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Executive Summary: This announcement governs the proposed award of mandatory grants under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) to States (including Territories and Insular Areas). The purpose of these grants is to assist States in establishing, maintaining, and expanding programs and projects to prevent family violence and to provide immediate shelter and related assistance for victims of family violence and their dependents. This announcement sets forth the application requirements, the application process, and other administrative and fiscal requirements for grants in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007. Legislative Authority: Title III of the Child Abuse Amendments of 1984 (Public Law (P.L.) 98-457, 42 United States Code (U.S.C.) 10401 et seq.) is entitled the “Family Violence Prevention and Services Act” (FVPSA). FVPSA was first implemented in FY 1986. The statute was subsequently amended by P.L. 100-294, the “Child Abuse Prevention, Adoptions, and Family Services Act of 1988;” further amended in 1992 by P.L. 102-295; and then amended in 1994 by P.L. 103-322, the “Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act.” FVPSA was amended again in 1996 by P.L. 104-235, the “Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) of 1996;” in 2000 by P.L. 106-386, the “Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act,” and amended further by P.L. 108-36, the “Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003.” FVPSA was most recently amended by P.L. 109-162, the “Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2005” and by P.L. 109-271, which was enacted on August 17, 2006.” FVPSA may be found at 42 U.S.C. 10401 et. seq. Background The purpose of this legislation is to assist States and Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and non-profit private organizations approved by an Indian Tribe in supporting the establishment, maintenance, and expansion of programs and projects to prevent incidents of family violence and to provide immediate shelter and related assistance for victims of family violence and their dependents. During FY 2006, 241 grants were made to States and Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and non-profit private organizations approved by Indian Tribes. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) also made 53 family violence prevention grant U.S. awards to non-profit State domestic violence coalitions. In addition, HHS supports the National Resource Center for Domestic Violence (NRC) and four Special Issue Resource Centers (SIRCs). The four SIRCs are the Battered Women's Justice Project, the Resource Center on Child Custody and Protection, Sacred Circle Resource Center for the Elimination of Domestic Violence Against Native Women, and the Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence. The purpose of NRC and SIRCs is to provide resource information, training, and technical assistance to Federal, State, and Native American agencies, local domestic violence prevention programs, and other professionals who provide services to victims of domestic violence. In February 1996, HHS funded the National Domestic Violence Hotline (Hotline) to ensure that every woman and man has access to information and emergency assistance wherever and whenever it is needed. The Hotline is a 24-hour, toll-free service that provides crisis assistance, counseling, and local shelter referrals to women across the country. Hotline counselors also are available for non-English speaking persons and for people who are hearing-impaired. The Hotline number is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233); the TTY number for the hearing-impaired is 1-800-787-3224. General Grant Program Requirements Applicable To States Definitions States should use the following definitions in carrying out their programs. The definitions are found in section 320 of FVPSA. Family Violence: Any act or threatened act of violence, including any forceful detention of an individual, which: (a) results or threatens to result in physical injury; and (b) is committed by a person against another individual (including an elderly person) to whom such person is or was related by blood or marriage or otherwise legally related or with whom such person is or was lawfully residing. Shelter: The provision of temporary refuge and related assistance in compliance with applicable State law and regulation governing the provision, on a regular basis, of shelter, safe homes, meals, and related assistance to victims of family violence and their dependents. Related assistance: The provision of direct assistance to victims of family violence and their dependents for the purpose of preventing further violence, helping such victims to gain access to civil and criminal courts and other community services, facilitating the efforts of such victims to make decisions concerning their lives in the interest of safety, and assisting such victims in healing from the effects of the violence. Related assistance includes:
Annual State Administrators Grantee Conference The annual grantee conference for the State FVPSA Administrators is a training and technical assistance activity. A subsequent Program Instruction and/or Information Memorandum will advise the State FVPSA Administrators of the date, time and location of their grantee conference. Client Confidentiality FVPSA programs must establish or implement policies and protocols for maintaining the safety and confidentiality of the adult victims and their children of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. It is essential that the confidentiality of individuals receiving FVPSA services be protected. Consequently, when providing statistical data on program activities and program services, individual identifiers of client records will not be used (section 303(a)(2)(E)). The confidentiality provisions described at 42 U.S.C., section 13701, apply to programs funded under the Violence Against Women Act, as amended, including certain awards made under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act. These confidentiality requirements were strengthened and clarified with the passage of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2005, P.L. 109-162, as recently amended by P.L. 109-271. The revised confidentiality provisions impose conditions regarding the disclosure of personally identifying information, confidentiality, information sharing, and compulsory release of information. Stop Family Violence Postal Stamp The U.S. Postal Service was directed by the “Stamp Out Domestic Violence Act of 2001” (the Act), P.L. 107-62, to make available a “semipostal” stamp to provide funding for domestic violence programs. Funds raised in connection with sales of the stamp, less reasonable costs, have been transferred to HHS in accordance with the Act for support of services to children and youth affected by domestic violence. As of FY 2006, $2.3 million has been transferred and made available in support of grants for “Demonstration Programs for The Enhanced Services to Children and Youth Who Have Been Exposed to Domestic Violence.” Sixty-five (65) applications were received and reviewed and nine (9) successful applicants are in the second year of their projects. The project sites are in Castle Rock, CO; Harrisburg, PA; Oklahoma City, OK; Eugene, OR; Oakland, CA; Albany, NY; Lansing, MI; Richmond, VA; and Washington, DC. ACF anticipates information on the progress and activities of the successful applicants and their programs in FY 2007. The Importance of Coordination of Services The impacts of domestic violence include physical injury and death of primary or secondary victims, psychological trauma, isolation from family and friends, harm to children witnessing or experiencing violence in homes in which the violence occurs, increased fear, reduced mobility and employability, homelessness, substance abuse, and a host of other health and related mental health consequences. Coordination and collaboration among the police, prosecutors, the courts, victim services providers, child welfare and family preservation services, and medical and mental health service providers is needed to provide more responsive and effective services to victims of domestic violence and their families. It is essential that all interested parties are involved in the design and improvement of intervention and prevention activities. To help bring about a more effective response to the problem of domestic violence, HHS urges the designated State agencies receiving funds under this grant announcement to coordinate activities funded under this grant with other new and existing resources for the prevention of domestic violence and related issues. National Data Collection and Outcomes Measurement (DOW) The need to accurately communicate reliable and appropriate data that capture the impact of domestic violence prevention and intervention efforts, and to provide shelters, States and State domestic violence coalitions with tools for self-assessment, continues as the Documenting Our Work (DOW) Initiative. In collaboration with partners at the State FVPSA programs, State domestic violence coalitions, and experts on both data collection and domestic violence prevention issues, the effort to develop informative, succinct and non-burdensome reporting formats continues. During FY 2006 and in concert with State FVPSA administrators, State domestic violence coalitions, and local service providers, four (4) States have volunteered as pilot sites to assess proposed program reporting procedures and test the reliability of the outcome measures for FVPSA programs. Any recommended changes for information and reporting formats will be accompanied by specifically designated workshops or adjunctive discussions to regularly occurring meetings. For FY 2007, HHS will make available for grants to designated State agencies 70 percent of the amount appropriated under section 310(a)(1) of FVPSA, which is not reserved under section 310(a)(2). In separate announcements, HHS will allocate 10 percent of the foregoing appropriation to Tribes and Tribal organizations for the establishment and operation of shelters, safe houses, and the provision of related services; and 10 percent to the State Domestic Violence Coalitions to continue their work within the domestic violence community by providing technical assistance and training, and advocacy services among other activities with local domestic violence programs and to encourage appropriate responses to domestic violence within the States. Five percent of the amount appropriated under section 310(a)(1) of FVSPA, which is not reserved under section 310(a)(2), will be available in FY 2007 to continue the support for the NRC and the four SIRCs. Additional funds appropriated under FVPSA will be used to support other activities, including training and technical assistance, collaborative projects with advocacy organizations and service providers, data collection efforts, public education activities, research and other demonstration projects, as well as the ongoing operation of the Hotline. State Allocation FVPSA grants to the States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico are based on a population formula. Each State grant shall be $600,000 with the remaining funds allotted to each State on the same ratio as the population of the State has to the population of all States (section 304(a)(2)). State populations are determined on the basis of the most recent census data available to the Secretary of HHS and, the Secretary shall use for such purpose, if available, the annual current interim census data produced by the Secretary of Commerce pursuant to section 181 of Title 13. For the purpose of computing allotments, the statute provides that Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands will each receive grants of not less than one-eighth of one percent of the amounts appropriated (section 304(a)(1)). Expenditure Period FVPSA funds may be used for expenditures on and after October 1 of each fiscal year for which they are granted, and will be available for expenditure through September 30 of the following fiscal year, i.e., FY 2007 funds may be used for expenditures from October 1, 2006, through September 30, 2008. Funds are available for obligation through September 30, 2008, and must be liquidated by September 30, 2009. Re-allotted funds, if any, are available for expenditure until the end of the fiscal year following the fiscal year that the funds became available for re-allotment. FY 2007 grant funds that are made available to the States through re-allotment, under section 304(d)(2), must be expended by the State no later than September 30, 2008. III. ELIGIBILITY Additional Information on Eligibility Please ensure that the applicant’s organization has a D-U-N-S number. To acquire a D-U-N-S number at no cost call the dedicated toll-free D-U-N-S number request line at 1-866-705-5711 or request a number online at http://www.dnb.com. IV. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-13) Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average six hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed and reviewing the collection information. The project description is approved under the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 0970-0280, which expires October 31, 2008. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Form and Content of Application Submission The State's application must be submitted by the Chief Executive of the State and signed by the Chief Executive Officer or the Chief Program Official designated as responsible for the administration of FVPSA. Each application must contain the following information or documentation:
Assurances Each application must provide the following assurances:
Certifications All applications must submit or comply with the required certifications found in the Appendices as follows: Anti-Lobbying Certification and Disclosure Form (See Appendix A): Applicants who have used non-Federal funds for lobbying activities in connection with receiving assistance under this announcement shall complete a disclosure form, if applicable, with their applications (approved by OMB under control number 0348-0046). Applicants should sign and return the certification with their application. Certification Regarding Environmental Tobacco Smoke (See Appendix B): Applicants must also understand they will be held accountable for the smoking prohibition included within P.L. 103-227, Title XII Environmental Tobacco Smoke (also known as the Pro Children Act of 1994). A copy of the Federal Register notice which implements the smoking prohibition is included with the forms. By signing and submitting the application, applicants are providing the certification and need not mail back the certification with the application. Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (See Appendix C):The signature on the application by the chief program official attests to the applicant’s intent to comply with the Drug-Free Workplace requirements and compliance with the Debarment Certification. The Drug-Free Workplace certification does not have to be returned with the application. For States, this program is covered under Executive Order 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs," for State plan consolidation and implication only -- 45 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 100.12. The review and comment provisions of the Executive Order and Part 100 do not apply. Applications should be sent to: Family and Youth Services Bureau V. APPROVAL/DISAPPROVAL OF A STATE APPLICATION The Secretary of HHS will approve any application that meets the requirements of FVPSA and this announcement and will not disapprove any such application except after reasonable notice of the Secretary's intention to disapprove has been provided to the applicant and after a six-month period providing an opportunity for the applicant to correct any deficiencies. The notice of intention to disapprove will be provided to the applicant within 45 days of the date of the application. Performance Reports Section 303(a)(4) requires that States file a performance report with HHS describing the activities carried out, and inclusion of an assessment of the effectiveness of those activities in achieving the purposes of the grant. Section 303(a)(5) requires that the State file a report that contains a description of the activities carried out with funds expended for State administrative costs. A section of this performance report must be completed by each grantee or sub-grantee that performed the direct services contemplated in the State's application certifying performance of such services. State grantees should compile performance reports into a comprehensive report for submission. The Performance Report should include the following data elements as well as narrative examples of success stories about the services that were provided. The Performance Report should include the following data elements: Funding - The total amount of the FVPSA grant funds awarded. The percentage of FVPSA funds as a portion of total funding. The percentage of FVPSA funding used for shelters, and the percentage of funding used for related assistance and services. Shelters – The total number of shelters and shelter alternatives (safe homes/motels, etc.) assisted by FVPSA program funding. Data elements should include:
Types of individuals served- Record information by numbers and percentages of the total population served. Individuals and special populations served should include:
Related assistance and services - List the types of related assistance and services provided to victims and their family members by indicating the number of women, children and men who have received services. Services and assistance may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Volunteers - List the total number of volunteers and hours worked.
Narratives of success stories - Provide narratives of success stories of services provided and the positive impact on the lives of children and families. Examples may include the following:
Performance Reports for the States are due on an annual basis at the end of the calendar year (December 29). Performance Reports should be sent to: Family Violence Prevention and Services Program Please note that section 303(a)(4) of FVPSA requires HHS to suspend funding for an approved application if any State applicant fails to submit an annual Performance Report or if the funds are expended for purposes other than those set forth under this announcement. Financial Status Reports Grantees must submit annual Financial Status Reports. The first SF-269A is due December 29, 2007. It covers expenditures from date of award through September 30, 2007. The interim SF-269A is due December 29, 2008. The final SF-269A is due December 29, 2009. SF-269A can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/grants_forms.html. Completed reports may be mailed to: Rachel Hickson Grantees have the option of submitting their reports online through the Online Data Collection (OLDC) system at the following address: https://extranet.acf.hhs.gov/ssi. The Division of Mandatory Grants can assist grantees with access to OLDC. Failure to submit reports on time may be a basis for withholding grant funds, suspension or termination of the grant. All funds reported as unobligated after the obligation period will be recouped. VII. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS States will comply with the applicable HHS recordkeeping and reporting requirements and general requirements for the administration of grants under 45 CFR Part 92. Direct Federal grants, sub-award funds, or contracts under this ACF program shall not be used to support inherently religious activities such as religious instruction, worship, or proselytization. Therefore, organizations must take steps to separate, in time or location, their inherently religious activities from the services funded under this program. Regulations pertaining to Equal Treatment for Faith-Based Organizations, which includes the prohibition against Federal funding of inherently religious activities, can be found at the HHS web site at: http://www.hhs.gov/fbci/regs.html. VIII. OTHER INFORMATION FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William D. Riley at (202) 401-5529 or e-mail at WRiley@acf.hhs.gov, or Sunni Knight at (202) 401-5319 or e-mail at GKnight@acf.hhs.gov.
CERTIFICATION REGARDING LOBBYING Certification for Contracts, Grants, Loans, and Cooperative Agreements The undersigned certifies, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, that:
Statement for Loan Guarantees and Loan Insurance If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, “Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying,” in accordance with its instructions. Submission of this statement is a prerequisite for making or entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, U.S. Code. Any person who fails to file the required statement shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such failure.
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CERTIFICATION REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL TOBACCO SMOKE Public Law 103227, Part C Environmental Tobacco Smoke, also known as the Pro Children Act of 1994 (Act), requires that smoking not be permitted in any portion of any indoor routinely owned or leased or contracted for by an entity and used routinely or regularly for provision of health, day care, education, or library services to children under the age of 18, if the services are funded by Federal programs either directly or through State or local governments, by Federal grant, contract, loan, or loan guarantee. The law does not apply to children's services provided in private residences, facilities funded solely by Medicare or Medicaid funds, and portions of facilities used for inpatient drug or alcohol treatment. Failure to comply with the provisions of the law may result in the imposition of a civil monetary penalty of up to $1000 per day and/or the imposition of an administrative compliance order on the responsible entity. By signing and submitting this application the applicant/grantee certifies that it will comply with the requirements of the Act. The applicant/grantee further agrees that it will require the language of this certification be included in any subawards which contain provisions for the children's services and that all subgrantees shall certify accordingly. Appendix CCERTIFICATION REGARDING DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE REQUIREMENTSThis certification is required by the regulations implementing the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988: 45 CFR Part 76, Subpart, F. Sections 76.630(c) and (d)(2) and 76.645(a)(1) and (b) provide that a Federal agency may designate a central receipt point for STATE-WIDE AND STATE AGENCY-WIDE certifications, and for notification of criminal drug convictions. For the Department of Health and Human Services, the central pint is: Division of Grants Management and Oversight, Office of Management and Acquisition, Department of Health and Human Services, Room 517-D, 200 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201. Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements
(B) The grantee may insert in the space provided below the site(s) for the performance of work done in connection with the specific grant: |
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