Background

In 1981, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW), calling for "a renewed emphasis on, and an enhanced sensitivity to, the rights of victims." Each April since then, communities across the nation have held public rallies, candlelight observances, and commemorative activities to promote awareness of victims' rights and needs. OVC helps communities organize these activities and initiatives by supporting the development and dissemination of the National Crime Victims' Rights Week Resource Guide, which provides national statistics on crime and victimization, sample speeches and proclamations, sample press releases, and camera-ready artwork. The 2004 and 2005 guides are available online. The 2006 guide will be available in January 2006, and you will be able to download it from the OVC Web site. If you would like to receive a copy of the 2006 guide in the mail and are not already on the mailing list, visit the National Criminal Justice Reference Service Web site's at Publications/Products page and request NCJ 211520.

Since 2004, OVC has implemented a competitive funding opportunity that provides local communities with up to $5,000 reimbursement for costs associated with public awareness activities during NCVRW. This initiative, known as the NCVRW Community Awareness Projects, has enhanced the ability of 131 communities throughout the United States to raise awareness about victims' rights and services. Within many of these communities, traditional NCVRW events were enhanced by the collaborative partnerships that were formed during the planning phase of each project. In response to the enthusiasm that has been expressed by the victim services field, the OVC Director, John Gillis, has decided to continue to offer this funding to support new projects carried out during National Crime Victims' Rights Week 2006.

2006 Community Awareness Project Funding

OVC will competitively select approximately 60 communities throughout the nation to receive a subcontract that will provide up to $5,000 reimbursement for approved expenses incurred while conducting local public awareness activities in support of National Crime Victims' Rights Week 2006. OVC will select one project per city/county jurisdiction and is seeking proposals for innovative and collaborative approaches to promoting awareness of victims' rights and available services for all types of victims within each community.

Selection Criteria

To spread funding and assistance for NCVRW public awareness campaigns to locations throughout the United States, organizations and coalitions who were selected for funding in 2004 or 2005 will not be selected for funding in 2006. Please check the list of projects selected for 2004 and 2005 for communities and organizations previously supported through this initiative.

Applications will be evaluated and competitively selected based on their strength in the following areas:

• Collaboration. The application must describe a project in which a variety of victim service providers and local businesses are collaborating to promote victims' rights and services for victims of all types of crimes.
• Support. The application must describe the types of financial and in-kind support from participating agencies and local businesses within the project area.
• Experience in Victims' Issues. The lead agency of the project must have a history of involvement with crime victims and experience in organizing educational events and/or public awareness campaigns.
• Use of the Media. The application must describe a project that includes using the media (radio, television, and/or print) to raise awareness throughout the community about National Crime Victims' Rights Week, victims' rights, and local victim service programs.
• Innovation and Impact. The application must describe an innovative project and/or a project that will have an impact on the community at large during National Crime Victims' Rights Week or have an impact over a sustained period of time.
• Diversity. The project must target all types of victims in a community, including victims in minority and immigrant communities.
• Clarity. The application narrative should be concise and should be no more than four pages in length. The project budget should be detailed on a separate page and should have clearly defined costs for all activities and items to be purchased.

Eligibility

Public agencies, nonprofit organizations, community-based victim service organizations, faith-based organizations, tribal organizations, and community coalitions committed to advocating for the rights and services of crime victims are encouraged to apply. Organizations without 501(c)3 status that serve crime victims and VOCA-funded organizations also are eligible to apply. Although priority will be given to projects with a local scope, state agencies involved with victims' issues that wish to submit a statewide public awareness plan may apply. State agency proposals will be considered for funding only if no acceptable proposals from communities within the state are received.

Applications from individuals will not be considered for funding. Individuals with innovative ideas related to this project are encouraged to work in partnership with an organization or community coalition.

Allowable and Unallowable Activities

The following activities may be approved for up to $5,000 reimbursement under this initiative:

• Purchase of advertising in print media, radio, television, or outdoor advertising to promote NCVRW events, victims' rights, and available services.
• Design and print of promotional or educational materials.
• Support of NCVRW event speakers (not to exceed $450 per day for each speaker). Supplemental funding from other sources cannot be used to exceed this daily limit.
• Design and print of posters, invitations, fliers, and so forth.
• Purchase of supplies, materials, and equipment used in public awareness events and activities.
• Rental of space to conduct NCVRW activities and events.
• Reasonable purchase of refreshments for an educational event open to the public. (Applications with high refreshment-related costs will not receive favorable consideration.)

The following will not be approved for reimbursement under this initiative:

• Salary.
• Organizational overhead or operational costs.
• Refreshment costs not associated with public educational events or programs.
• Entertainment (such as bands).
• Costs associated with a fundraising activity or event.
• Bar charges or alcoholic beverages.
• Food and beverage costs associated with award ceremonies or events.
• Construction costs.
• Prizes associated with contests, raffles, or drawings.
• Costs associated with giveaways such as pins, buttons, or badges that are not directly tied to the 2006 NCVRW theme and are not reasonable.

Please refer to the Office of Justice Programs' Office of the Comptroller Financial Guide for a list of unallowable costs.

Application Process and Deadline

Interested organizations should download and complete the NCVRW Community Awareness Project Application Form. The application should not exceed four pages in length; an additional page is allowed for the project budget. Applicants may also include up to three letters of support from agencies involved with their initiatives.

The form requests that applicants provide the following information:

• Primary contact information and e-mail address.
• Mission statement for the lead agency and descriptions of the collaborative partner agencies.
• Experience of the lead agency and collaborative partners related to victim services and public awareness/educational events.
• Description of the proposed project and intended use of OVC funds.
• Description of the role of participating agencies in the project, including financial and in-kind contributions.
• Statement of need for financial support from OVC for the project.
• Detailed project budget itemizing amounts that will be requested for reimbursement through OVC.

Fax completed applications to the Office for Victims of Crime, Attention: NCVRW Committee, by 5:00 p.m. e.t., November 18, 2005, at 202–514–6383 or 202–305–2440. Do not mail applications to OVC.

Please hold your fax confirmation receipt as verification that your application was received by OVC.

Timeline

OVC staff and our federal partners will review and select approximately 60 projects for funding. By late January 2006, all applicants will receive notification by mail of the status of their applications.

After National Crime Victims' Rights Week, the selected organizations must submit to OVC a two- to three-page after-action report detailing their NCVRW activities and requesting final reimbursement for approved expenses. OVC's contractor, Courtesy Associates, will reimburse each organization within 30 days of OVC's approval of its report.

For more information about this funding opportunity, first visit the NCVRW FAQs page. If you cannot find the information you need after visiting the page, contact http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/askovc and reference the 2006 Community Awareness Project Application for NCVRW.

Back to 2006 NCVRW Fund