Project Safe Neighborhoods: Community Engagement and Media Outreach Technical Assistance Program: BJA Competitive Grant Announcement, FY 2004

Project Safe Neighborhoods: Community Engagement and Media Outreach Technical Assistance Program, FY 2004

Attachments

Budget Detail Worksheet (Attachment #1)

The applicant must provide a budget that (1) is complete, allowable, and cost effective in relation to the proposed activities, (2) shows the cost calculations that demonstrate how the applicant arrived at the total amount requested, and (3) provides a brief supporting budget narrative that links costs with project implementation. Please note that the budget should indicate the amount of any indirect donations to be contributed to the program.

Applicants must submit the budget worksheet and a budget narrative in one file. The worksheet provides the detailed computation for each budget item (often in spreadsheet format). The narrative justifies or explains each budget item and relates it to project activities.

Budget Worksheet. The budget worksheet must list the cost of each budget item and show how the cost was calculated. For example, costs for personnel should show the annual salary rate and the percentage of time devoted to the project for each employee to be paid through grant funds. Note: Total costs specified in the budget detail worksheet must match the total amount requested.
Budget Narrative. The budget narrative should closely follow the content of the budget worksheet and justify all proposed costs. For example, the narrative should explain how fringe benefits were calculated, how travel costs were estimated, why particular items of equipment or supplies must be purchased, and how overhead or indirect costs (if applicable) were calculated. The budget narrative should justify the specific items listed in the budget worksheet (particularly supplies, travel, and equipment) and demonstrate that all costs are reasonable.

Use the sample budget detail worksheet as a guide in the preparation of the budget worksheet and budget narrative.

Applicants must set aside appropriate travel-related funds for key staff to attend the 3-day PSN national conference tentatively scheduled for June 2004, and three 1-day PSN technical assistance partner meetings in Washington, D.C.

Program Narrative (Attachment #2)

The program narrative must be double spaced, using a standard 12-point font (Times New Roman preferred) with 1-inch margins, and must not exceed 20 pages. (Please number pages "1 of 20," "2 of 20," and so forth.) The program narrative must respond to the selection criteria.

Please note: Applicants must specify the program (community engagement or media outreach) for which they are applying in both the file attachment name and at the top of the first page of the narrative.

Project Abstract
The project abstract should not exceed 200 words. It should briefly describe the project's purpose, goals, and objectives; summarize the activities that will be implemented to achieve the proposed goals and objectives; and describe the infrastructure needed to manage the proposed activities.

Project Design and Strategy
The project design and strategy narrative must illustrate what is proposed and how the applicant intends to do it. It should discuss the program's concept, identify the program's target populations and target areas, and explain how the strategy will meet the identified objectives. This section must be very detailed, and it must describe specifically how the project will operate during the funding cycle. This section must also include a plan for evaluating the effectiveness of the project, including what will be measured, who will measure it, and how the evaluation findings will be used.

The project design and strategy should provide sufficient detail to demonstrate the specific nature of the technical assistance to be provided, the need for the assistance, and the resources to be used in providing it. The proposed technical assistance protocols and triage process must be outlined, including the timeframes for responding to TA requests. Applicants should clearly describe how supporting deliverables (e.g., training materials) will be provided. This section must address the quantitative and qualitative measures (see Performance Measures) that will indicate progress in meeting the goals of the technical assistance project.

Note for Community Engagement Applicants: Selected applicants will work with BJA and FEAT to identify and develop new training modules that focus on the elements necessary to formulate comprehensive community engagement strategies. A number of the federal and local task force partners have little experience coordinating both community engagement and media outreach, particularly across large geographic areas. One of the major responsibilities of the selected provider will be to address the variety of needs identified in the 94 federal districts. As the office charged with coordinating PSN in each district, the U.S. Attorney's Office will seek assistance on behalf of the PSN task forces. A priority for the TA provider will be to develop practitioner-oriented self-help and self-assessment tools. These tools will enable PSN task forces to define the community they want to reach, assess the inclusiveness of the proposed outreach activities, define the various messages sent (i.e., prevention-oriented, law enforcement-oriented, "lever pulling," and so forth), and help the community better understand the complex nature of gun violence and the dynamics of federal, state, and local agency involvement.

Other key issues on which the TA provider should be able to advise PSN task forces and community engagement partners include:

Defining the role of the community and implementing activities that are appropriate to that role. Such activities include mobilizing communities as partners and building on existing community and public safety partnerships.
Getting the community actively involved with the initiative in a culturally appropriate manner. This would include providing guidance on when the community should be consulted and how it should be involved (i.e., inclusion of community members in PSN working groups, appropriate use of the public hearing process, and so forth).
Recruiting and supervising volunteers.
Interpreting national PSN campaign messages and finding innovative ways to reach the community with the appropriate locally crafted PSN message, and identifying a multifaceted approach to message delivery through events such as neighborhood watch meetings, messengers such as school resource officers, and other mechanisms to communicate the prevention message.
Providing input on nonprofit fiscal guidelines for local PSN task forces that want, within the ethical constraints, to perpetuate community engagement and media outreach activities after the federal grants end.

Note for Media Outreach Applicants: The media outreach TA provider's focus will be assisting PSN task forces with strategically planning and promoting messages that support gun safety and inform the community that firearm-related crime will be met with strict enforcement and swift punishment. Key in this effort will be teaching PSN task force members how to work with target audiences to achieve these goals. In addition to networking and traditional telephone and e-mail TA, written materials should be provided. Applicants must fully describe how they intend to implement a nationwide plan to help districts with varied local media messages.

The goal of changing the public's attitudes and behavior regarding gun crime and violence is essential to the development of a PSN media campaign. One or more constituent groups may be addressed in the campaign, and great care should be taken to avoid offending message recipients. These groups must be identified and defined at the beginning of the campaign. This will help determine if traditional or nontraditional media channels will be used to promote each message. Both broad and specific knowledge of PSN can be promoted in urban and rural areas. In addition to the "hard time for gun crimes" message, PSN task forces may want to consider helping the community understand the goals and law enforcement techniques of the PSN program, its potential community benefits, and the complex federal, state, and local interagency dynamics and extensive resources devoted to PSN. The media campaign should be a means, not an end, to community outreach efforts.

Management and Organizational Capability
Applicants must discuss how the TA project will be managed and staffed. This section must describe the experience and ability of the applicant organization and any intended contractors or consultants to effectively implement and manage both this effort and federal funding.

Applicants must demonstrate their ability to provide the technical assistance and training needed. Applicants also must demonstrate an ability to successfully complete the elements required to enhance each PSN task force's ability to change the attitudes and behaviors of the public regarding gun crime and violence. This section should provide information about the skills and management oversight necessary to succeed in this endeavor, with particular focus on the organization's ability to establish firm deadlines that provide ample time for coordination with all involved agencies. The organization should demonstrate its ability to be proactive in meeting its obligations and communicating with DOJ partners about progress and related issues. A willingness to work with PSN task forces, media partners, and research partners must be evident.

Timely and accurate reports should be submitted, and the applicant should demonstrate its ability to follow through on commitments with limited oversight. Adequate staffing (to include the minimum percentage of time to be spent on the grant) and the ability to work in collaboration with several different entities must be demonstrated. This section also should describe the organization's current involvement with PSN and other BJA initiatives. A final project report will be required at the end of the funding period to demonstrate the applicant's level of success in assisting PSN task forces with their media campaign and to document the effective practices and challenges encountered.

Other Program Attachments (Attachment #3)

This file must include the following materials:

A project timeline and task plan identifying each project goal, related objective, activity, expected completion date, and responsible person or organization.
Résumés for all key personnel, as well as job descriptions that outline the roles and responsibilities of all key positions that are currently vacant.