Applications Due: February 16, 2017, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

Description:

The Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Grant Program (Improving Criminal Justice Responses Program), formerly known as the Grants to Encourage Arrest and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program (Arrest Program), is designed to encourage partnerships among state, local, and tribal governments, courts, victim service providers, coalitions and rape crisis centers, to ensure that sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking are treated seriously, requiring the coordinated involvement of the entire criminal justice system and community-based victim service organizations.

The Improving Criminal Justice Responses Program challenges the community to work collaboratively to identify problems and share ideas that will result in effective responses to ensure victim safety and offender accountability. A coordinated community response that brings together effective partners from the local government including law enforcement agencies, prosecutors’ offices and courts, nonprofit organizations, and population specific organizations is critical to the Improving Criminal Justice Responses Program. These partnerships are critical to the effective implementation of grant projects funded by the Improving Criminal Justice Response Program and as such, documentation that memorializes this critical coordination and collaboration, such as a memorandum of understanding, is a vital component of an application submitted under this solicitation. Such partnerships serve as a foundation for grant-funded activities.

For additional information on the Improving Criminal Justice Responses Program, including what past grantees have accomplished with their grant funds and to view the Improving Criminal Justice Responses Program performance measures and reporting data, see http://muskie.usm.maine.edu/vawamei/cdsarrestmain.htm.

 Funding Title:     OVW FY 2017 Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Grant Program (also known as the Arrest Program)

Agency Name: Office on Violence Against Women

Funding Opportunity Number:   OVW-2017-11921

Funding Instrument Type: Grant

Express Language for Legal Aid: Yes. Under 2017 Purpose Areas:

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

10. 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;

Target Population: Victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking

Expected Number of Awards: 55

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement: No

Estimated Total Program Funding: $50,000,000

Award Ceiling: $900,000

Award Floor: $0

How to Apply: Registration: To ensure all applicants have ample time to complete the registration process, applicants must obtain a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) Number, register online with the System for Award Management (SAM) and with Grants.gov immediately, but no later than January 26, 2017.

Letter of Registration: Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a letter of registration to OVW.ICJR@usdoj.gov by January 26, 2017. This will ensure that applicants are well-positioned to successfully submit their applications by the deadline. This letter will not obligate potential applicants to submit an application. Interested applicants who do not submit a Letter of Registration are still eligible to apply.

Current Closing Date for Applications:   by February 16, 2017, 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time

Eligible Applicants:

Eligible entities for this program are:

• States;
• Indian tribal governments;
• State, local, tribal, and territorial courts (including juvenile courts);
• units of local government
• victim services providers (including state, tribal, or territorial domestic violence or sexual assault coalitions and government rape crisis centers (in a state other than a territory))

Link to Full Announcement: Here

Pre-Application Information Sessions: OVW will conduct one web-based Pre-Application Information Session. During this session, OVW staff will review the Improving Criminal Justice Responses Program requirements, review the solicitation, and allow for a brief question and answer session. Participation in this session is optional. The session is tentatively scheduled for January 17, 2017, 2-3 p.m. ET.

Contact Information: For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, call OVW at (202) 307-6026 or email OVW.ICJR@usdoj.gov.

Categories: Department of Justice, Domestic Violence, Express Language for Legal Aid, Government Organizations, Native American Tribes or Tribal Organizations, Non-profit Organizations, Subgrant Possibilities, Victims of Crime