FEDERAL AGENCY:

OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS, OFFICE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

AUTHORIZATION:

Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 H.R. 3244, Section 107.

OBJECTIVES:

To provide assistance to victims of severe forms of trafficking (i.e., sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery) without regard to the immigration status of the victim. A set aside of the total appropriation for the following purposes is as follows: three percent for research, evaluation, and statistics; two percent for training and technical assistance; and one percent for management and administration of grant funds.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition

Direct Payments for Specified Use. Place Cursor Here for Definition

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

Funding under this program is intended primarily, but not exclusively, to meet victims' pre-certification needs. Pre-certification refers to the period of time between when trafficking victims are initially identified by law enforcement and officially certified by the Federal government as such. Two types of cooperative agreements for victim services will be awarded under this program: a) Comprehensive Services; and b) Supplemental and Specialized Services. Comprehensive Services (a) awards will support the creation and/or enhancement of collaborative networks that will provide comprehensive services for trafficking victims within a given community or region. These awards are intended to build community-based networks of comprehensive, integrated, and culturally appropriate services for trafficking victims. Supplemental and Specialized Services (b) awards will support discrete, rapid response victim services, wherever and whenever trafficking victims are identified. Applicants must demonstrate to capacity to quickly mobilize resources to accommodate the needs of potentially large numbers of victims and the ability to coordinate with other trafficking programs and other service providers. In addition to the two types of cooperative agreements to be awarded under this program, one award of $600,000 will support training and technical assistance to victim service organizations to enhance their services to trafficking victims, and one award of $300,000 will support evaluation of trafficking programs funded by this grant funding program.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   The Attorney General may make grants to States, Indian tribes, units of local government, and nonprofit, non- governmental victims service organizations.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   Eligible victim assistance agencies. Eligibility depends on the nature of the grant but may include a wide variety of public and private nonprofit agencies.

Credentials/Documentation:   Applications for this program must be on Standard Form 424 at a time specified by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs and must contain the following certification and assurances: (1) assure that the applicant will provide such accounting, auditing, monitoring and evaluation procedures as may be necessary, and keep such records as the Office of Justice Programs may prescribe, to assure fiscal control, proper management and efficient disbursement of Federal funds; (2) assure that the applicant will adhere to the audit and financial management requirements set forth in the effective edition of the OJP Financial Guide; (3) assure that the applicant will comply with all applicable nondiscrimination requirements; (4) certify that the applicant will comply with certifications regarding Lobbying, Debarment, Suspension, and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (OJP Form 4061/6); and other responsibility matters; and, (5) certify that the information in the application is correct and that the applicant will comply with all applicable provisions of the Victims of Crime Act and other Federal laws, (including subtitle A, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 1990) regulations, and circulars. Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 or OMB Circular No. A-133.

Pre-application Coordination:   The standard application form furnished by the Federal agency in accordance with 28 CFR, Part 66 (Common Rule) must be used for all grants made by the Office for Victims of Crime. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:   In accordance with the Common Rule, Standard Form 424 must be submitted by nonfederal agencies in applying for funding under this program. These are available from the grantor agency. At the time of submission, an original and two copies are required.

Award Procedure:   Generally awards will be made on a competitive basis with applications reviewed by a panel of subject matter experts who will assess application submissions based on established criteria and forward a recommendation to the Director of the Office for Victims of Crime. The Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs has final approval authority.

Deadlines:   Deadlines will be announced by OVC in its Trafficking Victims Protection Act Discretionary Grant Application Kit and in the Federal Register. For a copy of the Application Kit, please call the OVC Resource Center at 1-800-627-6872, or call the OVC Reply line at (202) 616-1926; or visit the OVC homepage at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   Approximately 2 months.

Appeals:   Hearing by the Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs.

Renewals:   Award are for 12 to 36 months, unless otherwise noted. Funding for this program has been appropriated by Congress for FY 2002 only.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   Eligible applicants must match the Trafficking Victims Protection Act grant program funds with a 25 percent cash contribution or the value equivalent of an in-kind contribution(s). In-kind match refers to the value of something received or provided that does not have a cost associated with it.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   Fiscal Year 2002 Trafficking funds may be carried for obligation by the grantee for the duration of their grant award. Funds are released via electronic funds transfer. Grantees must become enrolled in the Automated Clearinghouse (ACH) Vendor Express Program to request any Federal funds.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   Quarterly financial reports and semi-annual progress reports will be required as stipulated in the effective edition of the OJP Financial Guide. A final financial and program report also will be required.

Audits:   All organizations that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in any fiscal year must have a single audit for that year in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-133, as amended, unless the audit condition on the award says otherwise. These audits are due to the cognizant Federal agency not later than 9 months after the end of the grantee's fiscal year.

Records:   Financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records pertinent to a grant shall be retained for a period of 3 years.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:   15-0404-0-1-754.

Obligations:   (Grants) FY 01 $0; FY 02 est $10,000,000; and FY 03 est $0.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:   OVC anticipates awarding grants ranging from $200,000 to $400,000 for 2 years to support services to trafficking victims. Additional awards to support research and evaluation, and training and technical assistance may be made.

None.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

Discretionary Grant Application Kit and current edition of the OJP Financial Guide, which are available by writing to the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, Department of Justice, 810 Seventh Street, NW., Washington, DC 20531, or calling (202) 307-5983.

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:   None.

Headquarters Office:   Zoe French Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Office of Victims of Crime 810 Seventh Street, NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20531 Phone: 202-305-2601

Web Site Address:  
http://www.ovc.gov

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

(a) Comprehensive Services projects should provide a holistic approach to assisting trafficking victims by either directly providing services or coordinating access to services that provide shelter and sustenance, general health and mental health care, legal services, jobs skills training, cultural support from the community, and educational services. Applicants must establish an advisory committee to guide the project; conduct an assessment of existing community services, resources, and needs; identify key partners including governmental and non-governmental entities; and develop a plan to sustain the project after Federal funding ends. (b) Supplemental and Specialized Services projects must demonstrate capacity to provide discrete services such as legal, housing, or mental health services to trafficking victims with very little notice and lead time within a given geographical area; for fluctuating numbers of victims; for victims with extremely limited resources; for victims from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds; and for victims who have experienced distinct or multiple forms of victimization, including psychical and sexual assault, forced labor, denial of medical care, etc. Programs must collaborate as appropriate with recipients of funding for Comprehensive services, and ensure trafficking victims have access to: emergency and long-term medical and mental health care, legal services including immigration advocacy, interpreter and translation services, social service and criminal justice system-based advocacy, outreach services directed toward immigrant populations, special services for victims who are juveniles, and job skills training.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:

General criteria for selecting proposals have been developed by the Office for Victims of Crime and are included in the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act Discretionary Grant Application Kit and published in the Federal Register.