Request for Grant Application FY 2009/2010 DPS-VOCA CRIME VICTIM ASSISTANCE GRANTS Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Assistance Funds CFDA 16.575 The Department of Public Safety's Administration of VOCA Funds The mission of the Department of Public Safety's Crime Victim Services Unit (DPS/CVS) is to support the provision of a full range of direct services to victims of crime in Arizona. This is accomplished by assisting, training, and monitoring crime victim service providers throughout the state. It is enabled by the Federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) assistance grant. What is the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA)? The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) was signed into law in 1984. The Act created a fund, administered by the Department of Justice, for victim assistance grants to the states. Federal funding received for victim service programs varies from year to year, depending on the amount of federal fines collected, using no tax dollars. What Will This FY 2009/2010 Request for Grant Application Fund? VOCA requires that priority shall be given to victims of sexual abuse, domestic abuse, child abuse, and previously underserved populations, with a minimum of 10% of each federal fiscal year's grant being allocated to each of these crime victim categories. A crime victim is defined as a person who has suffered physical, sexual, financial, or emotional harm resulting from the commission of a crime. Eligible nonprofit and government programs providing direct dedicated services include, but are not limited to, sexual assault victims, survivors of homicide victims, victims of robbery, DUI accident victims, domestic violence victims, and physically and sexually abused children. Direct services are defined as those efforts that assist victims with emotional and physical needs to stabilize their lives, provide a measure of safety and security, and enhance victims' experiences within the criminal and juvenile justice systems. The following cannot be funded with VOCA or matching funds: administrative/clerical positions, grant writing, protocol development, criminal justice investigative efforts, needs assessment, prevention or offender related programs, or mandated services. To receive VOCA funding, the agency must already be a proven service provider. The intent of the DPS-VOCA project is not to overlap the Department of Economic Security, Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, or the Attorney General's Office grants in supporting basic shelter services or criminal justice notification requirements. Rather its emphasis is to support program enhancements to assist victims in achieving positive outcomes in four basic need areas: Healing, Safety, Justice, and Economic Restabilization.
Award Period Award Agreements that are issued as the result of this Request for Grant Application will be for a term of July 1, 2009 thru June 30, 2010. These agreements may be renewed for an additional year at the awarded amount, contingent upon funding availability, satisfactory performance and demonstrated need. It is anticipated that between 7.2 and 7.6 million dollars will be available for the FY 2009/2010 award. The point value of each evaluation criteria/factor of the application is as follows: FORMS SECTION Screen Title Applicant Summary Certification Information Agency Service Information Jurisdiction Prorate VOCA Project Funds Source of Funding
Points 5 5 5 5 5 10
NARRATIVE SECTION Screen Title Victim Services Summary Volunteer Detail Problem Statement and Victim Needs Project Summary Administrative Capacity Interagency Coordination Community Collaboration Other Local Services Performance Measures BUDGET SECTION Screen Title Match Budget Summary Budget Prioritization and Justification
Points 20 20 50 25 50 30 15 15 150
Points 25 75 40
To be eligible for funding, each set of factors in FORMS, NARRATIVE, and BUDGET sections have minimum passing requirements. In each section there can be no one score equal to or less than 33% or any two scores equal to or less than 50%. A total score of at least 70% (385 points) is required for funding. For further information, contact the Crime Victim Services Unit Manager, Chuck LeBlanc, via email at cleblanc@azdps.gov or (602) 223-2480.
VOCA VICTIM ASSISTANCE GRANT FUNDING SCHEDULE: February 23, 2009 Request for Grant Application Announcement March 12, 2009 Pre-Application Conference April 6, 2009 Application Deadline/Public Reading of Submissions May 30, 2009 Funding Recommendations Finalized July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010 VOCA Agreement Fiscal Year
Applicants are urged to develop proposals that are concise, clearly written and contain eligible activities outlined in the Application Instruction Screens and DPS-VOCA Guidelines. A pre-application conference will be held on March 12, 2009 at AZ POST. Two sessions will be held; a morning class (9-12) and an afternoon class (1-4). All applicants who wish to attend the pre-application conference must register on-line through the Webbased Automated Grants System (WAGS) after an application has been requested. Prior to the conference, attendees are encouraged to review the guidelines and identify potential questions to be addressed during the conference. Attendees are asked to bring their own copy of the guidelines to the conference as copies will not be provided. The DPS-VOCA Guidelines (Effective 2/2007) can be located in the Public Forms and Information section of the WAGS System. DPS is an Equal Employment Opportunity Agency.