Office for Victims of Crime Fiscal Year 2019

Building State Technology Capacity and Elder Abuse Hotlines

June 11, 2019

Presenter

Joel Hall Victim Justice Program Specialist

State Assistance and Compensation Team

Office for Victims of Crime

Outline of Webinar Presentation 1. Overview of the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)

2. Breakdown of the Building State Technology Capacity and Elder Abuse Hotlines solicitation

• Purpose and Goal

• Program Focus Areas

• Eligibility

• Required Documents

• Application and Award Timelines

3. How to Apply

4. Questions and Answers

Department of Justice (Pg. 1)

This program furthers the Department’s mission by awarding funds to Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Formula State Administrating Agencies to enhance states’ access to technology for the purpose of providing innovative service to crime victims.

OVC Mission Statement

OVC is committed to enhancing the Nation’s capacity to assist crime victims and to providing leadership in changing policies and practices to promote justice and healing for all victims of crime.

VOCA-Authorized Activities

Crime Victim Compensation

(formula)

•Direct payments for crimevictims

•Reimbursement for crime-related expenses (e.g.,medical, mental healthcounseling, funeral and burial,lost wages, loss of support)

Victim Assistance Services

(formula)

•Community-based victimservice programs

•Supports the delivery of directservices (e.g., counseling,shelter, advocacy, legal services)

OVC Discretionary Activities

•National-scope training andtechnical assistance

•Demonstration and servicesprograms

•Victim legal assistance

•Program evaluations

•Fellowships

•Services for victims of federalcrimes (e.g., tribal victim assistance)

6

History of Program Solicitation

• This discretionary grant program has been funded three timesin the past. It was originally funded in FY 2014 with multiplepurpose areas.

• It was offered again in FY 2015, FY 2017 and FY 2018 with theprimary focus being the improvement of compensationprograms performance measurement compliance.

• This is the first year it includes funding for a statewide or localelder abuse hotline.

Building State Technology Capacity & Elder

Abuse Hotlines: Program Goal (Pgs. 4-5)

The goal of this initiative is to provide a competitive funding opportunity for VOCA formula state administrating agencies that have identified technological improvements that will:

1. enhance their current system or build new systems to increase accessto technology;

2. increase access to resources;

3. increase administrative reporting accuracy; and/or

4. connect older victims to direct resources and referrals

Building State Technology Capacity:

Program Focus Areas (Pg. 4) The applicant can select one or more of the 9 focus areas in their application:

1. Develop or implement innovative technology to enhance outreach to victims of crime.

2. Develop and/or implement technology to establish or enhance statewide or local seniorservices hotlines that connect older crime victims with direct resources and referrals.

3. Use technology to effectively communicate about, report on, and monitor VOCA programactivities.

4. Enhance the collection of performance measures related to the provision ofcomprehensive services to victims of elder abuse and other types of victimization.

5. Enhance the social media presence of SAAs and other victim service providers.

Building State Technology Capacity:

Program Focus Areas (cont’d) (Pg. 4)

6. Enhance victim compensation technology to increase efficiency and reduce claim-processing time.

7. Develop or implement technology to improve state and subgrantee reporting.

8. Develop or enhance statewide grants management system(s).

9. Improve the security, confidentiality, and efficiency of such systems with regard to victims’data stored within them.

Applicants are encouraged to develop additional Focus Areas to advance the purpose of this project.

Eligibility to Apply (Pg. 1)

• State Victim Assistance and Compensation Programs that areeligible to administer Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Victim Assistanceor Compensation Formula Grants, authorized by 34 U.S.C. §§ 20102and 20103(a) and (b).

• Other organizations when such an application is in partnership withthe VOCA Victim Assistance and/or Compensation Administrator forthe applicant’s state.

For additional information on Eligibility, please review the title page of the solicitation.

Eligibility (cont’d) (Pg. 1)

• OVC welcomes applications under which two or moreentities would carry out the federal award; however,only one entity, the SAA, may be the applicant. Anyothers must be proposed as subrecipients (subgrantees).The applicant must be the entity that would haveprimary responsibility for carrying out the award,including administering the funding and managing theentire project.

Award Amount and Project Period (Pg. 7)

• Award Amount (1): up to 9 awards of up to $600,000 peraward for a total not to exceed $3.8 million

• Award Amount (2): up to 5 awards of up to $440,000 peraward to establish or enhance senior citizen hotlines for atotal not to exceed $2.2 million

• Project Period: 12 to 36 months– Period of performance: begins on October 1, 2019– Applicant chooses the length of the project based on its

scope

Applications MUST Include (Pgs. 11; 29)

The following application elements must be included in the application submission:

– Project Narrative *

• Statement of the Problem (10% of the application score)

• Project Design and Implementation (40% of the application score)

• Capabilities and Competencies (20% of the application score)

• Plan for Collecting Performance Measurement Data (5% of the application score)

– Budget Detail Worksheet and Narrative (15% of the application score) *

– Time-Task Plan (5% of the application score) *

– Logic Model (5% of the application score)*

If you do not submit documents noted with an asterisk (*) the application will not be considered for funding.

Applications also MUST Include (Pg. 37)

The following information must be included in the application submission:

• Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

• Project Abstract

• Information on Proposed Subawards orProcurement Contracts (if applicable)

• Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)

• Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable)

• Financial Management and System of InternalControls Questionnaire

• Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

• Applicant Disclosure of Pending Applications

• Applicant Disclosure and Justification—DOJ High-RiskGrantees

• Request and Justification for Employee Compensation;Waiver (if applicable)

• Other Attachments (as needed)

– Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity

– Disclosure of Process Related to ExecutiveCompensation

Attachment Tips (Pg. 11)

• OVC strongly recommends that applicants use descriptivenames when labeling attachments.

Good Example: Bad Examples:

File Name: File 4: Budget Detailed Worksheet File Name: Budget File Name: File 6: Information on Proposed Subawards. File Name: File 4

Requirements for ‘Large’ Projects (Pg. 5)

Larger-scope project proposals (>$100,000 and/or project periods longer than 24 months) must include these three elements:

– Strategic Planning– Implementation– Evaluation

For additional information, please review: Section A. Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables of the solicitation.

How to Apply in the Grants.gov

(Pgs. 27-28)

All Applicants should complete the following steps:

1. Acquire a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)Number

2. Acquire or renew registration with the System for AwardManagement (SAM) database well in advanceof applying (replaces CCR).

3. Check your eligibility to apply

4. Search for the funding opportunity on Grants.gov

5. Register in Grants.gov

6. Submit an application consistent with this solicitation byfollowing the direction in Grants.gov.

How to Apply (cont’d) (Pg. 27) As noted in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

IMPORTANT SAM.gov ALERT

• If you are a new entity registering in the System for Award Management (SAM)

or an existing entity that needs to update or renew your SAM registration,

you must submit an original, signed notarized letter appointing the authorized

Entity Administrator within thirty (30) days of the registration activation.

Notarized letters must be submitted via U.S. Postal Service Mail.

• Read the Alert at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ to learn more about what is

required in the notarized letter, and read the Frequently Asked Questions

(FAQs) at www.gsa.gov/samupdate to learn more about this process change.

SF-424 (Pgs. 11-12)

Double Check the SF-424

• Type of Application: “New”• Legal Name: Enter the same legal name you use in all

OJP award documents. Must be exactly the same• Start/End Dates: 10/01/19 – not more than 09/30/22• Estimated Funding: Must match the federal request in

the Detailed Budget Worksheet• Project Description: FY 19 Building State Tech Capacity

and Elder Abuse Hotlines

Technical Problems / Request for Late

Submission (Pgs. 28-29)

• The following conditions generally are insufficient to justify late

submissions:

– Failure to register in SAM or Grants.gov in sufficient time (SAM registration

and renewal can take as long as 10 business days to complete. The

information transfer from SAM to Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours.)

– Failure to follow Grants.gov instructions on how to register and apply as

posted on its website.

– Failure to follow each instruction in the OJP solicitation.

– Technical issues with the applicant’s computer or information technology

environment, such as issues with firewalls or browser incompatibility.

Technical Application Assistance (Pg. 2)

For technical assistance with submitting an application,

contact Grants.gov Customer Service Support Hotline

– Phone: 800–518–4726 or 606–545–5035

• The Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days aweek, except on federal holidays.

– Email: support@grants.gov or https://grants.gov/web/grants/support.html

• Provides information on available federal funding opportunities forvarious federal agencies.

Solicitation Requirements and General

Application Assistance (Pg. 2)

For programmatic and general assistance with the solicitation

requirements, contact the National Criminal Justice Reference Service

(NCJRS) Response Center at https://www.ncjrs.gov

– Phone: 800–851–3420

– Email: grants@ncjrs.gov

– web chat: https://webcontact.ncjrs.gov/ncjchat/chat.jsp

– Hours of operation: 10:00 a.m.– 6:00 p.m., eastern time, Mondaythrough Friday, and from 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m., eastern time on thesolicitation closing date.

Tips

• Start the application process early!– Registrations (DUNS, SAM, Grants.gov)

– Identify Service Partner(s)

– Schedule planning meetings with proposed partner(s)

– Begin drafting MOUs, Letters of Intent, and Subcontracts/Subgrants

• Apply under the correct competition ID: OVC-2019-15289.

• Using the Budget Detail Worksheet template is recommended.– Applicants must follow the same format (headings, subsections, etc.) if

not using the template for this critical element.

• Ask for the amount of funding needed.

Important Web Resources

• Office for Victims of Crime: www.ovc.gov

• DOJ Grants Financial Guide: https://ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/index.htm

• OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center: www.ovcttac.gov

• Grants Grants Management System Help Desk: GMSHelpDesk@usdoj.gov

• Grants Management System: https://grants.ojp.usdoj.gov/

• Grants Payment Request System: https://grants.ojp.usdoj.gov/gprs

• Grant Performance Measurement Reporting: https://ojp.gov/performance/

• National Criminal Justice Reference Service: www.ncjrs.gov

Application Timeline

• Solicitation Opened: May 23, 2019

• Solicitation Closes: July 8, 2019

Question Time

To submit a question, use the Q&A Box and select all panelists.

Technical Application Assistance (Pg. 2)

For technical assistance with submitting an application,

contact Grants.gov Customer Service Support Hotline

– Phone: 800–518–4726 or 606–545–5035

• The Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days aweek, except on federal holidays.

– Email: support@grants.gov or https://grants.gov/web/grants/support.html

• Provides information on available federal funding opportunities forvarious federal agencies.

Solicitation Requirements and General

Application Assistance (Pg. 2)

For programmatic and general assistance with the solicitation

requirements, contact the National Criminal Justice Reference Service

(NCJRS) Response Center at https://www.ncjrs.gov

– Phone: 800–851–3420

– Email: grants@ncjrs.gov

– web chat: https://webcontact.ncjrs.gov/ncjchat/chat.jsp.

– Hours of operation: 10:00 a.m.– 6:00 p.m., eastern time, Mondaythrough Friday, and from 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m., eastern time on thesolicitation closing date.