Title: Faith-based or Community Organizations and Victim Services Discretionary Mini-Grant Program Series: Solicitation Author: Office for Victims of Crime Published: May 2004 Subject: Underserved, crime victims, faith-based, faith community, community organizations, grants and funding, solicitation, religious community, Weed and Seed 18 pages 4,100 bytes Figures, charts, forms, and tables are not included in this ASCII plain-text file. To view this document in its entirety, download the Adobe Acrobat graphic file available from this Web site. ------------------------------- U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Office for Victims of Crime FAITH-BASED OR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND VICTIM SERVICES DISCRETIONARY MINI-GRANT PROGRAM Office for Victims of Crime May 2004 ------------------------------- Contents Program Solicitation Announcement Application Guidelines and Instructions How To Apply Application Review Checklist Quick Start Guide to Using OJP's Online Grants Management System Application Requirements Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) Assurances and Certifications Other Required Assurances Budget Detail Worksheet (Attachment #1) Program Narrative (Attachment #2) --Project Overview --Problem Statement --Project Goal --Project Activities and Deliverables --Organizational Mission Statement and History of Victim Assistance Efforts --Plan for Performance Measurement Other Program Attachments (Attachment #3) --Selection Procedure --Criteria Reporting Requirements ------------------------------- Faith-Based or Community Organizations and Victim Services Discretionary Mini-Grant Program Award Amount: $300,000 (Up to 20 awards for up to $15,000 each.) Award Period: 6 to 12 months Goal: To enhance outreach and services to underserved crime victims in communities that have received Weed and Seed funding and other communities with a high rate of violent crime. Purpose: To provide funding to community or faith-based organizations to expand and enhance their existing victim assistance programs and to promote partnerships between faith and victim assistance organizations in inner-city, urban high-crime communities. Background/Problem Statement: The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), a component of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), is aware of the important role the faith community serves in addressing the needs of crime victims. Since the issuance of the 1982 report from the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime first identified the religious community as a vital and largely untapped source of support for crime victims, OVC has supported projects that have brought the faith- based and victim assistance communities together to address the needs of victims of violent crime. In the late 1980s, OVC trained parish clergy and hospital chaplains conducting ministries in high-crime areas on the unique needs of crime victims. At the same time, OVC supported the Spiritual Dimension in Victim Services program in Sacramento, California, to educate clergy of all faiths on ways to sensitively respond to victims of crime through in-service training at three regional workshops and national, non-denominational religious conferences. This training addressed family violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, homicide, and other types of victimization, and also provided an overview of the criminal justice system and guidance on making referrals. In the late 1990s, OVC funded outreach and educational efforts between the victim services community and the Denver seminary. Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, OVC funded the Law Enforcement Chaplaincy Sacramento to provide crisis counseling to victims and family members of the terrorist attacks. Each of these efforts has contributed toward the steady progress to engage the faith community in the response to victims of crime. This particular initiative is intended to foster and support efforts of community groups and the faith community to reach and serve victims in high-crime areas, especially urban areas. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, urban residents had the highest violent victimization rates, followed by suburban resident rates. Rural residents had the lowest rates. In 2002, 7 urban residents, 4 suburban residents, and 3 rural residents per 1,000 were victims of an aggravated assault, and urban residents were robbed at about 4 times the rate of rural residents. Further, urban households have historically been and continue to be the most vulnerable to property crime, burglary, motor vehicle theft, and theft in the United States. In 2002, urban households experienced all forms of property crime at rates higher than those for suburban or rural households. Suburban and rural residents were victims of simple assault at similar rates[1]. Further, the funding to support services and to provide needed services in accessible locations is not always proportionately available. [1] Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics Crime Characteristics, Trends in Violent Crime, 1973-2002. See BJS Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/cvict_c.htm. Even when services are available, many victims are either unaware of their availability or they are reluctant to approach service providers with close ties to law enforcement and other government agencies. Faith-based victim assistance programs have grown in number and expanded the services they provide in communities across the United States. They are now an important source of support to victims and their families. Faith-based organizations may also serve as the "missing link" between victims, other victim assistance agencies (many of which are not public or governmental agencies), and the criminal justice system. Partnerships that include the faith community can ensure that victims are treated with respect and compassion and receive needed services and support. While faith-based organizations have a solid foundation in inner-city communities, they typically have focused more on offender populations and social service needs of residents that are unrelated to violent victimization. By using the reservoir of trust within their own communities and partnering with appropriate victim service providers, faith-based organizations can extend their pastoral care to reach these underserved crime victims and ensure that they receive compassionate, caring, and accessible services and support. Operation Weed and Seed is an initiative within the Community Capacity Development Office (formerly the Executive Office for Weed and Seed). OVC seeks to leverage its resources with the existing efforts of community activists participating in Weed and Seed communities to encourage and support faith- and community-based interventions, and to foster collaboration and cooperation between victim assistance programs and the faith community on behalf of crime victims. This initiative involves a comprehensive strategy that focuses on preventing, controlling, and reducing violent crime, drug abuse, and gang activity in targeted high- crime neighborhoods across the country. The strategy involves a two- pronged approach of using federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts to "weed out" criminals who perpetrate violent crime and drug activity in a neighborhood and "seeding" human services in the area, including prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood revitalization. The cornerstone of this strategy is linking law enforcement, social services, private sector and community efforts to empower community residents and the nongovernmental organizations that serve them to identify and solve their own neighborhood problems. About 80 percent of Weed and Seed sites have a faith-based partner on their steering committees. Program Strategy: The Faith-Based or Community Organizations and Victim Services Discretionary Mini-Grant Program will build on existing and complementary efforts of OVC, the Community Capacity Development Office Weed and Seed initiative, the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, and the DOJ Task Force on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives to expand and enhance the response to crime victims. This effort is intended to reach and serve victims in high-crime neighborhoods by creating, expanding, and/or enhancing partnerships between the faith and victim assistance communities. The target neighborhoods are those that are located in designated Weed and Seed communities, or other neighborhood communities that can document a high level of crime victimization within a defined area of a city or county. OVC will award mini-grants of up to $15,000 to support the efforts of a faith- or community-based organization to expand and enhance a variety of activities that supplement the applicant organization's current program of victim assistance efforts, including outreach, services to victims, and community collaboration and partnerships. Each application must describe how the proposed funding will support joint efforts of the community group or faith-based organization and victim assistance organizations within the community to serve crime victims. Examples of activities that may be supported under this program are: o Direct services to victims, including: -- Advocacy and accompaniment. -- Referrals and assistance in obtaining other services, including victims' compensation. -- Crisis intervention and short-term counseling services when such services are not available through an existing victim assistance agency and are not compensable to the victim through the state crime victim compensation program. o Training for staff on victim service delivery as well as resources that may be available to crime victims. o Public awareness and outreach efforts to victims, such as the provision of informational materials and/or the organization of events to make victims aware of resources in their community. o Partnership-building activities, including development of protocols that guide a coordinated, multidisciplinary response to crime victims. For example, a faith- or community-based organization might plan how to assist a victim of crime in conjunction with local victim assistance services and other community stakeholders in order to fully meet their needs. o Volunteer recruitment, coordination, and training. o Various indirect costs, such as rent, postage, and telephone expenses related to the delivery of victim services or for developing a coordinated community response to victims; printing costs associated with providing informational materials to crime victims; translation of materials for crime victims; making services accessible to victims who have a disability or who have limited English proficiency; and mileage for staff and volunteers who are providing services to victims or working on a coordinated response to crime victims. The following are examples of assistance that can be provided, not through direct reimbursement to the victim, but may be covered by purchasing vouchers or by a contract to a provider: o Temporary emergency housing. o Emergency supplies of food. o Transportation costs related to victims accessing needed services or appearing in court. o Child care that enables victims to access victim services or appear in court. o Replacing broken doors, windows, and locks in the aftermath of a crime when such costs are reasonable and are not compensable through the state crime victim compensation program. In order to support the implementation of projects or programs supported by these mini-grants, OVC and its federal partners will provide the following technical assistance and resources to applicants who are awarded funding under this solicitation: (1) Post-Award Technical Assistance Conference and Ongoing Technical Assistance. OVC is providing grant funding to Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia, to conduct a post-award technical assistance conference for recipient organizations of the mini- grant program, and to provide ongoing technical assistance to support grantees with their victim assistance projects. Exact dates for the conference will be determined in the near future, but grantees should anticipate attending the conference around the first two weeks of October. Some of the topics that will be addressed at this conference include: (1) understanding the difference between bereavement and traumatic grief and appropriate interventions for crime victims; (2) strategies and promising practices for developing partnerships between the faith and victim assistance communities; (3) volunteer recruitment and management; (4) confidentiality of victim information; and (5) death notification. In addition, grant recipients will be provided guidance regarding their obligations and responsibilities as recipients of federal funds. This includes financial management and program reporting requirements. Travel expenses for two attendees from each site will be provided for by OVC's grant to the Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary. (2) The Community Capacity Development Office will also provide direct technical assistance to recipients of the mini-grants on community capacity building. (3) The DOJ Task Force on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives will provide informational materials on successful faith-related initiatives and provide guidance on appropriate use of federal funds by faith-based organizations in the provision of services. Performance Measurement: To ensure compliance with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, this solicitation notifies applicants that they are required to collect and report data which measure the results of the programs implemented with this grant. To ensure accountability of these data, for which OJP is responsible, applicants must use one or more of the following performance measures in their grant applications: o Number of professionals (including volunteers) trained. o Number of educational materials distributed. o Number of training sessions provided. o Increase in number and extent of collaborative partners established. Increasing the number of collaborative partners in high-crime communities will foster community awareness of crime victims' issues and ensure that more victims have access to services and support no matter where they turn for help. The provision of this information will assist future program planning and will allow OJP to provide Congress with measurable program results of federally funded programs. Eligibility Requirements: Eligible organizations include faith-based organizations with established crime victim assistance efforts, and nonprofit, community organizations. Organizations must operate within the boundaries of communities receiving Weed and Seed funding or, alternatively, document in their application that they serve crime victims in a neighborhood with a high rate of violent crime. OVC welcomes applications from all faith-based organizations. Favorable consideration will be given to community-based, nonprofit organizations who partner with a faith-based organization. Grants Management System Registration Deadline: June 15, 2004 Application Due Date: June 22, 2004 Contact Person: Jasmine D'Addario-Fobian at 202-305-3332 or fobianj@ojp.usdoj.gov. ------------------------------- Application Guidelines and Instructions How To Apply OJP now requires that funding applications be submitted electronically through the OJP Grants Management System (GMS), which can be accessed at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fundopps.htm. Access through the Internet to this online application system will expedite and streamline the receipt, review, and processing of requests for funding. Applications will only be accepted through the GMS online application system. Applications submitted via GMS must be in the following word processing formats: Microsoft Word (*.doc*), PDF files (*pdf*), or Text documents (*txt*). To learn how to begin the online application process, please see the Quick Start Guide to Using OJP's Online GMS on page 10. A toll-free telephone number (1-888-549-9901) has been established to provide applicants with technical assistance as they work through the online process. DUNS Number is Required. A Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number must be included in every application for a new award or renewal of an award. The DUNS number will be required whether an applicant is submitting an application through OJP's Grants Management System (GMS) or using the government-wide electronic portal. An application will not be considered complete until the applicant has provided a valid DUNS number. Individuals who would personally receive a grant or cooperative agreement from the federal government are exempt from this requirement. An Environmental Assessment May be Required. All award recipients must comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). To ensure NEPA compliance, OVC may require some award recipients to submit additional information. ------------------------------- Application Review Checklist Please use this checklist to make sure your application is complete. Your GMS application must include: Online Forms ___ Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424). This form is generated by completing the Overview, Applicant Information, and Project Information screens in GMS. ___ Assurances and Certifications. The Assurances and Certifications must be reviewed and accepted electronically by the authorizing official or the designated authorizing official. Attachments (3) ___ Budget Detail Worksheet (Attachment #1). The Budget Detail Worksheet must present a detailed budget that itemizes all proposed costs and must include a budget narrative that provides justification for all proposed costs. Applicants do not have to use the Budget Detail Worksheet Form, but they must adhere to the categories and provide all information requested on this Worksheet. ___ Program Narrative (Attachment #2). The Program Narrative must include: --Project Overview --Problem Statement --Project Goal --Project Activities and Deliverables --Organizational Mission Statement and History of Victim Assistance Efforts --Performance Measurement Plan ___ Other Program Attachments (Attachment #3). The Other Program Attachments must include the following elements. Note: All of the below materials must be attached in one (1) file. --Resumes of key personnel/position descriptions (required) --Letters of support (required) --Memoranda of understanding (where appropriate) Please refer to corresponding sections in this announcement to determine the specific contents of each of these attachments. ------------------------------- Quick Start Guide to Using OJP's Online Grants Management System Step 1. Using an established Internet account, go to www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fundopps.htm. An online Applicant Procedures handbook is available on this page and applicants may link directly to OJP's Grants Management System (GMS), which provides online help screens. Note: Applicants without an Internet account should call the GMS Hotline at 1-888-549-9901 for assistance. Step 2. Click on "Logon to the Grants Management System (GMS)." Step 3. Follow the onscreen instructions. First-time GMS users should click on "New User? Register Here." Applicants who already have a GMS password should click on "GMS Sign-In." Proceed to the OVC Faith- Based or Community Organizations and Victim Services Discretionary Mini-Grant Program Solicitation for your project and begin working on it (you must do this to complete the registration process!). Applicants will receive e-mail confirmation from OVC that they are eligible to submit an application within 7 days. Plan ahead. Applicants can register at any time and are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Applicants must create a separate GMS account for each application to be submitted. Please note: Applicants must ensure that the information for the authorizing official and alternate contact is entered correctly. The authorizing official is the individual authorized to accept grant funds in your organization. If the individual applying online is not the signing authority, that individual must list the authorizing official's name and contact information where appropriate. Questions or problems: Applicants who have questions should refer to the online handbook or access applicable help screens. If the questions cannot be addressed by accessing the online GMS reference tools, call the GMS Hotline at 1-888-549-9901. Previous users should contact the GMS Hotline if they are having difficulty with their user ID and password. Step 4. Complete the online Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) by providing the required information in the Overview, Applicant Information, and Project Information screens. Step 5. Complete the application by electronically "accepting" the Assurances and Certifications and submitting the three required file attachments: Budget Detail Worksheet, Program Narrative, and Other Program Attachments. (See the Application Review Checklist on page 9 and the Application Requirements on page 11 for detailed instructions about the information to include in each attachment). Please note that applicants must upload one file per attachment; only the most current file uploaded to the appropriate attachment will be saved as part of the application. All sections of each attachment must be completed for your application to be considered for funding. Submit your completed application online. The GMS system will notify the applicant that the application has been received and sent to OVC and provide an application identification number for future reference. Applicants who have questions about GMS or need technical assistance with applying online should contact the GMS Hotline at 1-888-549-9901, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (except federal holidays). Application Requirements Applicants for OVC discretionary grant funding must submit the following information online through OJP's Grants Management System (GMS): 1. Application for Federal Assistance, Standard Form 424. 2. Assurances and Certifications. 3. Program Attachments: o Attachment #1: Budget Detail Worksheet (including budget worksheet and budget narrative). o Attachment #2: Program Narrative, which includes the project overview, the problem statement, the project goal, project activities and deliverables, organizational mission statement and history of victim assistance efforts, and performance measurement plan. o Attachment #3: Other Program Attachments (including resumes of key personnel, letters of support, memoranda of understanding, and other attachments as needed). Detailed instructions about and descriptions of each required element are provided below. An Application Review Checklist has been provided for your convenience (see page 9). Note: Applications that do not include all required elements may not be considered for funding. Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) The Application for Federal Assistance is a standard form used by most federal agencies. It contains 18 items that must be completed online in the Overview, Applicant Information, and Project Information sections of OJP's GMS. Assurances and Certifications Applicants are required to review and accept the Assurances and Certifications. Please verify that the name, address, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address of the authorizing official have been entered correctly on these online forms. o Assurances. The applicant must comply with assurances to receive federal funds under this program. It is the responsibility of the recipient of the federal funds to fully understand and comply with these requirements. Failure to comply may result in the withholding of funds, termination of the award, or other sanctions. o Certifications Regarding Lobbying, Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters, and the Drug-Free Workplace Requirement. Applicants are required to review and check off the box on the certification form included in the online application process. This form commits the applicant to comply with the certification requirements under 28 CFR Part 69, "New Restrictions on Lobbying," and 28 CFR Part 67, "A Government-Wide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Government-Wide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)." The authorizing official must review the Assurances and Certifications forms in their entirety. To accept the Assurances and Certifications in GMS, click on the Assurances and Certifications link and click the "Accept" button at the bottom of the screen. Note: Before signing the certifications, applicants should be aware that the Anti-Lobbying Act, 18 U.S.C.  1913, recently was amended to expand significantly the restriction on use of appropriated funding for lobbying. This expansion also makes the anti-lobbying restrictions enforceable via large civil penalties, with civil fines between $10,000 and $100,000 per each individual occurrence of lobbying activity. These restrictions are in addition to the anti-lobbying and lobbying disclosure restrictions imposed by 31 U.S.C.  1352. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is currently in the process of amending the OMB cost circulars and the common rule (codified at 28 CFR part 69 for DOJ grantees) to reflect these modifications. However, in the interest of full disclosure, all applicants must understand that no federally appropriated funding made available under this grant program may be used, either directly or indirectly, to support the enactment, repeal, modification, or adoption of any law, regulation, or policy, at any level of government, without the express approval by OJP. Any violation of this prohibition is subject to a minimum $10,000 fine for each occurrence. This prohibition applies to all activity, even if currently allowed within the parameters of the existing OMB circulars. Other Required Assurances o Faith-Based Organizations. Consistent with President Bush's Executive Order 13279, December 12, 2002, and DOJ regulation, 28 CFR Part 39, faith-based and community organizations that qualify as eligible applicants under OVC programs are invited and encouraged to apply for assistance awards. Faith-based and community organizations will be considered for awards on the same basis as other eligible applicants and, if they receive assistance awards, will be treated on an equal basis with non-faith-based and community organization grantees in the administration of such awards. No eligible applicant or grantee will be discriminated against on the basis of its religious character or affiliation, religious name, or the religious composition of its board of directors or persons working in the organization. Organizations that receive direct financial assistance from the Department may not engage in inherently religious activities, such as worship, religious instruction, or proselytization, as part of the programs or services funded with direct financial assistance from the Department. If an organization conducts such activities, they must be offered separately, in time or location, from the programs or services funded by the Department, and participation must be voluntary for beneficiaries of the programs or services funded with such assistance. In addition, an organization that participates in programs funded by the Department shall not, in providing services, discriminate against a program beneficiary or prospective program beneficiary on the basis of religion or religious belief. It should also be noted that any organization that receives financial assistance from the Department may use space in its facilities, without removing religious art, icons, scriptures, or other religious symbols. o Civil Rights Compliance. All recipients of federal grant funds are required to comply with nondiscrimination requirements contained in various Federal laws, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ("Title VI") and  809 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ("Safe Streets Act"), as amended. In the event that a court of an administrative agency makes a finding of discrimination on grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, genders, disability, or age against a recipient of funds after a due process hearing, the recipient must agree to forward a copy of the findings to the Office for Civil Rights of OJP. All applicants should consult the Assurances required with the application funds to understand the applicable legal and administrative requirements. o Services to Limited-English-Proficient (LEP) Persons. National origin discrimination includes discrimination on the basis of limited English proficiency. To ensure compliance with Title VI and the Safe Streets Act, recipients are required to take reasonable steps to ensure that LEP persons have meaningful access to their programs. Meaningful access may entail providing language assistance services, including oral and written translation, where necessary. The U.S. Department of Justice has issued guidance for grantees to assist them in complying with Title VI requirements. The guidance document can be accessed on the Internet at www.lep.gov or by contacting OJP's Office for Civil Rights at 202-307- 0690, or by writing to the following address: Office for Civil Rights, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, 810 7th Street, NW, 8th Floor, Washington, DC 20531. The authorizing official must review the Assurances and Certifications forms in their entirety. To accept the Assurances and Certifications in GMS, click on the Assurances and Certifications link and click the "Accept" button at the bottom of the screen. Budget Detail Worksheet (Attachment #1) The applicant must provide a detailed budget that: (1) is complete, cost- effective in relation to the proposed activities, and accurately reflects how grant funds will be used to accomplish the goal of the proposal; (2) shows the cost calculations demonstrating how the applicant arrived at the total amount requested; and (3) provides a supporting budget narrative to link costs with project implementation (see below for more about the budget narrative). Applicants must submit both a budget worksheet and a budget narrative in one file. The worksheet provides the detailed computations for each budget item, and the narrative justifies or explains each budget item and relates it to project activities. o Budget Worksheet. The budget worksheet must list the cost of each budget item and show how the costs were calculated. o Budget Narrative. The budget narrative should closely follow the content of the budget worksheet and provide justification for all proposed costs. For example, the narrative should explain how travel costs were estimated or why particular items of equipment or supplies must be purchased. The budget narrative should justify the specific items listed in the budget worksheet and demonstrate that all costs are reasonable. Applicants may refer to the sample Budget Detail Worksheet form at OVC's Web site www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/fund/forms.htm#1 and use it as a guide in preparing the budget worksheet and budget narrative. OJP's Financial Guide, containing information on allowable costs, methods of payment, audit requirements, accounting systems, and financial records, is also available on OJP's Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/oc/. This document will govern the administration of funds by all successful applicants. Note: Total costs specified in the Budget Detail Worksheet must match the total amount on line 15.g of the SF 424. Program Narrative (Attachment #2) The program narrative should not exceed 8 double-spaced pages in 12- point font with 1-inch margins and must include 6 separate sections: (1) project overview (no more than « page); (2) the problem statement; (3) the project goal; (4) project activities and deliverables; (5) organizational mission statement and history of victim assistance efforts; and (6) performance measurement plan. Each section is described below. 2a. Project Overview: The application should include a « page summary that describes the goal of the project, activities that will be implemented to achieve the project's goal, and the partnership between the faith and victim assistance communities that will be used to achieve the project goal. 2b. Problem Statement: The problem statement must describe the need for the project and provide a clear statement of how the proposed activities will address the problem. 2c. Project Goal: The applicant must specify the goal of the project, outlining the overall purpose of what is to be accomplished. The applicant should clarify whether or not the goal to be accomplished is an existing initiative, or one that is new. The application should clearly describe how this mini-grant funding will support the overall success of the project. 2d. Project Activities and Deliverables: The applicant should describe the steps or activities necessary to reach the project goal, and describe the role of the partnership between the faith and victim assistance communities in achieving that goal. The applicant should clearly tie how the activities or products developed with this mini-grant funding will address the problem and achieve the project goal. The applicant should describe staff responsibilities and provide descriptions of any products that will be developed with this funding. The application should include a basic, but clear time-task-line that outlines the major activities that will occur during each month of the project, the month that any proposed products will be made available, and designate the staff person(s) responsible for all proposed activities. 2e. Organizational Mission Statement and History of Victim Assistance Efforts: Applications must include the applicant organization's mission statement and background information about its efforts, as well as those of its key project partners in the victim assistance or faith communities, in providing assistance and support to crime victims. Information should include how long the organization has been in existence and the names and titles of the organization's principals. Applicants must include a brief description of the proposed staff members' or volunteers' qualifications that will enable them to carry out the activities outlined in the application. Copies of resumes for key staff positions involved in the proposed project should be included in attachment #3. 2f. Plan for Performance Measurement: Each application must provide a plan to assess the project's effectiveness in meeting its stated goal, and include information on how that information will be collected and assessed. This information should cover one or more of the performance measures established for this mini-grant program in the program solicitation announcement. This information will be submitted as part of the semiannual progress report, as well as part of the final report due within 120 days of project completion. Other Program Attachments (Attachment #3) The Other Program Attachments file must include the following materials: o Resumes of key personnel must be provided (required). o Letters of support should be provided from victim assistance and faith- based agencies and organizations who will partner with the grantee to implement this project. o Other attachments as needed (if applicable). Selection Procedure: OVC staff will review applications for completeness and responsiveness to this application guidance based on the following selection criteria and submit their recommendations for funding to the OVC Director for his final selection, subject to the final approval of OJP's Assistant Attorney General. Criteria: Applications will be reviewed by the OVC grant monitor for the project, using the following criteria: Problem(s) To Be Addressed and Project Goal. The problem statement must provide a strong rationale for the project and clearly describe how the proposed project will address the problem. For example, the problem statement might summarize violent crime problems currently affecting the neighborhood or emerging problems or significant changes in the level of an existing problem. The goal should state the overall purpose of what is to be accomplished and describe how achieving the goal will address the issue or issues outlined in the problem statement. Project Activities and Deliverables. The program strategy/methodology must include sufficient detail so that the OVC grant monitor or other reviewers can understand what will be accomplished, how it will be accomplished, and who will accomplish it. All proposed tasks should be presented in a way that allows a reviewer to see the logical progression of tasks and to be able to relate the tasks directly to the accomplishment of the project goals(s) and objectives. Projected activities should be realistic and reflect the project's allocated time, staff, and funding. A clear picture of the contents or components of the product or training is important as well as a detailed plan for packaging and disseminating the product to user groups. Detailed procedures for pilot testing and refining the products should be included, where applicable. Organizational Mission Statement and History of Victim Assistance Efforts. Applicants must demonstrate how their resources, capabilities, and experience will enable them to achieve the project goal. Performance Measurement Plan. Applicants must describe their plan for measuring project progress and success. All applications must contain a plan for evaluating the accomplishment of project goal(s) and objectives. All applications must include a minimum of one standardized performance measure established for OVC discretionary grantees, based on the goal and activities of the proposed project. Applicants must describe how information will be gathered. Budget and Budget Narrative. The OVC grant monitor will examine the identified project tasks, milestones, and assignment of staff resources within the framework of the proposed budget. The applicant must demonstrate that there is sufficient staff and time to accomplish the proposed tasks in a cost-effective manner. Applicants must show cost effective and efficient use of grant resources, demonstrating that all grant- related expenses are necessary for project completion. Tasks and activities described in the narrative should parallel the budget. All identified costs should accurately reflect the tasks, staff time, supplies, and travel necessary to accomplish the grant-related work, if applicable. ------------------------------- Reporting Requirements Reports The Financial Status Report (SF 269-A) is due quarterly, no later than the 45th day following the end of each calendar quarter. A report must be submitted every quarter in which the award is active, even if there has been no financial activity during the reporting period. The final report is due 120 days after the end date of the award. Future awards and fund drawdowns will be withheld if the financial status reports are delinquent. The Single Audit Report is an organization-wide financial and compliance audit report that must be filed by recipients who expend $300,000 or more of federal funds during their fiscal year. The audit must be performed in accordance with the U.S. General Accounting Office Government Auditing Standards. The Semiannual Progress Report must be submitted by funding recipients. The progress report describes activities during the reporting period and the status or accomplishment of objectives as set forth in the approved application for funding. Progress reports must be submitted within 30 days after the end of the reporting periods, which are January 1 through June 30 and July 1 through December 31 for the life of the award. Due 120 days after the end date of the award, the final report summarizes the progress toward achieving the award's goals and objectives, describes the significant results, and identifies any products developed under the award. Report format will be provided to the recipient by OJP. Future awards and fund drawdowns may be withheld if the progress reports are delinquent. Progress reports for awards issued through the Grants Management System (GMS) must be submitted directly into the GMS system. Questions concerning GMS may be addressed to the GMS Helpdesk at 1- 888-549-9901.