.

• Employment and transportation assistance.

• Assistance with accessing culturally specific services, including, but not limited to, traditional healing ceremonies.

4 Though the primary emphasis in this solicitation is on providing direct services to victims of sex trafficking as defined by 22 U.S.C. §7102(9)(a), grant award recipients are not prohibited from providing direct services and/or referrals to direct services to victims of labor trafficking, which includes individuals who have been recruited, harbored, transported, provided, or obtained by another “…for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.” (22 U.S.C. §7102(9)(b)).

• Access to a 24-hour crisis response to emergency calls from clients and law enforcement, including evenings and weekends (e.g., crisis hotline, rotating cell phone coverage, call-forwarding or answering service, or a protocol for responding to after-hours victim emergencies and emergency referrals).

• Civil legal assistance, to include: assistance with screening clients for a determination of eligibility for services; legal information; explanation of legal rights/protections, including assistance in obtaining restitution and enforcing compliance with federal and state victims’ rights laws; assistance with family law matters related to the trafficking victimization, including, but not limited to, protection orders, representation in family court proceedings, and petitions for the emancipation of minors; assistance with family reunification; referrals to pro bono attorneys; and counseling related to vacating or expunging a victim’s non-violent criminal conviction where allowed by law for victims of trafficking when the conviction was a direct result of being a trafficking victim.

Note: OVC funding may not be used for criminal defense services. Direct representation on vacatur or expungement matters through court filings, or through other litigation services, is NOT an allowable cost under any award made under this program solicitation.

Activities That Compromise Victim Safety and Recovery The following activities have been found to jeopardize victim safety or deter or prevent physical or emotional healing for victims:

1. The development and implementation of policies or procedures that exclude victims from receiving safe shelter, advocacy services, counseling, and other assistance based on factors not related to victim safety;

2. The development and implementation of policies or procedures that compromise the confidentiality of information and privacy of persons receiving OVC-funded services;

3. The development and implementation of policies or procedures that impose requirements on victims in order to receive services (e.g., receive counseling, seek civil or criminal remedies, etc.);

4. The development and implementation of policies or procedures that fail to conduct safety planning with victims;

5. The implementation of project designs and/or budget allocations that fail to account for the accessibility needs of individuals with disabilities and individuals who have limited English proficiency or are Deaf or hard of hearing; and

6. The establishment or enhancement of a multidisciplinary collaborative community response lacking the appropriate policies and procedures regarding victim confidentiality and information sharing for the partnering agencies.

Applications for funding that propose any of the policies, procedures, or practices identified above may be negatively evaluated during the OVC application review process, or may be removed from funding consideration. If the application is selected for funding, then the applicant will be required to remove any of the policies, procedures, and practices that may compromise victim safety from its program narrative and/or budget detail worksheet and budget narrative before receiving access to the funding from its award.

Lobbying, Promoting, or Advocating For the Legalization/Regulation of Prostitution The Federal Government is opposed to prostitution and related activities, which are inherently harmful and dehumanizing and contribute to the phenomenon of trafficking in persons. U.S.

nongovernmental organizations funded under Purpose Areas 1 or 2 cannot use Federal award funds to lobby for, promote, or otherwise advocate for the legalization or regulation of prostitution as a legitimate form of work. Foreign nongovernmental organizations and their subgrantees that receive U.S. government funds to fight trafficking in persons cannot lobby for, promote, or advocate the legalization or regulation of prostitution as a legitimate form of work. It is the responsibility of the primary grantee to ensure these criteria are met by its subgrantees.

Community Outreach and Training Training and public awareness activities are integral to a community’s response to sex trafficking. Applicants under Purpose Areas 1 and 2 are required to: conduct local trainings for project partners on how to meet the needs of AI/AN victims of sex trafficking; conduct outreach and awareness activities and events that educate urban American Indians and Alaska Natives about sex trafficking and the services available through the grant-funded project; and provide project staff with professional development opportunities (including travel to attend local and national victim assistance or regional or national trafficking conferences).

Under this program, each Purpose Area 1 applicant must allocate a minimum of 2 percent, and no more than 5 percent of the total award amount requested to support the delivery of training for collaborative partners and other professionals, conducting public awareness activities, and providing project staff with professional development opportunities.

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables The overarching goal of this program is to increase the quantity and quality of victim-centered services available to assist AI/AN victims of sex trafficking in urban areas by developing the capacity of urban Indian organizations to meet their needs through the provision of a comprehensive range of services either in-house, or through referrals to a network of collaborative partners. Award recipients must adopt a victim-centered approach to service delivery that promotes safety and well-being among victims.

Objectives for Purpose Area 1: Direct Services

By developing the capacity of urban Indian organizations to provide services to victims of sex trafficking, Project Beacon will succeed in increasing the quantity and quality of services available to AI/AN victims of sex trafficking. Award recipients under Purpose Area 1 will work toward achieving the following objectives:

1. Develop and implement a plan or strategy to meet the comprehensive needs of AI/AN victims of sex trafficking, as described on pages 7-8, through: (a) the recipient’s provision of direct services to victims; (b) the formation of strategic collaborative partnerships with other community-based organizations and/or agencies who can meet the victims’ needs; or (c) a combination of (a) and (b);

2. Work collaboratively with federal, state, and local law enforcement, victim service providers, and community- and faith-based organizations and agencies to facilitate the identification and referral for services to AI/AN victims of sex trafficking;

3. Participate in OVC-sponsored training and technical assistance to: (a) build the recipient’s organizational capacity to provide direct services to AI/AN victims of sex trafficking through professional development training and education for organizational staff; (b) craft an effective public awareness campaign; (c) develop and implement a strategy to collect OVC-defined performance measurement data and grantee-defined program evaluation data as described in the applicant’s program evaluation plan (see page 23 for details about the plan); and (d) develop and implement effective outreach strategies for victims of sex trafficking; and

4. Participate in data collection and program evaluation activities to assess whether or not the funded project is meeting its stated goals and objectives.

Objectives for Purpose Area 2: Training and Technical Assistance To develop the capacity of grantees under Purpose Area 1 to increase the quality and quantity of services available to AI/AN victims of sex trafficking, the successful Purpose Area 2 applicant will work toward achieving the following objectives:

1. Provide guidance, training, technical assistance and resources to grantees under Purpose Area 1 that: (a) educate grantees about the nature, dynamics, and unique needs of urban AI/AN victims of sex trafficking; (b) help grantees develop and finalize required products; (c) develop the grantees’ capacity to provide services to victims using OVC’s Comprehensive Services Model; (d) aid grantees in implementing a plan to collect data required for the award program’s performance measures, and to define their own program evaluation measurements to implement their program evaluation plan; (e) assist grantees in developing training curricula and resources sufficient to train other professionals on the needs of AI/AN victims of sex trafficking; (f) advise grantees on how to develop and implement effective outreach strategies for victims of sex trafficking; (g) support grantees in developing collaborative partnerships sufficient to satisfy the solicitation’s requirements to provide victims with access to comprehensive services;

and (h) help grantees in developing and finalizing all project deliverables, including a plan for comprehensive services, memoranda of understanding (MOUs), and a logic model;

2. Provide onsite and remote TTA to grantees to support the activities outlined in 1 (a) to

(h) above, including an annual two-day meeting for Purpose Area 1 grantees; and

3. Identify and link grantees with national, state, local, and tribal resources that can enhance grantee efforts to develop and deliver direct services to victims, training to collaborative partners and other service providers, and community outreach and awareness events to the target audience of urban AI/AN individuals.

The award recipient under Purpose Area 2 of this solicitation will be expected to work closely with OVC’s Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC) and/or other OVC employees, grantees or contractors, as necessary, to schedule and plan the annual grantee training/meeting event. The award recipient will also be expected to collaborate with OVC TTAC in identifying existing resources that may aid FY 2019 Project Beacon grantees in meeting the goals and objectives of their awards.

Deliverables for Purpose Area 1: Direct Services Award recipients under Purpose Area 1 must submit the following deliverables to OVC for review and approval within 18 months following the grantee’s receipt of an award:

• A plan for comprehensive services which illustrates how the grantee will provide each of the services listed on pages 7-8, either through the efforts of the proposed project staff, other grantee employees, consultants, contractors, and/or through referrals to a network of collaborative partners;

• MOU(s) with the list of key collaborative partners identified on page 6. The MOU(s) must have an effective date that extends to or after September 30, 2022; and

• A logic model that graphically illustrates how the project’s goals, objectives, and activities are interrelated to address the problem stated in the “Description of the Issue” section of the program narrative.

For up to the first 18 months of the award period, Purpose Area 1 grantees will only have access to one-third of the funding available under an award made under this program. Within this first 18 months, grantees must focus their program activities on developing and finalizing a Comprehensive Services Model plan, a logic model, and MOUs with the grantee’s collaborative partners. Once grantees have received OVC approval on the list of deliverables outlined above, OVC will issue a grant adjustment notice (GAN) to release the remaining two-thirds of the award funds.

Purpose Area 1 grant award recipients cannot support direct services to victims with funding from their OVC award until after OVC has issued the GAN necessary to release the remaining two-thirds of the award funds. OVC recognizes there may be emergency situations where no other resource is available to assist victims; in those instances, grantees may seek emergency authorization from OVC to provide direct services to a victim of sex trafficking prior to receiving final approval from OVC on its required deliverables. OVC will approve such requests on a case-by-case basis.

Deliverables for Purpose Area 2: Training and Technical Assistance The successful applicant under Purpose Area 2 must submit the following deliverables to OVC for review and approval during the award period:

• Within 120 days of receipt of the award, an initial, written, individualized grantee TTA needs assessment and plan for the delivery of TTA for each Purpose Area 1 grantee.

The needs assessment and service delivery plan must be updated and submitted to OVC within 90 days following the start of the Federal Fiscal Years 2021 and 2022;

• Three annual 2-day grantee training meetings;

• One annual 2-day onsite individualized TTA visit with each Purpose Area 1 grantee;

• A minimum of six annual remote training opportunities (e.g., webinars, conference calls) for all Purpose Area 1 grantees; and

• Quarterly conference calls with OVC staff and all TTA project staff, consultants, and contractors to discuss the current status of the programs being developed and implemented by the Purpose Area 1 grantees throughout the award period.

The Goal, Objectives, and Deliverables for both Project Beacon purpose areas are directly related to the performance measures that demonstrate the results of the work completed, as discussed under What an Application Should Include.

Resource Coordination Proposals submitted under Purpose Area 1 should fill gaps in existing services. All applicants should determine if there is an existing federally funded trafficking victim service provider within their jurisdiction, and work to ensure that the new application does not duplicate existing services currently funded by OVC, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Office on Violence Against Women, or another federal office or agency.

If there is currently a federally funded trafficking victim service grantee within the same jurisdiction as the applicant’s proposal, applicants must document (1) how the new proposal either supports different services than those already funded or provide strong justification for why additional funding is needed to fill existing gaps in services; and (2) how these services will be coordinated within the geographic area.

Applicants must also include information about any other open award of federal and state funds (including programs supported by Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) state victim assistance funds) that are being or will be used, in whole or in part, for one or more of the identical cost items outlined in this application. Applicants with current OVC funding for services for victims of human trafficking must demonstrate how the new proposal fills gaps in services not previously addressed by the existing OVC grant.

The list of OVC-funded trafficking victim services grantees and the geographic regions they serve are listed on the OVC website at https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/humantrafficking/traffickingmatrix.html, and a list of some HHS-funded grantees is available at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/otip/grants. Purpose Area 1 applications that fail to address resource coordination with other OVC and federally and state-funded similar grant programs in their proposal will be negatively scored and may receive a deduction in points during the review process.

With regard to services provided to individual clients, applicants must ensure that eligible victims served under this program are not concurrently served by other federally funded grants, contracts, or subawards issued to the applicant agency specifically for services for victims of human trafficking, such as awards funded by HHS or other federal sources. Services can be provided to a victim in the aftermath of victim identification: service providers should facilitate victims’ access to other federal, state, or local programs for which they may be eligible, including HHS-funded services.

The HHS Trafficking Victim Assistance Program (TVAP) is designed to fund case management services on a per capita basis for foreign national victims and those potentially seeking HHS certification. It is a valuable resource in communities where there are funding gaps due to the lack of federally funded victim service providers or significant spikes in caseloads. Applicants should plan on using OVC funds to provide services to foreign national trafficking clients regardless of HHS certification, and should not anticipate leveraging TVAP funds as a matter of course unless extraordinary circumstances arise. Grantees funded under this solicitation desiring to access TVAP funding due to such circumstances must contact their grant manager to discuss the need.

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices OJP strongly emphasizes the use of data and evidence in policy making and program development in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services. For additional information and resources on evidence-based programs or practices, see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide, and the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center.

Information Regarding Potential Evaluation of Programs and Activities Applicants should note OJP may conduct or support an evaluation of the programs and activities funded under this solicitation. For additional information, see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide section, entitled, “Information Regarding Potential Evaluation of Programs and Activities.”

https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/humantrafficking/traffickingmatrix.html https://www.acf.hhs.gov/otip/grants https://www.acf.hhs.gov/otip/victim-assistance/certification-and-eligibility-letters-for-foreign-national-victims https://www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/Grant-App-Resource-Guide.htm https://www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/Grant-App-Resource-Guide.htm https://www.samhsa.gov/ebp-resource-center

Purpose Area 1 grantees funded under this solicitation must use the Trafficking Information Management System (TIMS) Online to collect and report performance measurement data for this award. TIMS is an online data collection tool developed by OVC to assist trafficking victim service grantees with collecting, organizing, and reporting performance measurement data for this award. TIMS Online can be used as a case management system, and helps collect data related to the number of clients served, client demographics, number and types of services provided, referral sources, types of outreach and public awareness activities, and the number of professionals trained. OVC victim service provider grantees are required to use TIMS Online to support performance measurement reporting. Training and technical assistance on the use of TIMS Online is provided for OVC’s grantees. (See Appendix A for the list of the required performance measures for this award.)

B. Federal Award Information

The maximum number of awards OVC expects to make:

Purpose Area 1: Direct Services: 7 Purpose Area 2: Training and Technical Assistance: 1

Estimated maximum dollar amount for each award:

Purpose Area 1: Direct Services $450,000 Purpose Area 2: Training and Technical Assistance: $550,000

Total amount anticipated to be awarded under solicitation: $3,700,000 Period of Performance start date: October 1, 2019 Period of Performance duration: 36 months

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

Type of Award OVC expects to make any award under this solicitation in the form of a cooperative agreement, which is a type of award that provides for OJP to have substantial involvement in carrying out award activities. See the “Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements” section of the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for a brief discussion of important statutes, regulations, and award conditions that apply to many (or in some cases, all) OJP grants (and cooperative agreements).

Cooperative agreements include a condition in the award document that sets out the nature of the “substantial federal involvement” in carrying out the award and program. Generally stated, under OJP cooperative agreement awards, responsibility for the day-to-day conduct of the funded project rests with the recipient. OJP, however, may have substantial involvement in matters such as substantive coordination of technical efforts and site selection, as well as review and approval of project work plans, research designs, data collection instruments, and major project-generated materials. In addition, OJP often indicates in the award terms and conditions that it may redirect the project if necessary.

In addition to an award condition that sets out the nature of the anticipated “substantial federal involvement” in the award, cooperative agreements awarded by OJP include an award condition that requires specific reporting in connection with conferences, meetings, retreats, seminars, symposia, training activities, or similar events funded under the award.

https://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/Grant-App-Resource-Guide.htm

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Award recipients and subrecipients (including recipients or subrecipients that are pass-through entities) must, as described in the Part 200 Uniform Requirements5 as set out at 2 C.F.R.

200.303, comply with standards for financial and program management. See OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information.

Budget Information

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirements: This solicitation does not require a match. However, if a successful application proposes a voluntary match amount, and OJP approves the budget, the total match amount incorporated into the approved budget becomes mandatory and subject to audit. See OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information on this match requirement.

Pre-agreement costs are costs incurred by the applicant prior to the start date of the period of performance of the federal award. Requests for approval of pre-agreement costs will not be considered under this solicitation.

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver For applicants seeking the waiver, see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information.

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training Costs OJP strongly encourages every applicant that proposes to use award funds for any conference-, meeting-, or training-related activity (or similar event) to review carefully—before submitting an application—the OJP and DOJ policy and guidance on approval, planning, and reporting of such events. See OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information.

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable) See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on costs associated with language assistance that may be allowable.

C. Eligibility Information

Purpose Area 1: Direct Services: Eligible applicants for this purpose area are limited to:

nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations (including tribal nonprofit organizations) whose primary mission is specifically to provide services that meet the health, safety, and general welfare needs of AI/AN individuals who reside in urban areas. Applicants must demonstrate the primary mission of its organization by submitting a copy of its organizational mission statement as an attachment to its application for funding. Applicants are also encouraged, but not required, to submit brief biographical sketches of the members of its board of directors, steering committee, or senior management team to demonstrate that the organization is led by individuals who have knowledge and expertise in meeting the needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives who reside in urban areas.

Purpose Area 1 applicants are not required to have a demonstrated knowledge/expertise in delivering services to victims of sex trafficking. Applicants will, however, be evaluated in part on

5 The "Part 200 Uniform Requirements” means the DOJ regulation at 2 C.F.R Part 2800, which adopts (with certain modifications) the provisions of 2 C.F.R. Part 200.

https://www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/Grant-App-Resource-Guide.htm https://www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/Grant-App-Resource-Guide.htm https://www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/Grant-App-Resource-Guide.htm https://www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/Grant-App-Resource-Guide.htm their demonstrated experience in meeting the health, safety, and general welfare needs of American Indians or Alaska Natives who reside in urban communities.

Purpose Area 2: Training and Technical Assistance: Eligible applicants to this purpose area are limited to states, federally recognized Indian tribal governments, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior, units of local government, nonprofit and for-profit organizations (including tribal nonprofit and for-profit organizations), national organizations, and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education). A unit of local government is any city, county, township, town, borough, parish, village, or other general purpose political subdivision of a state, territory, or federally recognized tribal government. For-profit organizations must agree to waive any profit or fees for services. Applicants must demonstrate experience in providing national- and local-level training and technical assistance to organizations and agencies that provide direct services to urban AI/AN communities, and on topics and issues specific to AI/AN victims of sex trafficking.

All recipients and subrecipients (including any for-profit organization) must forgo any profit or management fee.

D. Application and Submission Information

What an Application Should Include For this solicitation, OVC has designated the following application elements as critical: Program Narrative, Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative, for both purpose areas, and organizational mission statement for Purpose Area 1 applicants only. Applicants should also attach the following additional documentation, depending on purpose area:

• Purpose Area 1: Direct Services: Resumes of key personnel.

• Purpose Area 2: Training and Technical Assistance: Resumes of key personnel, including all proposed project staff, consultants, contractors, and staff from subrecipient organizations.

See the “Application Elements and Formatting Instructions” section of the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on, among other things, what happens to an application that does not contain all the specified elements, or that is nonresponsive to the scope of the solicitation.

Unless otherwise stated, each of the application elements below must be submitted by applicants across all purpose areas.

1. Complete the Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form (SF)-424)

The SF-424 is a required standard form used as a cover sheet for submission of pre-applications, applications, and related information. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information on completing the SF-424.

Intergovernmental Review: This solicitation ("funding opportunity") is not subject to Executive Order 12372. (In completing the SF-424, an applicant is to answer question 19 by selecting the response that the “Program is not covered by E.O. 12372.”) https://www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/Grant-App-Resource-Guide.htm https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html

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

• Written for a general public audience.

• Submitted as a separate attachment with “Project Abstract” as part of its file name.

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

Applicants must include the following content in the Abstract:

• Legal name of the applicant (if two or more entities are applying, identify the legal name for the lead applicant and the names of any subrecipient(s)).

• Proposed purpose area.

• Specific description of the geographic area where activities will be focused.

• Amount of federal funding requested.

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

3. Program Narrative The program narrative should be double-spaced, using a standard 12-point font (Times New Roman preferred); have no less than 1-inch margins; and should not exceed 25 pages.

Pages should be numbered.

If the program narrative fails to comply with these length-related restrictions, OVC may consider such noncompliance in peer review and in final award decisions.

Quantitative or Statistical data: The data requested in this section may be illustrated with tables, graphs, or charts, as necessary, so long as applicants include a sufficient written narrative description of the data to provide appropriate context to explain the data. Fonts should be standard, at least 10-point for tables, graphs, or charts.

Purpose Area 1: Applicants must provide the following quantitative/statistical data as part of a detailed description to adequately describe its proposed jurisdictional service area:

• Total population of the proposed urban community to be served by the project, and the total population of American Indians and Alaska Natives who reside in the community;

• Relevant demographic data (age, educational attainment, unemployment rates, etc.)

related to the general socio-economic condition of the community at-large, and the AI/AN population in the community to be served; and

• Relevant, recent (within the past 5 years) human trafficking statistics…