Post by Moon Seeker on Dec 30, 2007 11:35:39 GMT -5
Family Violence Prevention and Services/Grants for Battered Women's Shelters/Grants to Native American Tribes (Including Alaska Native Villages) and Tribal Organizations
Released : Saturday, December 29, 2007 9:00 AM
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (HHS)
Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
Citation: "72 FR 74309"
Page Number: "74309"
"Notices"
Program Office: Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF), Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB).
I. Description
Legislative Authority: Title III of the Child Abuse Amendments of 1984 (Public Law 98-457, 42 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 Public Law 100-294, the "Child Abuse Prevention, Adoptions, and Family Services Act of 1988;" further amended in 1992 by Public Law 102-295, the "Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Adoption, and Family Services Act;" and then amended in 1994 by Public Law 103-322, the "Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act." FVPSA was amended again in 1996 by Public Law 104-235, the "Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA);" in 2000 by Public Law 106-386, the "Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act," and amended further by Public Law 108-36, the "Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003." FVPSA was most recently amended by Public Law 109-162, the "Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005" as amended by Public Law 109-271, which was enacted on August 17, 2006. FVPSA can be found at 42 U.S.C. 10401 et. seq.
Background
The purpose of this legislation is to assist States and Tribes or Tribal organizations 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 2007, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made 237 grants to States and Tribes or Tribal organizations. HHS also made 53 family violence prevention grant awards to non-profit State domestic violence coalitions.
In addition, HHS supports the Domestic Violence Resource Center Network (DVRN). DVRN consists of 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, the Resource Center for the Elimination of Domestic Violence Against Native Women (Sacred Circle), and the Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence. The purposes of NRC and the SIRCs are 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 everyone 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 for people across the country in need of assistance. 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.
Client Confidentiality
FVPSA programs must establish or implement policies and protocols for maintaining the safety and confidentiality of adult victims of domestic violence and their children. 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, Public Law 109-162, as recently amended by Public Law 109-271. The revised confidentiality provisions impose conditions regarding the disclosure of personally identifying information, confidentiality, information sharing, and compulsory release of information.
National Data Collection and Outcomes Measurement
The need to accurately communicate reliable and appropriate data that captures the impact of domestic violence prevention and intervention efforts and to provide shelters, States, Tribes and State Domestic Violence Coalitions with tools for self-assessment continues through FVPSA Program participation in the Documenting our Work (DOW) Initiative of the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence. In collaboration with our partners at the State FVPSA programs, State Domestic Violence Coalitions, Tribes and Tribal organizations, 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 2007, in concert with State FVPSA administrators, State Domestic Violence Coalitions and local service providers, the FVPSA Program revised and defined the program services reporting components for recipients of FVPSA State Formula Grant funds.
In FY 2008, the FVPSA Program will work with Tribal representatives to assess the applicability of the proposed program reporting procedures and outcome measures for FVPSA Tribal grantees. Tribal representatives will be convened to examine current services and outcome reporting requirements and make recommendations to improve FVPSA Tribal grant performance reporting. Any recommended changes to reporting formats will be communicated through specifically designated workshops, adjunctive discussions at regularly occurring meetings, or through dissemination of program guidance.
General Grant Program Requirements for Tribes or Tribal Organizations
Definitions Tribes and Tribal organizations 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.
Indian Tribe and Tribal organization: Have the same meanings given such terms in subsections (b) and (c), respectively, of section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.
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:
(a) Prevention services such as outreach for victims and their children, assistance to children who witness domestic violence, employment training, parenting, and other educational services for victims and their children, preventive health services within domestic violence programs (including services promoting nutrition, disease prevention, exercise, and prevention of substance abuse), domestic violence prevention programs for school-age children, family violence public awareness campaigns, and violence prevention counseling services to abusers;
(b) Counseling with respect to family violence, counseling or other supportive services by peers individually or in groups, and referral to community social services;
(c) Transportation, technical assistance with respect to obtaining financial assistance under Federal and State programs, and referrals for appropriate health-care services (including alcohol and drug abuse treatment), but shall not include reimbursement for any health-care services;
(d) Legal advocacy to provide victims with information and assistance through the civil and criminal courts, and legal assistance; or
(e) Children's counseling and support services, child care services for children who are victims of family violence or the dependents of such victims, and children who witness domestic violence.
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. The physical and cultural obstacles existing in much of Indian country compound the basic dynamics of domestic violence. Barriers such as the isolation of vast rural areas, the concern for safety in isolated settings, and the transportation requirements over long distances heighten the need for the coordination of the services through an often limited delivery system. It is estimated that between 12 percent and 35 percent of injured women visiting emergency rooms are there because of battery. In a project intended to broaden the reach of the Native American domestic violence community, the Indian Health Service (IHS) and FVPSA have collaborated to oversee the development of domestic violence community projects. These projects are designed to develop improved health care responses to domestic violence and to facilitate collaboration between the local health care system and local American Indian and Alaskan Native domestic violence advocacy programs. In this effort, IHS also is collaborating with representatives of Mending the Sacred Hoop, Cangleska, Inc., and the Family Violence Prevention Fund to provide training, technical assistance, and oversight to the pilot projects.
To help bring about a more effective response to the problem of domestic violence, HHS urges Tribes and Tribal organizations 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.
Annual Tribal Grantee Conference
FVPSA grant administrators should plan to attend the annual Tribal Grantee Conference. Subsequent correspondence will advise the Tribal FVPSA Administrators of the date, time, and location of the grantee conference.
II. Funds Available
For FY 2008, HHS will make available for grants to designated State agencies 70 percent of the amount appropriated under section 310(a)(1) of the FVPSA, which is not reserved under section 310(a)(2). In this separate announcement, 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. HHS also plans to make 10 percent of the foregoing appropriation available to 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 to encourage appropriate responses to domestic violence within the States.
Five percent of the amount appropriated under section 310(a)(1) of the FVPSA, which is not reserved under section 310(a)(2), will be available in FY 2008 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.
Native American Tribal Allocations
Native American Tribes and Tribal organizations are eligible for funding under this program if they meet the definition of "Indian Tribe" or "Tribal organization" at 25 U.S.C. 450b, and if they are able to demonstrate their capacity to carry out family violence prevention and services programs. Any Tribe that believes it meets the eligibility criteria should provide supportive documentation in its application and a request for inclusion on the list of eligible Tribes. (See Section IV. Application Requirements for Tribes or Tribal Organizations.)
In computing Tribal allocations, we will use the latest available population figures from the Census Bureau. Where Census Bureau data are unavailable, we will use figures from the Bureau of Indian Affairs' (BIA's) Indian Population and Labor Force Report.
Because section 304 of FVPSA specifies a minimum base amount for State allocations, we have set a base amount for Tribal allocations. Since FY 1986, we have found, in practice, that the establishment of a base amount has facilitated our efforts to make a fair and equitable distribution of limited grant funds. The funding formula for the allocation of family violence funds is as follows. Tribes that meet the application requirements and whose reservation and surrounding Tribal Trust Lands' population is:
* less than or equal to 1,500 will receive a minimum base amount of $1,500;
* between 1,501 and 3,000 will receive a minimum base amount of $3,000;
* between 3,001 and 4,000 will receive a minimum base amount of $4,000; and,
* between 4,001 and 5,000 will receive a minimum base amount of $5,000.
The minimum base amounts are computed in relation to the Tribe's population and the progression of an additional $1,000 per 1,000 persons if the population range continues until the Tribe's population reaches 50,000. Tribes with a population of 50,000 to 100,000 will receive a minimum of $50,000 and Tribes with a population of 100,001 to 150,000 will receive a minimum of $100,000.
Once the base amounts have been distributed to the Tribes that have applied for FVPSA funding, the ratio of the Tribe's population to the total population of all the applicant Tribes is then considered in allocating the remainder of the funds. We have accounted for the variance in actual population and scope of the FVPSA programs with the distribution of a proportional amount plus a base amount to the Tribes. In FY 2007, actual grant awards ranged from $26,709 to $2,337,036. Tribes are encouraged to apply for FVPSA funding as a consortium. Tribal consortia consist of groups of Tribes who agree to apply for and administer a single FVPSA grant with one Tribe or Tribal organization responsible for grant administration. In a Tribal consortium, the population of the Tribal Trust Land for all of the Tribes involved will be used to calculate the award amount.
Expenditure Periods
The 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 2008 funds may be used for expenditures from October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2009. Funds are available for obligation only through September 30, 2008, and must be liquidated by September 30, 2009.
Reallotted funds, if any, are available for expenditure until the end of the fiscal year following the fiscal year that the funds became available for reallotment. FY 2008 grant funds that are made available to Tribes and Tribal organizations through reallotment must be expended by the grantee no later than September 30, 2009.
III. Eligibility
Tribes and Tribal organizations are eligible for funding under this program if they meet the definition of "Indian Tribe" or "Tribal organization" set forth in section 450B of Title 25 and if they are able to demonstrate their capacity to carry out a family violence prevention and services program. Any Tribe or Tribal organization that believes it meets the eligibility criteria and should be included in the list of eligible Tribes should provide supportive documentation and a request for inclusion in its application. (See Application Content Requirements below.) Tribes may apply singularly or as a consortium. In addition, through the resolution submitted by a Tribe, a non-profit private organization (including faith-based and community organizations) may operate the grant project on behalf of the Tribe.
Additional Information on Eligibility
D-U-N-S Requirement
All applicants must have a D&B Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S) number. On June 27, 2003, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published in the Federal Register a new Federal policy applicable to all Federal grant applicants. The policy requires Federal grant applicants to provide a D-U-N-S number when applying for Federal grants or cooperative agreements on or after October 1, 2003. The D-U-N-S number will be required whether an applicant is submitting a paper application or using the government-wide electronic portal, www.Grants.gov. A D-U-N-S number will be required for every application for a new award or renewal/continuation of an award, including applications or plans under formula, entitlement, and block grant programs, submitted on or after October 1, 2003.
Please ensure that the applicant 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 you may request a number on-line at www.dnb.com.
IV. Application Requirements for Tribes and Tribal Organizations
The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. 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 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 application from the Tribe or Tribal organization must be signed by the Chief Executive Officer or Tribal Chairperson of the applicant organization. Each application must contain the following information or documentation:
1. The name of the organization or agency and the Chief Program Official designated as responsible for administering funds under FVPSA and coordinating related programs, and the name, telephone number, and fax number, if available, of a contact person in the designated organization or agency.
2. A copy of a current resolution stating that the designated organization or agency has the authority to submit an application on behalf of the individuals in the Tribe(s) and to administer programs and activities funded under this program (section 303(b)(2).
3. A description of the procedures designed to involve knowledgeable individuals and interested organizations in providing services under FVPSA (section 303(b)(2). For example, knowledgeable individuals and interested organizations may include: Tribal officials or social services staff involved in child abuse or family violence prevention, Tribal law enforcement officials, representatives of State coalitions against domestic violence, faith-based and community organizations, and operators of family violence shelters and service programs.
4. A description of the applicant's operation of and/or capacity to carry out a family violence prevention and services program. This might be demonstrated in ways such as the following:
(a) The current operation of a shelter, safe house, or family violence prevention program;
(b) The establishment of joint or collaborative service agreements with a local public agency or a private non-profit agency for the operation of family violence prevention activities or services; or
(c) The operation of social services programs as evidenced by receipt of "638" contracts with BIA; Title II Indian Child Welfare grants from BIA; Child Welfare Services grants under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act; or Family Preservation and Family Support grants under title IV-B of the Social Security Act.
5. A description of the services to be provided, how the applicant organization plans to use the grant funds to provide the direct services, to whom the services will be provided, and the expected results of the services.
6. Documentation that procedures have been developed and implemented to assure the confidentiality of records pertaining to any individual provided family violence prevention or treatment services by any program assisted under FVPSA (section 303(a)(2)(E).
7. The Employee Identification Number (EIN) of the applicant organization submitting the application.
Continues...
Released : Saturday, December 29, 2007 9:00 AM
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (HHS)
Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
Citation: "72 FR 74309"
Page Number: "74309"
"Notices"
Program Office: Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF), Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB).
I. Description
Legislative Authority: Title III of the Child Abuse Amendments of 1984 (Public Law 98-457, 42 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 Public Law 100-294, the "Child Abuse Prevention, Adoptions, and Family Services Act of 1988;" further amended in 1992 by Public Law 102-295, the "Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Adoption, and Family Services Act;" and then amended in 1994 by Public Law 103-322, the "Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act." FVPSA was amended again in 1996 by Public Law 104-235, the "Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA);" in 2000 by Public Law 106-386, the "Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act," and amended further by Public Law 108-36, the "Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003." FVPSA was most recently amended by Public Law 109-162, the "Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005" as amended by Public Law 109-271, which was enacted on August 17, 2006. FVPSA can be found at 42 U.S.C. 10401 et. seq.
Background
The purpose of this legislation is to assist States and Tribes or Tribal organizations 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 2007, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made 237 grants to States and Tribes or Tribal organizations. HHS also made 53 family violence prevention grant awards to non-profit State domestic violence coalitions.
In addition, HHS supports the Domestic Violence Resource Center Network (DVRN). DVRN consists of 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, the Resource Center for the Elimination of Domestic Violence Against Native Women (Sacred Circle), and the Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence. The purposes of NRC and the SIRCs are 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 everyone 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 for people across the country in need of assistance. 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.
Client Confidentiality
FVPSA programs must establish or implement policies and protocols for maintaining the safety and confidentiality of adult victims of domestic violence and their children. 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, Public Law 109-162, as recently amended by Public Law 109-271. The revised confidentiality provisions impose conditions regarding the disclosure of personally identifying information, confidentiality, information sharing, and compulsory release of information.
National Data Collection and Outcomes Measurement
The need to accurately communicate reliable and appropriate data that captures the impact of domestic violence prevention and intervention efforts and to provide shelters, States, Tribes and State Domestic Violence Coalitions with tools for self-assessment continues through FVPSA Program participation in the Documenting our Work (DOW) Initiative of the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence. In collaboration with our partners at the State FVPSA programs, State Domestic Violence Coalitions, Tribes and Tribal organizations, 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 2007, in concert with State FVPSA administrators, State Domestic Violence Coalitions and local service providers, the FVPSA Program revised and defined the program services reporting components for recipients of FVPSA State Formula Grant funds.
In FY 2008, the FVPSA Program will work with Tribal representatives to assess the applicability of the proposed program reporting procedures and outcome measures for FVPSA Tribal grantees. Tribal representatives will be convened to examine current services and outcome reporting requirements and make recommendations to improve FVPSA Tribal grant performance reporting. Any recommended changes to reporting formats will be communicated through specifically designated workshops, adjunctive discussions at regularly occurring meetings, or through dissemination of program guidance.
General Grant Program Requirements for Tribes or Tribal Organizations
Definitions Tribes and Tribal organizations 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.
Indian Tribe and Tribal organization: Have the same meanings given such terms in subsections (b) and (c), respectively, of section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.
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:
(a) Prevention services such as outreach for victims and their children, assistance to children who witness domestic violence, employment training, parenting, and other educational services for victims and their children, preventive health services within domestic violence programs (including services promoting nutrition, disease prevention, exercise, and prevention of substance abuse), domestic violence prevention programs for school-age children, family violence public awareness campaigns, and violence prevention counseling services to abusers;
(b) Counseling with respect to family violence, counseling or other supportive services by peers individually or in groups, and referral to community social services;
(c) Transportation, technical assistance with respect to obtaining financial assistance under Federal and State programs, and referrals for appropriate health-care services (including alcohol and drug abuse treatment), but shall not include reimbursement for any health-care services;
(d) Legal advocacy to provide victims with information and assistance through the civil and criminal courts, and legal assistance; or
(e) Children's counseling and support services, child care services for children who are victims of family violence or the dependents of such victims, and children who witness domestic violence.
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. The physical and cultural obstacles existing in much of Indian country compound the basic dynamics of domestic violence. Barriers such as the isolation of vast rural areas, the concern for safety in isolated settings, and the transportation requirements over long distances heighten the need for the coordination of the services through an often limited delivery system. It is estimated that between 12 percent and 35 percent of injured women visiting emergency rooms are there because of battery. In a project intended to broaden the reach of the Native American domestic violence community, the Indian Health Service (IHS) and FVPSA have collaborated to oversee the development of domestic violence community projects. These projects are designed to develop improved health care responses to domestic violence and to facilitate collaboration between the local health care system and local American Indian and Alaskan Native domestic violence advocacy programs. In this effort, IHS also is collaborating with representatives of Mending the Sacred Hoop, Cangleska, Inc., and the Family Violence Prevention Fund to provide training, technical assistance, and oversight to the pilot projects.
To help bring about a more effective response to the problem of domestic violence, HHS urges Tribes and Tribal organizations 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.
Annual Tribal Grantee Conference
FVPSA grant administrators should plan to attend the annual Tribal Grantee Conference. Subsequent correspondence will advise the Tribal FVPSA Administrators of the date, time, and location of the grantee conference.
II. Funds Available
For FY 2008, HHS will make available for grants to designated State agencies 70 percent of the amount appropriated under section 310(a)(1) of the FVPSA, which is not reserved under section 310(a)(2). In this separate announcement, 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. HHS also plans to make 10 percent of the foregoing appropriation available to 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 to encourage appropriate responses to domestic violence within the States.
Five percent of the amount appropriated under section 310(a)(1) of the FVPSA, which is not reserved under section 310(a)(2), will be available in FY 2008 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.
Native American Tribal Allocations
Native American Tribes and Tribal organizations are eligible for funding under this program if they meet the definition of "Indian Tribe" or "Tribal organization" at 25 U.S.C. 450b, and if they are able to demonstrate their capacity to carry out family violence prevention and services programs. Any Tribe that believes it meets the eligibility criteria should provide supportive documentation in its application and a request for inclusion on the list of eligible Tribes. (See Section IV. Application Requirements for Tribes or Tribal Organizations.)
In computing Tribal allocations, we will use the latest available population figures from the Census Bureau. Where Census Bureau data are unavailable, we will use figures from the Bureau of Indian Affairs' (BIA's) Indian Population and Labor Force Report.
Because section 304 of FVPSA specifies a minimum base amount for State allocations, we have set a base amount for Tribal allocations. Since FY 1986, we have found, in practice, that the establishment of a base amount has facilitated our efforts to make a fair and equitable distribution of limited grant funds. The funding formula for the allocation of family violence funds is as follows. Tribes that meet the application requirements and whose reservation and surrounding Tribal Trust Lands' population is:
* less than or equal to 1,500 will receive a minimum base amount of $1,500;
* between 1,501 and 3,000 will receive a minimum base amount of $3,000;
* between 3,001 and 4,000 will receive a minimum base amount of $4,000; and,
* between 4,001 and 5,000 will receive a minimum base amount of $5,000.
The minimum base amounts are computed in relation to the Tribe's population and the progression of an additional $1,000 per 1,000 persons if the population range continues until the Tribe's population reaches 50,000. Tribes with a population of 50,000 to 100,000 will receive a minimum of $50,000 and Tribes with a population of 100,001 to 150,000 will receive a minimum of $100,000.
Once the base amounts have been distributed to the Tribes that have applied for FVPSA funding, the ratio of the Tribe's population to the total population of all the applicant Tribes is then considered in allocating the remainder of the funds. We have accounted for the variance in actual population and scope of the FVPSA programs with the distribution of a proportional amount plus a base amount to the Tribes. In FY 2007, actual grant awards ranged from $26,709 to $2,337,036. Tribes are encouraged to apply for FVPSA funding as a consortium. Tribal consortia consist of groups of Tribes who agree to apply for and administer a single FVPSA grant with one Tribe or Tribal organization responsible for grant administration. In a Tribal consortium, the population of the Tribal Trust Land for all of the Tribes involved will be used to calculate the award amount.
Expenditure Periods
The 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 2008 funds may be used for expenditures from October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2009. Funds are available for obligation only through September 30, 2008, and must be liquidated by September 30, 2009.
Reallotted funds, if any, are available for expenditure until the end of the fiscal year following the fiscal year that the funds became available for reallotment. FY 2008 grant funds that are made available to Tribes and Tribal organizations through reallotment must be expended by the grantee no later than September 30, 2009.
III. Eligibility
Tribes and Tribal organizations are eligible for funding under this program if they meet the definition of "Indian Tribe" or "Tribal organization" set forth in section 450B of Title 25 and if they are able to demonstrate their capacity to carry out a family violence prevention and services program. Any Tribe or Tribal organization that believes it meets the eligibility criteria and should be included in the list of eligible Tribes should provide supportive documentation and a request for inclusion in its application. (See Application Content Requirements below.) Tribes may apply singularly or as a consortium. In addition, through the resolution submitted by a Tribe, a non-profit private organization (including faith-based and community organizations) may operate the grant project on behalf of the Tribe.
Additional Information on Eligibility
D-U-N-S Requirement
All applicants must have a D&B Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S) number. On June 27, 2003, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published in the Federal Register a new Federal policy applicable to all Federal grant applicants. The policy requires Federal grant applicants to provide a D-U-N-S number when applying for Federal grants or cooperative agreements on or after October 1, 2003. The D-U-N-S number will be required whether an applicant is submitting a paper application or using the government-wide electronic portal, www.Grants.gov. A D-U-N-S number will be required for every application for a new award or renewal/continuation of an award, including applications or plans under formula, entitlement, and block grant programs, submitted on or after October 1, 2003.
Please ensure that the applicant 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 you may request a number on-line at www.dnb.com.
IV. Application Requirements for Tribes and Tribal Organizations
The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. 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 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 application from the Tribe or Tribal organization must be signed by the Chief Executive Officer or Tribal Chairperson of the applicant organization. Each application must contain the following information or documentation:
1. The name of the organization or agency and the Chief Program Official designated as responsible for administering funds under FVPSA and coordinating related programs, and the name, telephone number, and fax number, if available, of a contact person in the designated organization or agency.
2. A copy of a current resolution stating that the designated organization or agency has the authority to submit an application on behalf of the individuals in the Tribe(s) and to administer programs and activities funded under this program (section 303(b)(2).
3. A description of the procedures designed to involve knowledgeable individuals and interested organizations in providing services under FVPSA (section 303(b)(2). For example, knowledgeable individuals and interested organizations may include: Tribal officials or social services staff involved in child abuse or family violence prevention, Tribal law enforcement officials, representatives of State coalitions against domestic violence, faith-based and community organizations, and operators of family violence shelters and service programs.
4. A description of the applicant's operation of and/or capacity to carry out a family violence prevention and services program. This might be demonstrated in ways such as the following:
(a) The current operation of a shelter, safe house, or family violence prevention program;
(b) The establishment of joint or collaborative service agreements with a local public agency or a private non-profit agency for the operation of family violence prevention activities or services; or
(c) The operation of social services programs as evidenced by receipt of "638" contracts with BIA; Title II Indian Child Welfare grants from BIA; Child Welfare Services grants under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act; or Family Preservation and Family Support grants under title IV-B of the Social Security Act.
5. A description of the services to be provided, how the applicant organization plans to use the grant funds to provide the direct services, to whom the services will be provided, and the expected results of the services.
6. Documentation that procedures have been developed and implemented to assure the confidentiality of records pertaining to any individual provided family violence prevention or treatment services by any program assisted under FVPSA (section 303(a)(2)(E).
7. The Employee Identification Number (EIN) of the applicant organization submitting the application.
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