PKG00264233-instructions.pdf

OMB No. 1122-0020 Approval Expires 1/31/2022

U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women

OVW Fiscal Year 2021 Justice for Families Program

Solicitation

CFDA # 16.021

Grants.gov Opportunity Number: O-OVW-2021-30001

Solicitation Release Date: November 23, 2020 4:00 PM

Version: 1

Grants.gov Deadline: January 21, 2021 11:59 PM

Application JustGrants Deadline: January 25, 2021 11:59 PM

Eligible Applicants:

City or township governments, County governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, State governments, Other

Other Eligible applicants are limited to: States, units of local government, courts (including juvenile courts), Indian tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, legal services providers, and victim service providers in the United States or U.S. territories. For more information, see the Eligibility Information section of this solicitation.

Letter of Intent Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a non-binding Letter of Intent to OVW.JFF@usdoj.gov by January 8, 2021. Interested applicants who do not submit a Letter of Intent are still eligible to apply. For more information, see the Application and Submission Information section of this solicitation.

Pre-Application Information Sessions OVW will post a pre-recorded Pre-Application Information Session on its website at https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants. This session is tentatively scheduled to be available by December 11, 2020. For more information, see the Application and Submission Information section of this solicitation.

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

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

Submission Information Registration: To submit an application, all applicants must obtain a Data Universal Number

O-OVW-2021-30001

mailto:OVW.JFF@usdoj.gov https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants mailto:OVW.JFF@usdoj.gov

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 8, 2021.

Submission: Applications for this program will be submitted through a NEW two-step process: (1) submission of the SF-424 and SF-LLL in Grants.gov and (2) submission of the full application including attachments in the Justice Grants System (JustGrants). Submit the SF-424 and SF-LLL as early as possible, but no later than 24 – 48 hours prior to the Grants.gov deadline. For technical assistance with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. For technical assistance with JustGrants, contact OVW JustGrants Support at 1-866-655-4482 or OVW.JustGrantsSupport@usdoj.gov.

For more information about registration and submission, see the Application and Submission Information section of this solicitation.

Notification OVW anticipates notifying applicants of funding decisions by October 1, 2021.

O-OVW-2021-30001

mailto:support@grants.gov mailto:OVW.JustGrantsSupport@usdoj.gov

Contents

Program Description Overview of OVW Statutory Authority About the OVW Justice for Families 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

Federal Award Information Availability of Funds Type of Award Types of Applications Mandatory Program Requirements

Eligibility Information Eligible Applicants Cost Sharing And Match Other Program Eligibility Requirements

Application and Submission Information Information to Complete the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) . 13 Standard Applicant Information (JustGrants 424 and General Agency Information) Proposal Abstract Proposal Narrative Budget and Associated Documentation Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (Web-based Form) Pre-Agreement Cost Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) Financial Management Questionnaire (including applicant disclosure of high-risk status) Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation Data Requested with Application Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and Other Supportive Documents Additional Application Components Letters of Nonsupplanting Proof of 501(c)(3) Status (Nonprofit Organization Only) Confidentiality Notice Form Disclosures and Assurances Disclosure of Lobbying Activities DOJ Certified Standard Assurances DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements . 24

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Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Costs, Applications, and/or Current Awards How to Apply Submission Dates and Time

Application Review Information Review Criteria Review and Selection Process Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

Federal Award Administration Information Federal Award Notices Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements . 30

Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) Other Information

Public Reporting Burden- Paper Work Reduction Act Notice Application Checklist

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 34 U.S.C. § 12464

About the OVW Justice for Families This program is authorized by 34 U.S.C. § 12464. The Grants to Support Families in the Justice System program (referred to as the Justice for Families Program) (CFDA # 16.021) was authorized in the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA 2013) to improve the response of the civil and criminal justice system to families with a history of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, or in cases involving allegations of child sexual abuse. The program supports the following activities for improving the capacity of courts and communities to respond to families affected by the targeted crimes:

court-based and court-related programs; supervised visitation and safe exchange by and between parents; training for people who work with families in the court system; civil legal services; and the provision of resources in juvenile court matters. For additional information about this program and related performance measures, including how awards contribute to the achievement of program goals and objectives, see:

OVW grant program information: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/grant-programs.

Program performance measures under the Measuring Effectiveness Initiative:

https://www.vawamei.org/grant-programs/.

Examples of successful projects in OVW's most recent report to Congress on the effectiveness of VAWA grant programs:

https://www.justice.gov/ovw/page/file/1292636/download.

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 this solicitation, the DOJ Financial Guide, including updates to the financial guide after an award is made, the Solicitation Companion Guide, and the conditions of the award.

Purpose Areas Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12464, funds under this program must be used for one or more of the six purposes discussed below. OVW is interested in funding projects that take a coordinated approach to helping families victimized by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking as they navigate the justice system. To help achieve this coordinated approach, applicants may propose either a standard project or a comprehensive project.

Standard Project: Applicants must propose activities either under purpose area 1 (supervised visitation) or 5 (courts). If an applicant is proposing to provide supervised visitation/safe exchange services (purpose area 1), the applicant must propose activities under at least one additional purpose area. The courts purpose area (purpose area 5) can be addressed in combination with another purpose area or on its own under any one or more of the purpose area 5 sub-categories. However, applications that address pro se victim assistance programs (purpose area 5(b)) or propose education and outreach programs (purpose area 5(e)) also must propose activities under at least one more purpose area 5 subcategory or other purpose area(s).

O-OVW-2021-30001

https://www.justice.gov/ovw/grant-programs https://www.vawamei.org/grant-programs/ https://www.justice.gov/ovw/page/file/1292636/download https://www.justice.gov/ovw/page/file/1298396/download

Comprehensive Project: Applicants must propose activities under purpose areas 1 (supervised visitation), 5 (courts), and 6 (civil legal services). Applicants may include additional purpose areas in a comprehensive project application but are required to include purpose areas 1, 5, and 6.

VAWA 2013 includes eight distinct purpose areas for the Justice for Families Program. In FY 2021, however, OVW is limiting applicants to addressing only purpose areas 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8:

(Purpose Area 1) Supervised visitation and safe exchange: Provide supervised visitation and safe visitation exchange of children and youth by and between parents in situations involving domestic violence, dating violence, child sexual abuse, sexual assault, or stalking.

Although the program statute allows for sliding scale fees (34 U.S.C. § 12464(d)(2)), to ensure accessibility of OVW-funded services, grantees providing supervised visitation and safe exchange services are not allowed to charge fees to parents served with OVW funds. For a standard project, applicants proposing activities under this purpose area must propose activities under at least one additional purpose area. For a comprehensive project, this purpose area must be included.

(Purpose Area 3) Training for court-based and court-related personnel: Educate court-based and court-related personnel and court-appointed personnel (including custody evaluators and guardians ad litem) and child protective services workers on the dynamics of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including information on perpetrator behavior, evidence-based risk factors for domestic and dating violence homicide, and on issues relating to the needs of victims, including safety, security, privacy, and confidentiality, including cases in which the victim proceeds pro se. Applicants proposing activities under this purpose area must also propose activities under purpose area 1 and/or 5.

(Purpose Area 4) Juvenile court resources: Provide appropriate resources in juvenile court matters to respond to dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault (including child sexual abuse), and stalking and ensure necessary services dealing with the health and mental health of victims are available. Applicants proposing activities under this purpose area must also propose activities under purpose area 1 and/or 5.

(Purpose Area 5) Court and court-based programs and services: Enable courts or court-based or court-related programs to develop or enhance: a) court infrastructure (such as specialized courts, consolidated courts, dockets, intake centers, or interpreter services); b) community-based initiatives within the court system (such as court watch programs, victim assistants, pro se victim assistance programs, or community-based supplementary services);

c) offender management, monitoring, and accountability programs; d) safe and confidential information-storage and information-sharing databases within and between court systems; e) education and outreach programs to improve community access, including enhanced access for underserved populations; and f) other projects likely to improve court responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. For a standard project, applicants proposing activities under purpose area 5 are not required to propose activities under any other purpose area. (However, OVW will not consider applications that only propose pro se victim assistance programs (purpose area 5(b)) or only propose education and outreach programs (purpose area 5(e)). Applicants may apply to implement additional purpose areas if they choose. For a comprehensive project, purpose area 5 must be included.

(Purpose Area 6) Civil legal assistance: Provide civil legal assistance and advocacy services, including legal information and resources in cases in which the victim proceeds pro se, to:

victims of domestic violence; anda.

nonoffending parents in matters:b.

that involve allegations of child sexual abuse;i.

that relate to family matters, including civil protection orders,ii.

custody, and divorce; and in which the other parent is represented by counsel.iii.

Applicants proposing activities under this purpose area must also propose activities under purpose area 1 and/or 5 for a standard project. This purpose area must be included in a comprehensive project. In addition, a project in which the primary focus is on providing civil legal assistance is not appropriate for the Justice for Families Program and will be removed from consideration. At least 50% of all proposed activities and budget items in the application must be targeted toward activities other than civil legal services. All costs supporting civil legal services, including indirect costs and pro se victim assistance programs that provide civil legal assistance proposed under purpose area 5(b), will be counted toward this cap on civil legal assistance.

(Purpose Area 8) Training within the civil justice system: Improve training and education to assist judges, judicial personnel, attorneys, child welfare personnel, and legal advocates in the civil justice system. Applicants proposing activities under this purpose area must also propose activities under purpose area 1 and/or 5.

OVW Priority Areas In FY 2021, OVW is interested in supporting the priority areas identified below. Applications proposing activities in the following areas will be given special consideration:

Reduce violent crime against women and promote victim safety through investing in law1.

enforcement, increasing prosecution, and promoting effective prevention. Applications meaningfully addressing purpose area 5(a) (34 U.S.C. § 12464(b)(5)(A)) by developing or enhancing specialized courts, consolidating courts and/or dockets, and/or creating special intake centers will receive special consideration.

Increase resources for courts and tribes to register protection orders in the National2.

Crime Information Center (NCIC) and give access to tribes to crime information systems. Applications meaningfully addressing purpose area 5(d) (34 U.S.C. § 12464(b)(5)(D)) by developing or enhancing safe and confidential information-storage and information-sharing databases within and between court systems will receive special consideration.

Increase efforts to combat stalking. To receive special consideration under this3.

priority, applicants must clearly identify how they will meaningfully engage in efforts to combat stalking.

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. 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 will not be supported by this program’s funding. See also the list of unallowable costs in the Funding Restrictions section of this solicitation.

Research projects. Funds under this program may not be used to conduct research,1.

defined in 28 C.F.R. § 46.102 as a systematic investigation designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. Surveys and focus groups, depending on their design and purpose, may constitute research and therefore be out-of-scope. Prohibited research does not include assessments conducted for internal improvement purposes only (see Limited Use of Funds below). For information on distinguishing between research and assessments, see the Solicitation Companion Guide.

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Mediation involving offenders and victims being physically present in the same place, in2.

cases where domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking is an issue.

Parent education programs.3.

Individual, group, and family counseling.4.

Telephonic and/or virtual monitoring of supervised visitation. (OVW will grant temporary5.

exceptions to grantees experiencing extreme impediments, such as the COVID-19 pandemic or a natural disaster, to in-person supervised visitation.)

Supervised visitation and exchange services unrelated to domestic violence, dating6.

violence, child sexual abuse, sexual assault, or stalking.

Legal representation in child protection cases, except for cases in which the legal7.

services are provided to a victim of domestic violence and the proceedings relate to or arise out of the abuse or violence committed against the victim.

Legal representation in child sexual abuse cases, except for cases in which the legal8.

services are provided to nonoffending parents and relate to family matters, including civil protection orders, custody, and divorce, and in which the other parent is represented by counsel.

Criminal defense of victims charged with crimes.9.

Support of law reform initiatives, including, but not limited to, impact litigation.10.

Civil legal services and pro se victim assistance programs that exceed 50% of the total11.

project costs and activities.

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

Limited Use of Funds Grantees may use up to two percent of grant award funds to assess their work for internal improvement purposes only, such as by convening a listening session to identify service gaps in the community or surveying training participants about the quality of training content and delivery. Applicants considering such assessments must refer to the OVW research decision tree in the Solicitation Companion Guide to ensure that the activity does not qualify as human subjects research. The Solicitation Companion Guide also provides additional information on federal requirements related to research, assessments, and surveys.

Activities Requiring Prior Approval Activities listed below will require prior approval in order to be supported by grant funds (see the Solicitation Companion Guide for more information on relevant requirements).

Surveys, whether conducted as part of a program or needs assessment, or for any1.

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.

Renovations, including such minor things as painting, carpeting, or installing lighting. In2.

addition to obtaining prior approval, recipients must follow all necessary steps to ensure that funded renovations are in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and related laws, which may be time consuming and may include public notice and consultation.

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 2021 funding, depending on the merits of the applications and the availability of funding.

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Awards will be made as grants.

Award Period and Amounts 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 that the award period will start on October 1, 2021.

This program typically makes awards in the range of $550,000 for standard projects and $650,000 for comprehensive projects. OVW estimates that it will make up to 19 standard awards and three to five comprehensive awards for an estimated $13,000,000.

Funding levels under this program for FY 2021 are:

Standard projects: up to $550,000 for the entire 36 months.1.

Comprehensive projects: up to $650,000 for the entire 36 months.2.

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.

Types of Applications In FY 2021, OVW will accept applications for this program from the following:

New: Applicants that have never received funding under this program or whose previous Justice for Families funding expired on or before January 25, 2020.

Continuation: Applicants that have an existing or recently closed (after January 25, 2020) award under this program. Continuation funding is not guaranteed.

Recipients of an FY 2019 or FY 2020 award under this program are NOT eligible to apply as the lead applicant on an FY 2021 proposal.

Note: Current grantees with a substantial amount of unobligated funds remaining (50 percent or more of the previous award) as of March 31, 2021 without adequate justification may not be considered for funding or may receive a reduced award amount if selected for funding in FY 2021.

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

OVW-sponsored training and technical assistance (TTA).1.

OVW may conduct a program assessment or evaluation necessitating grantee2.

involvement. Therefore, recipients may be expected to dedicate some OVW-funded time and resources to participating in an assessment or evaluation.

A new grantee orientation unless exempted by OVW.3.

Eligibility Information Eligible Applicants Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12464(a), the following entities are eligible to apply for this program:

States, meaning any of the states and the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of1.

Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands (34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(31)).

Units of local government, meaning any city, county, township, town, borough, parish,2.

village, or other general purpose political subdivision of a state (34 U.S.C. §

12291(a)(40)). Pursuant to 28 C.F.R. § 90.2(g), 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.

Courts (including juvenile courts), meaning any civil or criminal, tribal, and Alaska3.

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 (34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(2)). This does not include prosecutors’ offices.

Indian tribal governments, meaning a tribe, band, pueblo, nation, or other organized4.

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 or the governing body of an Indian tribe (34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(36)).

Nonprofit organizations, meaning an organization that is described in section5.

501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code (34 U.S.C. § 12291(b)(16)(B)(i)).

Legal services providers, meaning entities that provide legal assistance to victims of6.

domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. This does not include for-profit organizations.

Victim service providers, meaning nonprofit, nongovernmental or tribal organizations7.

or rape crisis centers, including state or tribal coalitions, that assist or advocate for domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking victims, including domestic violence shelters, faith based organizations, and other organizations, 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.

Faith-Based and Community Organizations Faith Based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this solicitation (see “Faith-Based Organizations” on the OVW website for more information).

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).

Ineligible Entities and Disqualifying Factors Applications submitted by ineligible entities or that do not meet all program eligibility requirements may not be considered for funding. In addition, an application 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. Failure to comply fully with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements (see Application and Submission section for more information on these requirements) will result in removal from consideration. An applicant with past performance issues, long-standing open audits, or an open criminal investigation also may not be considered for funding.

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 And Match This program has no matching or cost-sharing requirement.

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

Other Program Eligibility Requirements In addition to meeting the eligible entity requirements outlined above, applicants for this program must also meet the requirements below. All certification and other eligibility related documents must be current and developed in accordance with the FY 2021 solicitation.

Certifications must take the form of a letter, on letterhead, signed, and dated by the authorized representative. Failure to provide required certifications may disqualify an application from further consideration. At a minimum, an application missing the required certification letter will be required to submit a certification letter prior to receiving an award. The signed certification letter must be uploaded as a separate attachment in JustGrants. Sample certification letters can be found on the OVW website at https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants.

Certification of Eligibility Under 34 U.S.C. § 12464(d), all applicants for the Justice for Families Program must:

Certify that the organizational policies of the applicant do not require mediation or counseling involving offenders and victims being physically present in the same place, in cases where domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking is alleged.

Applicants proposing projects under purpose area 1 (supervised visitation and/or safe exchange services) must also:

Demonstrate that adequate security measures, including adequate facilities, procedures, and personnel capable of preventing violence, and adequate standards are, or will be, in place (including the development of protocols or policies to ensure that confidential information is not shared with courts, law enforcement agencies, or child welfare agencies unless necessary to ensure the safety of any child or adult using the services of a program funded by OVW).

Applicants proposing projects under purpose area 4 (juvenile court resources) or 5 (court and court-based programs and services) must also:

Certify that victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking are not charged fees or any other costs related to the filing, petitioning, modifying, issuance, registration, enforcement, withdrawal, or dismissal of matters relating to the domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

Applicants proposing projects under purpose area 5 to support custody evaluation and/or guardian ad litem services must also:

Certify that any person providing custody evaluation or guardian ad litem services through a program funded under this program has completed or will complete training developed with input from and in collaboration with a tribal, state, territorial, or local domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking victim service provider or coalition on the dynamics of domestic violence and sexual assault, including child sexual abuse, that includes training on how to review evidence of past abuse and the use of evidence-based theories to make recommendations on custody and visitation.

Applicants proposing projects under purpose area 5(b) or 6 to provide civil legal assistance services must also certify the following:

Delivery of Legal Assistance Certification

Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12464(d), to be eligible for an award, any recipient or subrecipient providing legal assistance with funds awarded under this program must certify in writing that:

any person providing legal assistance with funds through this program – (A) has1.

demonstrated expertise in providing legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking in the targeted population;

or (B)(i) is partnered with an entity or person that has demonstrated expertise described in subparagraph (A); and (ii) has completed, or will complete, training in connection with domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking and related legal issues, including training on evidence-based risk factors for domestic and dating violence homicide;

any training program conducted in satisfaction of the requirement of paragraph2.

(1) has been or will be developed with input from and in collaboration with a tribal, state, territorial, or local domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking victim service provider or coalition, as well as appropriate tribal, state, territorial, and local law enforcement officials;

any person or organization providing legal assistance with funds through this3.

program has informed and will continue to inform state, local, or tribal domestic violence, dating violence, or sexual assault programs and coalitions, as well as appropriate state and local law enforcement officials of their work;

the grantee’s organizational policies do not require mediation or counseling4.

involving offenders and victims physically together, in cases where sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or child sexual abuse is an issue;

and any person providing legal assistance through a program funded under the5.

Justice for Families Program has completed or will complete training on domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including child sexual abuse, and related legal issues.

Required Partnerships All applicants for the Justice for Families Program must include formal partnerships with both

1) a nonprofit, nongovernmental, or tribal domestic violence or sexual assault victim service provider (as defined in “Eligible Applicants” section) and 2) a court. If a court is the lead applicant, it must have a domestic violence and/or sexual assault victim service provider as a project partner. If a domestic violence and/or sexual assault victim service provider is the lead applicant, it must have a court as a partner. If the lead applicant is neither a domestic violence and/or sexual assault victim service provider nor a court, it must have a partnership with both a domestic violence and/or sexual assault victim service provider and a court.

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.

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 the Justice for Families Program at OVW.JFF@usdoj.gov or 202-307-6026.

Pre-Application Information Session: OVW will post a pre-recorded Pre-Application Information Session on its website. Listening to this session is optional and not a requirement to be eligible to apply. The session is tentatively scheduled to be available by December 11, 2020 on the OVW website https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants. The session will be captioned in English and Spanish. Interested applicants needing additional language assistance should contact this program at OVW.JFF@usdoj.gov or at

O-OVW-2021-30001

https://www.justice.gov/ovw/how-apply mailto:OVW.JFF@usdoj.gov

202-307-2026 as soon as possible, but no later than December 1, 2020.

Content and Form of Application Submission The information below ("Letter of Intent" through "Submission Dates and Times") describes the full content and form of application submission.

Letter of Intent Applicants intending to apply for FY 2021 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.JFF@usdoj.gov by January 8, 2021. 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:

Double-spaced (Data Requested with Application, Pre-Award Risk Assessment, and1.

charts may be single-spaced).

8½ x 11 inch pages.2.

One-inch margins.3.

Type no smaller than 12 point, Times New Roman (TNR) or Arial font, except for4.

footnotes, which may be in 10-point font.

Page numbers.5.

No more than 20 pages for the Proposal Narrative for standard projects and no more6.

than 25 pages for comprehensive projects.

Word documents in the following formats: Microsoft Word (.doc), PDF files (.pdf), or7.

Text Documents (.txt).

Headings and sub-headings that correspond to the sections identified in this section of8.

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 Application Checklist in the Other Information section of 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:

Proposal Narrative.1.

Budget Detail Worksheet and Narrative.2.

Data Requested with Application.3.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Letters of Commitment (LOC) submitted in4.

addition to or in lieu of MOU.

Information to Complete the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) Applicants must complete the SF-424 in Grants.gov. The SF-424 is generated when the applicant begins the submission process. For “Type of Applicant,” do not select “Other.”

The amount of federal funding requested in the “Estimated Funding” section of this form must match the amount of federal funding requested in the budget section of the application package. This program does not require a match; therefore, the values for the Applicant line should be zero. The individual who is listed as "Authorized Representative” must be an individual who has the authority to apply for and accept grant awards on behalf of the organization or jurisdiction.

Intergovernmental Review (SF-424 Question 19): This solicitation ("funding opportunity") is subject to Executive Order (E.O.) 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.

Applicants must check the Office of Management and Budget’s website for the names and addresses of state Single Points of Contact (SPOC) under Intergovernmental Review:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SPOC-4-13-20.pdf. If the applicant’s state appears on the SPOC list, the applicant must contact the state SPOC to find out about, and comply with, the state’s process under E.O. 12372. In completing the SF-424, such an applicant is to make the appropriate selection in response to question 19 once the applicant has complied with its state E.O. 12372 process. An applicant whose state does not appear on the SPOC list should answer question 19 by selecting the following response:

“Program is subject to E.O. 12372 but has not been selected by the state for review.”

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) All applicants must complete and submit the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) form in Grants.gov. Applicants that expend any funds for lobbying activities must provide the information requested on the SF-LLL. Applicants that do not expend any funds for lobbying activities should enter “N/A” in the required highlighted fields.

Standard Applicant Information (JustGrants 424 and General Agency Information) Applicants must complete this web-based form in JustGrants, which is pre-populated with the SF-424 data submitted in Grants.gov. Applicants are required to confirm the Authorized Representative, verify the legal name and address, and enter the ZIP code(s) for the areas affected by the project.

Proposal Abstract The Proposal Abstract must provide a short summary (no more than two pages double-spaced) of the proposed project, including names of applicant and partners, project title, purpose of the project (including goal and intended outcome), primary activities for which funds are requested, who will benefit (including geographic area to be served), products and deliverables, and how the applicant will measure progress in completing project goals and objectives. Applicants must not summarize past accomplishments in this section. The Proposal Abstract, which is to be entered into a text box in JustGrants, will not be scored but is used throughout the review process.

Proposal Narrative The Proposal Narrative may not exceed 20 pages (standard project) or 25 pages (comprehensive project), double-spaced, and reviewers will not read beyond this page limit.

The Proposal Narrative must include the following three sections. The total point value for the proposal narrative section is 65 points. Applicants must upload the Proposal Narrative as an attachment in JustGrants.

Purpose of the Proposal (10 points)

This section must describe:

The challenge or need faced by the community and how the goal/vision for the proposal1.

will meet that need.

The communities to be served, including the geographic location, the populations in the2.

service area, including any underserved population, and any available, relevant victimization rates.

The purpose area(s) the applicant is proposing to address.3.

The gaps in services and how the proposed project will complement and not duplicate4.

existing services.

Any previous or current efforts (OVW-funded or not) to address the problem(s) the5.

proposed project targets, and the effectiveness of those efforts.

What Will Be Done (45 points) https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SPOC-4-13-20.pdf

The application must provide a clear link between the proposed activities and the need identified in the “Purpose of the Proposal” section above. The application must not include any of the activities listed as unallowable costs in the Funding Restrictions section of this solicitation.

This section must describe:

The approach to addressing the challenge or need identified in the Purpose of the1.

Proposal section above.

How the applicant will measure its progress in achieving the proposal’s goal(s)/vision.2.

Identify targeted outcome(s) and describe any tool(s) the applicant will use to track those outcomes and report them to OVW. Tools may include OVW performance progress reports and logic model templates (both available at https://www.vawamei.org/tools-resource/resources-available/).

How the applicant will move to project sustainability; continuation applicants must3.

provide specific details.

The safety needs of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and4.

stalking, and the applicant’s commitment to addressing those needs through the proposed project.

Project goals, objectives, activities, and products (if applicable), and provide a5.

corresponding 36-month timeline.

If applicable, how the proposed project will reduce violent crime against women and6.

promote victim safety through activities under purpose area 5(a).

If applicable, how the proposed project will increase resources for courts and tribes to7.

register protection orders in NCIC and give access to tribes to crime information systems under purpose area 5(d).

If applicable, how the proposed project will increase efforts to combat stalking.8.

How the project will address the victimization rates identified in the Purpose of the9.

Proposal section.

How the proposed project will reach each population identified in the Purpose of the10.

Proposal section.

For applicants proposing projects under purpose area 1 – supervised visitation and/or safe exchange services:

Using concrete examples, describe the extent to which the applicant’s or a1.

project partner’s supervised visitation and/or safe exchange services align–or will be aligned–with the OVW’s Supervised Visitation Guiding Principles.

If applicable, describe the applicant’s or a partner’s previous experience2.

providing supervised visitation and exchange services to families affected by domestic violence, dating violence, child sexual abuse, sexual assault, or stalking.

Provide a detailed statement of how the applicant will ensure that adequate3.

security measures, including adequate facilities, procedures, and personnel capable of preventing violence, and adequate standards are, or will be, in place.

Describe the layout and security features of the facility and where in the community the facility is located. Describe how the applicant will develop protocols or policies to ensure that confidential information is not shared with courts, law enforcement agencies, or child welfare agencies unless necessary to ensure the safety of any child or adult using the services of a program funded by

OVW.

For applicants proposing projects under purpose area 4 and/or 5 – court programs and services:

Describe any specialized docket or court infrastructure that is currently in place1.

or will be established as part of this project.

Describe how the project will improve the judicial handling of domestic violence,2.

dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and cases involving child sexual abuse; ensure offender accountability; and promote informed judicial decision-making.

O-OVW-2021-30001

https://www.vawamei.org/tools-resource/resources-available/ https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/ovw/legacy/2008/08/06/guiding-principles032608.pdf

If the applicant is proposing to use any technology, explain how the project3.

will address any victim safety concerns that could arise from the use of technology, such as confidentiality, safety planning, and informed consent.

For applicants proposing projects under purpose area 6 – civil legal assistance:

Describe the extent to which the applicant will provide legal services to victims of1.

domestic violence; and/or to nonoffending parents in matters that involve allegations of child sexual abuse and relate to family matters, including civil protection orders, custody, and divorce, and in which the other parent is represented by counsel.

Describe how the applicant or project partner will provide a supervision and2.

mentoring plan for attorney staff supported by this project.

If the applicant is not a domestic violence or sexual assault victim service3.

provider, explain how it will coordinate with a local domestic violence or sexual assault victim service provider.

For applicants proposing projects under purpose area 3 or 8 – training:

Describe any training program or curriculum that is currently in place or will be1.

established as part of this project.

Identify the agencies that will be trained, the estimated number of trainings and2.

attendees for each training, and the purpose of the trainings.

Describe how the project will improve training and education for court-based and3.

court-related personnel on the dynamics of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and/or improve training and education for those within the civil justice system.

Provide a detailed statement of how the applicant will reach the intended4.

audience for training and education, including efforts MOU partners will engage in to encourage identified participants to attend the trainings.

Who Will Implement the Proposal (10 points)

This section must:

Identify the key individuals and organizations, including project partners, involved in the1.

proposed project.

Demonstrate that the individuals and organizations identified have the capacity to2.

address the stated need and can successfully implement the proposed project activities;

attach job descriptions of all key personnel.

Demonstrate that the applicant and/or project partner(s) include a domestic violence3.

and/or sexual assault victim service provider and a court.

Describe the applicant’s expertise in the areas of domestic violence, dating violence,4.

sexual assault, stalking, and child sexual abuse, as appropriate.

Describe the project partner(s)’ expertise in the areas of domestic violence, dating5.

violence, sexual assault, stalking, and child sexual abuse, as appropriate.

Budget and Associated Documentation Applicants must complete the web-based form in JustGrants for the budget worksheet and budget narrative. Applicants also must upload the applicable associated documentation as described below under each heading. The budget worksheet and budget narrative are worth a total of 15 points and will be reviewed separately from the proposal narrative. The associated documentation will not be scored, but failure to include it may result in removal from consideration or a delay in access to funding.

Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (Web-based Form) Complete the budget worksheet and narrative form for all applicable cost categories. The budget narrative must describe each line item requested in the budget and explain all costs included in the budget, including how the costs of goods and services are determined and how they will fulfill the objectives of the project. See the sample budget and the Creating a Budget webinar available on the OVW website at https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-applicants. Keep in mind that budgetary requirements vary among programs. Applicants must submit reasonable budgets based on the resources needed to implement their projects in their specific geographic location.

Award Period and Amount Budgets should cover a project period of 36 months, or three years, starting October 1, 2021 and ending on September 30, 2024. Budget requests should not exceed $550,000 for standard projects and $650,000 for comprehensive projects.

The budget must:

Display a clear link between the specific project activities and the proposed budget1.

items. The budget should not contain items that are not supported by the proposal narrative.

Include funds to attend OVW-sponsored TTA in the amount of $15,000 for standard2.

projects and $20,000 for comprehensive projects for applicants located in the 48 contiguous states. For applicants located in the territories, Hawaii, or Alaska, include $20,000 for standard projects and $25,000 for comprehensive projects. This amount is for the entire 36 months and NOT per year. Applicants also may budget expenses in excess of the required amount if they are aware of relevant non-OVW sponsored conferences or training for which they would like permission to use grant funds to support staff/project partner attendance.

For applicants that anticipate using OVW funds to cover only a portion of a particular3.

service they provide (e.g., supervised visitation or civil legal assistance), the budget should prorate operational costs such as rent, phone service, etc., accordingly.

Include funds or describe other resources…