PKG00256855-instructions..pdf

OMB Number - 1122-0020 Expiration Date: 01/31/2022

U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW)

OVW Fiscal Year 2020 Improving Criminal Justice

Responses to Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and

Stalking Grant Program Solicitation

Release Date: on or about November 26, 2019

Eligibility Eligible applicants are limited to: States; Indian tribal governments; state and local courts

(including juvenile courts); units of local government; state, tribal, or territorial domestic violence or sexual assault coalitions; or victim service providers.

(See “Eligibility Information”)

Deadlines Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (E.T.) on January 27, 2020.

(See “Submission Dates and Times”)

Registration Information: To submit an application, all applicants must obtain a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number and register online with the System for Award Management (SAM) and with Grants.gov. To ensure sufficient time to complete the registration process, applicants must obtain a DUNS number and register online with SAM and with Grants.gov immediately, but no later than January 10, 2020.

(See “Registration”) https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://Grants.gov

Letter of Intent: Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a non-binding Letter of Intent to OVW.ICJR@usdoj.gov by January 10, 2020. This letter confirms that the applicant has registered with SAM and Grants.gov. Submitting a Letter of Intent will not obligate a potential applicant to submit an application. Interested applicants who do not submit a Letter of Intent are still eligible to apply.

(See “Letter of Intent”)

Pre-Application Information Session: OVW will post a pre-recorded Pre-Application Information Session on its website for entities interested in submitting an application for this program. Listening to this session is optional. Interested applicants who do not listen to the pre-recorded session are still eligible to apply. The session is tentatively scheduled to be available by December 18, 2019 on the OVW website at https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants.

(See “Pre-Application Information Session”)

Contact Information For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, email OVW at OVW.ICJR@usdoj.gov.

Alternatively, interested parties may call OVW at (202) 307-6026.

Submission and Notification Information Submission: Applications for this program will be submitted through Grants.gov. For technical assistance with Grants.gov, contact the Grants.gov Applicant Support Line at 1-(800)-518-4726.

The Grants.gov number assigned to this announcement is OVW-2020-17563.

Notification: OVW anticipates notifying applicants of funding decisions by October 1, 2020.

ii mailto:OVW.ICJR@usdoj.gov http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants mailto:OVW.ICJR@usdoj.gov http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://Grants.gov https://Grants.gov https://Grants.gov https://Grants.gov mailto:OVW.ICJR@usdoj.gov https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources mailto:OVW.ICJR@usdoj.gov

Contents A. Program Description

Overview of OVW

About the OVW Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Grant (Improving Criminal Justice Responses) Program

Program Scope

Purpose Areas

OVW Priority Areas

Activities that Compromise Victim Safety and Recovery or Undermine Offender Accountability

Out-of-Scope Activities

Activities Requiring Prior Approval

B. Federal Award Information Availability of Funds

Award Period and Amounts

Types of Applications

Mandatory Program Requirements

C. Eligibility Information Eligible Applicants

Cost Sharing or Matching

Other Program Eligibility Requirements

D. Application and Submission Information Address to Request Application Package

Content and Form of Application Submission

Formatting and Technical Requirements

Application Contents

Summary Data Sheet

Proposal Abstract

Project Narrative

Budget Detail Worksheet and Narrative

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

Additional Required Information iii

Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS Number), System for Award Management (SAM), and Grants.gov Registration

Submission Dates and Times

OVW Policy on Late Submissions

Funding Restrictions

Other Submission Requirements

Submitting a Grant Application

E. Application Review Information Criteria

Review and Selection Process

Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

F. Federal Award Administration Information Federal Award Notices

Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Reporting

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) H. Other Information

Application Checklist iv

Federal Award Information:

Funding Type: Grant Estimated Total Funding:

Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$32,000,000 $1,000,000 (Purpose Areas 1-21)

Award Floor:

$1,250,000 (Purpose Area 22) N/A

Registration Due:

Letter of Intent Due:

Application Due:

January 10, 2020 January 10, 2020 January 27, 2020

Anticipated Start Date:

Length of Award Period:

October 1, 2020 36 months (Purpose Areas 1-21) 48 months (Purpose Area 22)

OVW Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual

Assault, and Stalking Grant Program

(CFDA 16.590)

A. Program Description Overview of OVW OVW is a component of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). Created in 1995, OVW administers grant programs authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and subsequent legislation and provides national leadership on issues of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. OVW grants support coordinated community responses to hold offenders accountable and serve victims.

Statutory Authority This program is authorized by 34 U.S.C. §§ 10461-10465 and implemented through regulations at 28 C.F.R. Part 90, Subpart D.

About the OVW Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Grant (Improving Criminal Justice Responses) Program The Improving Criminal Justice Responses Program encourages state, local, and tribal governments and courts to treat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking as serious violations of criminal law requiring the coordinated involvement of the entire criminal justice system. For additional information about this program, see https://www.justice.gov/ovw/grant-programs and https://www.vawamei.org/grant-program/improving-criminal-justice-response-icjr-program/.

Program Scope Activities supported by this program are determined by statute, federal regulations, and OVW policies. If an applicant receives an award, the funded project is bound by the provisions of this solicitation, the DOJ Financial Guide, including updates to the financial guide after an award is https://www.justice.gov/ovw/grant-programs https://www.vawamei.org/grant-program/improving-criminal-justice-response-icjr-program/ https://www.vawamei.org/grant-program/improving-criminal-justice-response-icjr-program/ https://www.justice.gov/ovw/file/1030311/download https://www.vawamei.org/grant https://www.justice.gov/ovw/grant-programs made, the section of the OVW Solicitation Companion Guide on post-award requirements for all federal award recipients, and the conditions of the award.

Purpose Areas The Improving Criminal Justice Responses Program includes 22 purpose areas. For the convenience of applicants, the following categories illustrate the types of activities that fall within these purpose areas:

1. Enhanced law enforcement responses, including centralized units, specialized training, improved arrest policies, and protection order enforcement (see purpose areas 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, and 19).

2. Targeted responses to sexual assault, including sexual assault response teams (SARTs), evidence collection and testing, and specialized policies, protocols, and training (see purpose areas 11, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21).

3. Coordinated community responses, including multidisciplinary teams, comprehensive victim services and support centers (co-located services), and interdisciplinary policy development (see purpose areas 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 15, 16, 19, 21, and 22).

4. Enhanced prosecution responses, including centralized units, specialized training, and policy and protocol development (see purpose areas 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15, and 19).

5. Improved judicial handling of cases, including centralized courts and dockets, judicial education programs, and protection order issuance and tracking (see purpose areas 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, and 15).

Applicants interested in proposing activities for any of the above categories may choose from any of the purpose areas listed for that category. However, applicants are not limited to applying to purpose areas in a single category.

Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 10461(b), funds under this program must be used for one or more of the following purposes:

1. To implement proarrest programs and policies in police departments, including policies for protection order violations and enforcement of protection orders across state and tribal lines.

2. To develop policies, educational programs, protection order registries, data collection systems, and training in police departments to improve tracking of cases and classification of complaints involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Policies, educational programs, protection order registries, and training described in this paragraph shall incorporate confidentiality, and privacy protections for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

3. To centralize and coordinate police enforcement, prosecution, or judicial responsibility for domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking cases in teams or units of police officers, prosecutors, parole and probation officers, or judges.

4. To coordinate computer tracking systems and provide the appropriate training and education about domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking to ensure communication between police, prosecutors, parole and probation officers, and both criminal and family courts.

https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants

5. To strengthen legal advocacy service programs and other victim services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including strengthening assistance to such victims in immigration matters.

6. To educate federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local judges, courts, and court-based and court-related personnel in criminal and civil courts (including juvenile courts) about domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and to improve judicial handling of such cases.

7. To provide technical assistance and computer and other equipment to police departments, prosecutors, courts, and tribal jurisdictions to facilitate the widespread enforcement of protection orders, including interstate enforcement, enforcement between states and tribal jurisdictions, and enforcement between tribal jurisdictions.

8. To develop or strengthen policies and training for police, prosecutors, and the judiciary in recognizing, investigating, and prosecuting instances of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking against older individuals (as defined in section 3002 of title 42) and individuals with disabilities (as defined in section 12102(2) of title 42).

9. To develop state, tribal, territorial, or local policies, procedures, and protocols for preventing dual arrests and prosecution in cases of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and to develop effective methods for identifying the pattern and history of abuse that indicates which party is the actual perpetrator of abuse.

10. To plan, develop and establish comprehensive victim service and support centers, such as family justice centers, designed to bring together victim advocates from victim service providers, staff from population specific organizations, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, probation officers, governmental victim assistants, forensic medical professionals, civil legal attorneys, chaplains, legal advocates, representatives from community-based organizations and other relevant public or private agencies or organizations into one centralized location, in order to improve safety, access to services, and confidentiality for victims and families. Although funds may be used to support the colocation of project partners under this paragraph, funds may not support construction or major renovation expenses or activities that fall outside of the scope of the other statutory purpose areas.

11. To develop and implement policies and training for police, prosecutors, probation and parole officers, and the judiciary in recognizing, investigating, and prosecuting instances of sexual assault, with an emphasis on recognizing the threat to the community for repeat crime perpetration by such individuals.

12. To develop, enhance, and maintain protection order registries.

13. To develop human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing programs for sexual assault perpetrators and notification and counseling protocols.

14. To develop and implement training programs for prosecutors and other prosecution-related personnel regarding best practices to ensure offender accountability, victim safety, and victim consultation in cases involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

15. To develop or strengthen policies, protocols, and training for law enforcement, prosecutors, and the judiciary in recognizing, investigating, and prosecuting instances of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking against immigrant victims, including the appropriate use of applications for nonimmigrant status under subparagraphs (T) and (U) of section 1101(a)(15) of title 8.

16. To develop and promote state, local, or tribal legislation and policies that enhance best practices for responding to the crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including the appropriate treatment of victims.

17. To develop, implement, or enhance sexual assault nurse examiner programs or sexual assault forensic examiner programs, including the hiring and training of such examiners.

18. To develop, implement, or enhance Sexual Assault Response Teams or similar coordinated community responses to sexual assault.

19. To develop and strengthen policies, protocols, and training for law enforcement officers and prosecutors regarding the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases and the appropriate treatment of victims.

20. To provide human immunodeficiency virus testing programs, counseling, and prophylaxis for victims of sexual assault.

21. To identify and inventory backlogs of sexual assault evidence collection kits and to develop protocols for responding to and addressing such backlogs, including policies and protocols for notifying and involving victims.

22. To develop multidisciplinary high-risk teams focusing on reducing domestic violence and dating violence homicides by:

a. using evidence-based indicators to assess the risk of homicide and link high-risk victims to immediate crisis intervention services.

b. identifying and managing high-risk offenders.

c. providing ongoing victim advocacy and referrals to comprehensive services including legal, housing, health care, and economic assistance.

Because the majority of the statutory purpose areas listed above include functions and/or activities that are inherently governmental, coalitions and victim service providers applying as the lead applicant may seek funding to address only purpose areas 5, 10, and 17 above.

Note: In an effort to distribute funds across the country, applicants applying to address purpose area 10, to establish a new family justice center or to co-locate services, will be given priority over applicants that have been funded two or more times. Beginning in FY 2020, OVW is limiting funding under this purpose area to two funding cycles. .This means that FY 2020 will be the final funding opportunity for continuation applicants to purpose area 10 that have received one or more awards to address purpose area 10 previously.

Given the intensive nature of implementing purpose area 22, the only purpose areas that can be combined with it are purpose areas 3 and 16.

OVW Priority Areas In FY 2020, OVW is interested in supporting one or more of the priority areas identified below.

Applications proposing activities in one or more of the following areas will be given special consideration or receive additional points as detailed below.

1. Reduce violent crime against women and promote victim safety through investing in law enforcement and increasing prosecution.

OVW will give special consideration to applications that meaningfully address one or more of the following statutory purpose areas: 1 (proarrest programs and policies), 3 (specialized units), 6 (improving judicial handling of cases), 8 (developing policies and trainings for working with older individuals and individuals with disabilities), 10 (co-located services/FJC), 11 (developing policies and training for recognizing, investigating or prosecuting instances of sexual assault), 14 (training for prosecutors), 19 (improving investigation or prosecution of sexual assault cases), and/or 22 (reducing domestic and dating violence homicides).

To demonstrate that an application meaningfully addresses purpose areas 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 19, and/or 22, no less than 50 percent of proposed goals, objectives, activities, and budget must support law enforcement, prosecution, and/or court entities.

Funding can support salaries, fringe benefits, officer overtime, supplies, equipment, training, and travel costs. Applications that meet these requirements will receive a 10-point addition during the recommendation process.

2. Address the specific challenges that rural communities face in responding to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

OVW will give special consideration to applications proposing activities in rural communities that seek to improve the investigation and prosecution of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by supporting law enforcement, prosecution, and victim services. Applications must clearly identify how project activities will address specific challenges in rural communities.

Program-Specific Priority Area Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 10461(g), no less than 25 percent of the total amount appropriated for the ICJR Program “shall be available for projects that address sexual assault, including stranger rape, acquaintance rape, alcohol or drug facilitated rape, and rape within the context of an intimate partner relationship.”

OVW will give priority to applications that meaningfully address sexual assault. To qualify for this priority, the application must address purpose areas 11 (developing policies and training for recognizing, investigating or prosecuting instances of sexual assault) and 19 (improving investigation or prosecution of sexual assault cases) and may also address purpose areas 3 (specialized units), 17 (developing a SANE/SAFE program), and/or 18 (developing a SART).

Statutory Priority Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 10462(b), when making Improving Criminal Justice Responses Program awards, OVW must give priority to applicants that:

• Do not currently provide for centralized handling of cases involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking by police, prosecutors, and courts;

• Demonstrate a commitment to strong enforcement of laws, and prosecution or cases, involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, including the enforcement of protection orders from other states and jurisdictions, including tribal jurisdictions;

• Have established cooperative agreements or can demonstrate effective ongoing collaborative arrangements with neighboring jurisdictions to facilitate the enforcement of protection orders from other states and jurisdictions, including tribal jurisdictions; and

• Intend to utilize grant funds to develop and install data collection and communication systems, including computerized systems, and training on how to use these systems effectively to link police, prosecutors, courts, and tribal jurisdictions for the purpose of identifying and tracking protection orders and violations of protection orders, in those jurisdictions where such systems do not exist or are not fully effective.

In FY 2020, applications submitted by states, Indian tribal governments, state and local courts (including juvenile courts), and units of local government addressing one or more statutory priority(ies) above will receive one additional point during the recommendation process.

Activities that Compromise Victim Safety and Recovery or Undermine Offender Accountability OVW does not fund activities that jeopardize victim safety, deter or prevent physical or emotional healing for victims, or allow offenders to escape responsibility for their actions.

Applications that propose any such activities may receive a deduction in points during the review process or may be eliminated from consideration entirely. Information on activities that compromise victim safety and recovery or undermine offender accountability may be found in the Solicitation Companion Guide.

Out-of-Scope Activities The activities listed below are out of the program scope, and they will not be supported by this program’s funding. See also the list of unallowable costs in the Funding Restrictions section of this solicitation.

1. Research projects. (This does not include assessments conducted only for internal improvement purposes (up to three percent of the award). For information on distinguishing between research and assessments, see the heading on this topic in the Funding Restrictions section of this solicitation and the Solicitation Companion Guide.)

2. Direct legal representation. Grant funds may only be used to provide legal representation to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in the limited context of protection order proceedings.

3. Family Law. Grant funds may not be used for family law matters including, but not limited to, divorce, custody, visitation, and/or child support.

4. Prevention activities. Grant funds may not be used for prevention activities. Grantees are only permitted to engage in outreach activities to inform potential victims about the availability of services.

5. Family violence services. Grant funds may not be used to address child abuse or other family violence issues, such as violence perpetrated by a child against a parent or violence perpetrated by a sibling against another sibling.

6. Services for children. Grant funds may not be used to investigate or prosecute child physical or sexual abuse cases. Grant funds may be used to investigate, prosecute, and provide services in cases involving victims age 11 and older. Grant funds may be used to provide direct services to individuals 10 and under only where such services are an ancillary part of providing services to the individual’s parent who is a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking (such as providing child care services while the parent-victim receives services).

7. Sex offender registry. Grant funds may not be used to create sex offender registries.

Applications that propose activities that are deemed to be substantially out-of-scope may receive a deduction in points during the review process or may be eliminated from consideration entirely.

Activities Requiring Prior Approval Recipients must receive prior approval before using grant funds to support surveys, whether conducted as part of a program or needs assessment, or for any other purpose. Prior approval is necessary to determine whether the activity is within the scope of the award and meets the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (see the Solicitation Companion Guide for more information).

B. Federal Award 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. There is no guarantee that funds will be available in the future. OVW may elect to make awards in a future fiscal year for applications submitted under this solicitation but not selected for FY 2020 funding, depending on the merits of the applications and the availability of funding.

Award Period and Amounts Applicants proposing to address purpose areas 1-21: The award period is 36 months. Budgets must reflect 36 months of project activity, and the total “estimated funding” on the SF-424 must reflect 36 months. OVW anticipates the award period will start on October 1, 2020.

Applicants proposing to address purpose area 22: The award period is 48 months. Budgets must reflect 48 months of project activity, and the total “estimated funding” on the SF-424 must reflect 48 months. OVW anticipates the award period will start on October 1, 2020.

OVW estimates that it will make up to 45 awards for an estimated $30,000,000. No more than 25% of available funding will be awarded for applications where the lead applicant is a victim service provider or coalition.

Funding levels under this program for FY 2020 are:

1. For applicants addressing purpose areas 1-21:

• $500,000 for projects with a service area population of up to 400,000.

• $750,000 for projects with a service area population of 400,001 to 700,000.

• $1,000,000 for projects with a service area population of 700,001 and above.

• $1,000,000 for statewide projects, regardless of service area population.

2. For applicants addressing purpose area 22:

• $750,000 for projects with a service area population of up to 400,000.

• $1,000,000 for projects with a service area population of 400,001 to 700,000.

• $1,250,000 for projects with a service area population of 700,001 and above.

• $1,250,000 for statewide projects, regardless of service area population.

OVW has the discretion to make awards for greater or lesser amounts than requested and to negotiate the scope of work and budget with applicants prior to making an award.

Awards will be made as grants.

Types of Applications In FY 2020, OVW will accept applications for this program from the following:

New: Applicants that have never received funding under this program or whose previous Improving Criminal Justice Responses funding expired more than 12 months ago.

Continuation: Applicants that have an existing or recently closed (within the last 12 months) award under this program. Continuation funding is not guaranteed.

Recipients of an FY 2018 or FY 2019 award under this program are NOT eligible to apply as the lead applicant on an FY 2020 proposal.

Note: OVW will not fund the same entity, as either a lead recipient or partner/subrecipient, on more than two discretionary awards in FY 2020, absent extenuating circumstances. This award limit applies across all OVW programs but does not include awards made for nationwide projects, such as those made under OVW’s Training and Technical Assistance Initiative.

Additionally, current grantees with a substantial amount of unobligated funds remaining (50 percent or more of the previous award) as of March 31, 2020 without adequate justification may not be considered for funding, or may receive a reduced award amount if selected for funding in

FY 2020.

Mandatory Program Requirements Applicants that receive funding under this program will be required to engage in the following activities:

1. OVW-sponsored training and technical assistance.

2. An OVW-sponsored assessment or program evaluation, if applicable.

3. New grantee orientation (unless exempted by OVW).

4. Recipients addressing purpose area 22: engage in a 12-month planning phase before implementing project activities. During the 12-month planning phase, recipients will work with OVW and the Improving Criminal Justice Responses Technical Assistance providers to conduct a community assessment that will inform which domestic violence risk or lethality tool is most appropriate for the service area. At the end of the planning phase, the grantee will submit a 36-month implementation plan. OVW must approve the implementation plan prior to the start of phase two activities.

5. Submit HIV certification documentation as detailed below.

Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 10461(d), states and units of local government that receive Improving Criminal Justice Responses Program funding shall not be entitled to 5 percent of their total award unless the state or unit of local government:

1. certifies that it has a law, policy, or regulation that requires –

a. the state or unit of local government at the request of a victim to administer to a defendant, against whom an information or indictment is presented for a crime in which by force or threat of force the perpetrator compels the victim to engage in sexual activity, testing for the immunodeficiency virus (HIV) not later than 48 hours after the date on which the information or indictment is presented and the defendant is in custody or has been served with the information or indictment;

b. as soon as practicable notification to the victim, or parent and guardian of the victim, and the defendant of the testing results; and

c. follow-up tests for HIV as may be medically appropriate, and that as soon as practicable after each such test the results be made available in accordance with b; or

2. gives the Attorney General assurance that its laws and regulations will be in compliance with requirements of paragraph (1) within the period ending on the date on which the next session of the state legislature ends.

All state and local government applicants must submit either a certification that they are in compliance with the above requirement along with a copy of the relevant law, regulation, or policy, or an assurance attesting that the applicant will meet the requirement by the end of the next legislative session from the date of application. The certification or assurance must be in the form of a letter, on government letterhead, signed and dated by the authorized representative. A special condition withholding five percent of funds will be added to all awards to states and units of local governments that submit assurances or do not provide a compliant law, regulation, or policy with the certification.

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 90.64, in the event that a unit of local government does not have authority to prosecute “crime[s] in which by force or threat of force the perpetrator compels the victim to engage in sexual activity[,]” the unit of local government may submit a letter from an appropriate legal authority in the jurisdiction certifying that the jurisdiction does not have authority to prosecute “crime[s] in which by force or threat of force the perpetrator compels the victim to engage in sexual activity” and that therefore the certification is not relevant to the unit of local government in question.

The signed HIV Certification, HIV Assurance, or HIV Exemption letter must be uploaded as a separate attachment in Grants.gov.

C. Eligibility Information Applications that are submitted by ineligible entities or that do not meet all program eligibility requirements will not be considered for funding. In addition, an application that is deemed deficient in one or more of the following categories may not be considered for funding: 1.

activities that compromise victim safety, 2. out-of-scope activities, 3. unallowable costs, 4. pre-award risk assessment, 5. completeness of application contents, and 6. timeliness. An applicant https://www.grants.gov/ with past performance issues, long-standing open audits, or an open criminal investigation also may not be considered for funding.

Eligible Applicants Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 10461(c), the following entities are eligible to apply for this program:

1. States.1

2. Indian tribal governments.2

3. State and local courts (including juvenile courts).3

4. Units of local government.4 (Note: Pursuant to 28 C.F.R. § 90.2(g)[90.61(b), the following are not considered units of local government and are not eligible to apply as the lead applicant – police departments, pre-trial service agencies, district or city attorneys’ offices, sheriffs’ departments, probation and parole departments, and universities. These entities may assume responsibility for the development and implementation of the project but must have their state, tribal government, or unit of local government apply as the lead applicant.)

5. State, tribal, or territorial domestic violence or sexual assault coalitions5 that partner with a state, Indian tribal government, or unit of local government.

6. Victim service providers6 that partner with a state, Indian tribal government, or unit of local government.

Nonprofit Organization Requirement – 501(c)(3) Status Any entity that is eligible for this program based on its status as a nonprofit organization must be an organization that is described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code. See 34 U.S.C. § 12291(b)(16)(B)(i).

1 Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(31), “state” means each of the several states and the District of Columbia, and except otherwise provided, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

2 Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(36), the term “tribal government” means any tribe, pueblo, band, nation, or other organized group or community of Indians, including any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation (as defined in, or established pursuant to, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.)), that is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians.

3 Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(2), the term “courts” means any civil or criminal, tribal, and Alaska Native Village, federal, state, local or territorial court having jurisdiction to address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, including immigration, family, juvenile, and dependency courts, and the judicial officers serving in those courts, including judges, magistrate judges, commissioners, justices of the peace, or any other person with decision making authority.

4 Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(40), the term “unit of local government” means any city, county, township, town, borough, parish, village, or other general purpose political subdivision of a state.

5 A “state, tribal, or territorial domestic violence or sexual assault coalition” is a coalition recognized by OVW pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 10441(d)(2)(A), determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under 42 U.S.C. § 10411, or determined by the Center for Injury Prevention and Control of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 280b et seq.). See also 34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(32)-(35).

6 A “victim service provider” is a nonprofit, nongovernmental or tribal organization or rape crisis center, including a state or tribal domestic violence and/or sexual assault coalition, that assists or advocates for domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking victims, including a domestic violence shelter, faith-based organization or other organization, with a documented history of effective work concerning domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. 34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(43). Victim service providers must provide direct services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking as one of their primary purposes and have a demonstrated history of effective work in this field.

Note: Any nonprofit organization that holds money in offshore accounts for the purpose of avoiding paying the tax described in section 511(a) of the Internal Revenue Code is not eligible for a grant from this program. See 34 U.S.C. § 12291(b)(16)(B)(ii).

Cost Sharing or Matching This program has no match or cost sharing requirement.

Other Program Eligibility Requirements In addition to meeting the eligible entity requirements outlined above, applicats for this program must also meet the following requirements:

1. Certification of Eligibility.

2. Required Partnership.

All certification and other eligibility related documents must be current and developed in accordance with the FY 2020 solicitation.

The certification of eligibility must take the form of a letter, on government letterhead, signed and dated by the chief executive officer7 of the state, Indian tribal government, unit of local government, or court. Failure to provide a certification of eligibility letter will disqualify an application from further consideration. The signed certification of eligibility letter must be uploaded as a separate attachment in Grants.gov. Sample certification of eligibility letters can be found on the OVW website at https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants.

Certification of Eligibility Under 34 U.S.C. § 10461(c):

1. State, Unit of Local Government, and Tribal Government Applicants must:

a. certify that their laws or official policies:

i. encourage or mandate arrests of domestic violence offenders based on probable cause that an offense has been committed; and

ii. encourage or mandate arrest of domestic violence offenders who violate the terms of a valid and outstanding protection order;

b. demonstrate that their laws, policies, or practices and their training programs discourage dual arrests of offender and victim;

c. certify that their laws, policies, or practices prohibit issuance of mutual restraining orders of protection except in cases where both parties file a claim and the court makes detailed findings of fact indicating that both parties acted primarily as aggressors and that neither party acted primarily in self-defense;

d. certify that their laws, policies, and practices do not require, in connection with the prosecution of any misdemeanor or felony domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking offense, or in connection with the filing, issuance, registration, modification, enforcement, dismissal, or service of a protection order, or a petition for a protection order, to protect a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault, that the victim bear the costs associated with the filing of criminal charges against the offender, or the costs associated with the filing, issuance, registration, modification, enforcement, dismissal, or service of a warrant, protection order, petition for a

7 “Chief executive officer” means the highest official of a state, tribe, local jurisdiction, or court.

protection order, or witness subpoena, whether issued inside or outside the state, tribal, or local jurisdiction; and

e. certify that, their laws, policies, or practices will ensure that –

i. no law enforcement officer, prosecuting officer or other government official shall ask or require an adult, youth, or child victim of a sex offense as defined under federal, tribal, state, territorial, or local law to submit to a polygraph examination or other truth telling device as a condition for proceeding with the investigation of, trial of, or sentencing for such an offense; and

ii. the refusal of a victim to submit to an examination described in clause (i) shall not prevent the investigation of, trial of, or sentencing for the offense.

2. Court Applicants must certify that:

a. their laws, policies, or practices prohibit issuance of mutual restraining orders of protection except in cases where both parties file a claim and the court makes detailed findings of fact indicating that both parties acted primarily as aggressors and that neither party acted primarily in self-defense;

b. the laws, policies, and practices applicable to the court do not require, in connection with the prosecution of any misdemeanor or felony domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking offense, or in connection with the filing, issuance, registration, modification, enforcement, dismissal, or service of a protection order, or a petition for a protection order, to protect a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault, that the victim bear the costs associated with the filing of criminal charges against the offender, or the costs associated with the filing, issuance, registration, modification, enforcement, dismissal, or service of a warrant, protection order, petition for a protection order, or witness subpoena, whether issued inside or outside the state, tribal, or local jurisdiction; and

c. the laws, policies or practices applicable to the court ensure that:

i. no law enforcement officer, prosecuting officer or other government official shall ask or require an adult, youth, or child victim of a sex offense as defined under federal, tribal, state, territorial, or local law to submit to a polygraph examination or other truth telling device as a condition for proceeding with the investigation of, trial of, or sentencing for such an offense; and

ii. The refusal of a victim to submit to an examination described in subparagraph (i) shall not prevent the investigation of, trial of, or sentencing for the offense.

3. Coalition and Victim Service Provider Applicants Coalition and victim service provider applicants must partner with a state, Indian tribal government, or unit of local government, and must submit with their application a Certification of Eligibility as described above signed by the chief executive officer of the government partner on government agency letterhead. A coalition or victim service provider applicant with only a court partner is not eligible and therefore cannot submit a Certification of Eligibility from a court partner.

Required Partnerships All applications to the Improving Criminal Justice Responses Program must include formal partnerships as described below based on lead applicant type. Applicants that fail to include the mandatory partner will be removed from further consideration.

• State, Indian Tribal Government, Unit of Local Government and Court Applicants:

Applicants that are states, units of local governments, tribal governments, or courts are required to enter into a formal partnership with: 1) one or more victim service provider(s) that have a documented history of serving victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking, and 2) other governmental organizations that are necessary for the implementation of the proposed project. A victim service provider must be involved in the development and implementation of the project. Victim service provider partners must provide direct services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking as one of their primary purposes and have a demonstrated history of effective work in this field.

• Coalition or Victim Service Provider Applicants: (for definition, see footnote 6) Lead applicants that are victim service providers, including coalitions, are required to enter into a formal partnership with: 1) a state, Indian tribal government, unit of local government, or court appropriate to the service area, and 2) any specific governmental organizations that are necessary for the implementation of the proposed project. All partners must be involved in the development and implementation of the project.

All formal partnerships must be documented in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Letter(s) of Commitment (LOC). LOC(s) can only be submitted in place of an MOU when the lead applicant is a court and the court is precluded from entering into an MOU. In that situation, the court applicant may submit an LOC in lieu of an MOU, stating how the court is precluded from entering into an MOU, and the project partners may also submit LOCs in lieu of an MOU. See “Memorandum of Understanding” section for additional information on MOU requirements.

Limit on Number of Applications OVW will consider only one application per organization for the same service area. In addition, if an applicant submits multiple versions of the same application, OVW will review only the most recent system-validated version submitted before the deadline.

D. Application and Submission Information Address to Request Application Package The complete application package (this solicitation, including links to required forms) is available on Grants.gov and on the OVW website. Applicants wishing to request a paper copy of these materials should contact (202)-307-6026 or OVW.ICJR@usdoj.gov.

Pre-Application Information Session:

OVW will post a pre-recorded Pre-Application Information Session on its website for entities interested in submitting an application for this program. Listening to this session is optional.

Interested applicants who do not listen to the pre-recorded session are still eligible to apply. The session is tentatively scheduled to be available by December 18, 2019 on the OVW website at https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants. The session will be captioned in English and Spanish. Interested applicants needing additional language assistance should http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.justice.gov/ovw/how-apply contact this program’s POC at OVW.ICJR@usdoj.gov or at (202)-307-6026 as soon as possible, but no later than December 17, 2019.

Content and Form of Application Submission The information below (“Letter of Intent” through “Additional Required Information”) describes the full content and form of application submission.

Letter of Intent Applicants intending to apply for FY 2020 funding under this program are strongly encouraged to submit a Letter of Intent. The letter should state that the applicant is registered and current with SAM and with Grants.gov. The letter should be submitted to OVW at OVW.ICJR@usdoj.gov by January 10, 2020. This letter will not obligate the applicant to submit an application. See https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants for a sample Letter of Intent.

Formatting and Technical Requirements Applications must follow the requirements below for all documents, unless otherwise noted.

Points may be deducted for applications that do not adhere to the following requirements:

1. Double spaced (Summary Data Sheet, and charts may be single spaced).

2. 8½ x 11 inch paper.

3. One-inch margins.

4. Type no smaller than 12 point, Times New Roman (TNR) or Arial font, except for footnotes, which may be in 10-point font.

5. Page numbers.

6. No more than 20 pages for the Project Narrative.

7. Word documents in the following formats: Microsoft Word (.doc), PDF files (.pdf), or Text

Documents (.txt).

8. Headings and sub-headings that correspond to the sections identified in this section of the solicitation.

Application Contents Applications must include the required documents and demonstrate that the program eligibility requirements have been met. For a complete checklist of the application contents, see the Other Information section in this solicitation.

OVW will not contact applicants for missing items on the list below. Applications that do not include all of the following documents will be considered substantially incomplete and will not be considered for funding:

1. Project Narrative.

2. Budget Detail Worksheet and Narrative.

3. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and/or Letter(s) of Commitment in accordance with partnership requirements described above.

4. Certification of Eligibility.

In addition, the following documents are required; failure to submit them will not result in removal from consideration but will result in a loss of points:

1. Summary Data Sheet.

mailto:OVW.ICJR@usdoj.gov http://www.grants.gov/

2. Proposal Abstract.

Summary Data Sheet (5 Points Total) The Summary Data Sheet should be one to four pages and may be single or double spaced.

The Summary Data Sheet does not count toward the 20 page limit for the Project Narrative. The Summary Data Sheet must be uploaded as a separate attachment in Grants.gov. Provide the following information:

1. Name, title, address, telephone number, and e-mail address of the individual with authority to accept grants on behalf of the applicant.

2. Name, title, address, telephone number, and e-mail address for the grant point-of-contact. This person must be an employee of the applicant.

3. Statement as to whether the applicant (the organization whose DUNS number is being used for the application) will serve as a fiscal agent/sponsor and pass all funds through to an entity or entities that will implement the project. Such an applicant will not be involved with implementation of the project beyond issuing subaward(s) to these entities and conducting minimal administrative activities. A fiscal agent/sponsor applicant must list these subrecipients and include a statement acknowledging that, should an award be made, the applicant will be responsible for all applicable statutory, fiscal, and programmatic requirements, including those of 2 C.F.R. Part 200, as well as all project deliverables. In such situations, the fiscal agent/sponsor must be an eligible applicant for the program.

4. Statement as to whether the applicant has expended $750,000 in federal funds in the applicant’s past fiscal year. If so, specify the end date of the applicant’s fiscal year.

5. Summary of all current and pending OVW grants (if applicable). If the applicant has a current grant or cooperative agreement under any OVW grant program or an award that has been closed within the last 12 months from the date this solicitation closes, the information must be provided in a table using the sample format found on the OVW website at https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants. Failure to provide the required table will result in a loss of points.