Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) Grant Training Workshop for FY 2011 Violent Crimes Against Women Criminal Justice and Training Projects -

Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) Grant Training Workshop for FY 2011 Violent Crimes Against Women Criminal Justice and Training Projects - Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, and Stalking Funding Opportunity

Tuesday, January 12, 1010

Conducted by

Michelle Casanova, Assistant Director, Community and Economic DevelopmentErica Linneman, Criminal Justice Planner

1-12-2010 FY VAWA CJ & TP Grant Training Workshop

All material covered today will be posted on CAPCOG’s website at: www.capcog.org under the Community and Economic Development Department, Planning for Criminal Justice Related Activities.


CAPCOG/CJD Overview

http://www.capcog.org/

CAPCOG/CJD Overview

CAPCOG CONTACTS


Michelle Casanova, Assistant Director,

Community and Economic Development

[email protected](512) 916-6163

Erica Linneman, Criminal Justice [email protected]

(512) 916-6047

Include Grant Number and Project Name in all

Correspondence

Mailing Address: 6800 Burleson Road

Building 310, Suite 165, Austin, TX 78744

CAPCOG Website:www.capcog.org

mailto:[email protected]



CAPCOG/CJD Overview

CJD CONTACTS


Angie [email protected]

CJD Main Number:(512) 463-1919

CJD Fax Number:(512) 475-2440

Include Grant Number and Project Name in all

Correspondence

eGrants Home Page:https://cjdonline.governor.state.

tx.us

Email Address for eGrants Help Desk:

[email protected]


https://cjdonline.governor.state.tx.us/



VAWA Criminal Justice and Training Program

Issues to Consider:

The activities that fall under this funding opportunity are focused on law enforcement, prosecution, and courts, not direct services to adult female victims.

Note: Organizations voluntarily including matching funds that exceed the minimum match requirement, will be held to that amount throughout the grant period.



CAPCOG VAWA CJ & TP Application Requirements: This information is posted in the FY 2011 CJAC Policy Statement

– This is a competitive grant that requires a new application for each year of funding desired.

– No limit or maximum number of years of funding, provided funds are available and application receives qualifying scores from the CJAC

– Decreasing Fund Ratio: No – FY 2011 funding caps and other application specifications,

if applicable, will be posted on the CAPCOG website: www.capcog.org




VAWA CJ & TP Program Purpose:

To assist in developing and strengthening effective law enforcement, prosecution and court strategies to combat family violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking crimes against women and to develop and strengthen victim services in such cases.



• Application Process: Applicants can access CJD’s eGrants website at https://cjdonline.governor.state.tx.us to register and apply for funding.

• Available Funding: Federal funding is authorized for these projects under the Violence Against Women Act of 2005 (VAWA 2005) 42 U.S.C. 3796gg through 3796gg-5 as amended. Congress has not finalized federal appropriations for federal fiscal year 2010. All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated federal funds and any modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by law.

• Funding Levels: Minimum grant award - $5,000




• Required Match: Grantees, other than Native American tribes and non-profit, non-governmental victim service providers, must provide matching funds of at least thirty-five percent (35%) of total project expenditures. This requirement may be met through either cash or in-kind contributions or a combination of both.

• Standards: Grantees must comply with all statutes, requirements, and guidelines cited in the Texas Administrative Code (1 TAC Chapter 3) applicable to this funding.



• Project Period: Grant-funded projects may begin on or after September 1, 2010, and expire on or before August 31, 2011.

• Preferences: Preference will be given to applicants that promote comprehensive victim restoration while incorporating an emphasis on cultural competency in underserved populations. Applicants are also encouraged to streamline administrative and reporting processes by consolidating grant requests whenever possible in lieu of submitting multiple applications.



• Program Emphasis: Applicant agrees to implement comprehensive strategies that are sensitive to the concerns and safety of the victims and hold offenders accountable for their crimes. Applicants must indicate the percentage of their project that benefits Victim Services, Law Enforcement, Prosecution, Courts or other areas. Program emphasis decisions should be made based on the beneficiary of the funded activities. For example, a victim services coalition who provides training to police throughout the state would fall under the “law enforcement” category because the training is to benefit law enforcement.



Eligible Applicants:

Community Supervision and Corrections Departments; Councils of Governments (COGs); Crime Control and Prevention Districts; Indian Tribal Governments; Nonprofit Corporations; Senior Universities and Colleges; State Agencies; and Units of Local Governments.



Eligible Activities:

Court Services/Improvements (including specialized courts except drug courts); Crisis Services; Forensic Interviews; Investigation; Legal Advocacy; Multi-Disciplinary Teams and Case Coordination; Peer Support Groups; Professional Therapy and Counseling; Prosecution; Protective Order Assistance; Public Presentations; Shelter; Training; and Victim-Offender Meetings.




Program Requirements:

Applicants agree to promote collaboration and coordination among local service systems that involve multiple disciplines and support a seamless delivery of a continuum of services that focus on each individual's return of physical, mental, and emotional health to the fullest extent possible while incorporating an emphasis on cultural competency in underserved populations.




Applicants must explain how their organization is culturally competent when providing services to victims. Here are some guidelines to follow:

Victim service providers must have the ability to blend cultural knowledge and sensitivity with victim restoration skills for a more effective and culturally appropriate recovery process. Cultural competency occurs when:

cultural knowledge, awareness and sensitivity are integrated into action and policy;

the service is relevant to the needs of the community and provided by trained staff, board members, and management; and

an advocate or organization recognizes each client is different with different needs, feelings, ideas and barriers.




Applicant agrees to implement comprehensive strategies that are sensitive to the concerns and safety of the victims and hold offenders accountable for their crimes. Applicants must indicate the percentage of their project that benefits Victim Services, Law Enforcement, Prosecution, Courts or other areas. Program emphasis decisions should be made based on the beneficiary of the funded activities. For example, a victim services coalition who provides training to police throughout the state would fall under the "law enforcement" category because the training is to benefit law enforcement.




Applicants must certify that they will comply with all requirements regarding the following:

Forensic Medical Examination Payments Polygraph Testing Prohibition Protection Orders Judicial Notification Criminal Charges Nondisclosure of Confidential or Private Information


Closing Date for Receipt of Applications:

All applications must be certified and submitted via CJD’s eGrants website

on or before Friday, March 5, 2010 by

11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time



Selection Process for eligible Local and Regional Projects:

Applications will be forwarded by CJD to the appropriate regional council of governments (COG).

1. The COG’s criminal justice advisory committee (CJAC) will prioritize all eligible applications based on identified community and/or comprehensive planning, cost and program effectiveness.

2. CJD will accept priority listings that are approved by the COG’s executive committee.

3. CJD will make all funding decisions based on approved COG priorities, reasonableness of the project, availability of funding and cost-effectiveness.



Selection Process for State Discretionary Projects:

Applications will be reviewed by CJD staff members or a group selected by the executive director of CJD. CJDwill make all final funding decisions based on eligibility, reasonableness of the project, availability of funding, and cost-effectiveness.


Criminal Justice Advisory Committee (CJAC) Application Review and Prioritization

The CJAC is a volunteer committee comprised of a multi-disciplinary representation of members from the region per the requirements of the Governor’s Office, CJD.

These discipline areas include citizens or parents, drug abuse prevention, education, juvenile justice, law enforcement, mental health, nonprofit organizations, prosecution/courts, and victim services.



The CJAC will consider the following factors when scoring and prioritizing applications:

– Any state strategies identified by CJD; – Priorities identified within the region by the COG resulting

from the strategic and community planning process; – Participation in a local community planning process or a

priority as identified in the current community plan; – Eligibility, reasonableness, and cost-effectiveness of the

proposed project; and – Current COG policies and procedures, and– The availability of funding.



The FY 2011 CJAC Policy Statement outlines the application review process.

The FY 2011 CJAC Policy Statement can be found on the CAPCOG website at the following link:http://www.capcog.org/divisions/community-and-economic-development/planning-criminal-justice/


http://www.capcog.org/divisions/community-and-economic-development/planning-criminal-justice/

http://www.capcog.org/divisions/community-and-economic-development/planning-criminal-justice/

BREAK10 MINUTES

.


eGrants Application and Submission Process

Have the Following Items Available Before Beginning Your Application:

Federal ID Number Completed Budget in Spreadsheet Format The Names and Email Addresses for the

Authorized Official, the Financial Officer, the Project Director, and the Grant Writer

.



Authorized Official (AO)

• Appointed/authorized by the governing body of the organization.

• Authorized to apply for, accept, reject, alter, or terminate the grant.

• Generally the county judge, mayor, city manager, chair of non-profit, etc.

• Has ability to complete and submit Financial Status Reports (FSR).

.



Financial Officer (FO)

• Required to be the chief financial officer for the grantee agency.

• Responsible for maintaining financial records to account for all grant funds.

• Responsible for requesting funds and the completion of required financial reporting at least quarterly in eGrants.

. 1-12-2010 FY VAWA CJ & TP Grant Training Workshop


Project Director (PD)

• Responsible for day-to-day operations of project.

• May have a different Project Director per agency grant.

• Must be an employee of the grantee agency.

• Responsible for required programmatic reporting.

. 1-12-2010 FY VAWA CJ & TP Grant Training Workshop


Grant Writer

• Responsible for entering information into the eGrants application.

• Will submit the application which releases it to the Authorized Official.

• Will no longer have access to the application once they have submitted it.

• Will not receive email notifications about the status of the application.

.



Defining the Problem Statement

A problem statement is a clear and concise statement that describes the symptoms of the problem to be addressed

1. Define the problem: In the problem statement, identify the need and define the problem in specific terms.

2. Identify where the problem is appearing.

3. Describe the size of the problem: The size of the problem must be described in measurable terms.

4. Describe the impact the problem is having on the organization: The description of the problem’s impact on the organization should be as specific as possible.



Avoid the following common errors:

The problem statement should not address more than one problem.

The problem statement should not assign a cause.

The problem statement should not assign blame.

The problem statement should not offer a solution.



Common Preliminary Review Report (PRR) Remarks:

Must be a clear and concise statement that describes the symptoms of the problem to be addressed.

The current text is too wordy and does not clearly state what exactly needs to be addressed through the requested purchase.

Spelling and grammar matter, so please review all text throughout the application and correct as necessary.

Rewrite and clearly express the problem that requires the purchase you are requesting.


Problem Statement


Supporting Documentation

Provide current, locally relevant, grant-specific statistical evidence with sources.

Must be tied to a local problem/need

Data must be applicable to the project and the project area.




Current local crime statistics must be used to support the need for the requested equipment.

This data must substantiate the Problem Statement. Please refer to the Statistical Overviews on the CAPCOG website,

www.capcog.org, under Community and Economic Development, Criminal Justice, for information that can be used in this section.


Supporting Data


Common Preliminary Review Report (PRR) Remarks Continued:

Misspelled words and grammatical errors in the supporting data. Please review and revise.

These is conflicting data concerning the number of calls received each month that should be clarified.

Consider entering data that documents number of calls increasing over time.


Supporting Data


Community Plan

Identify what needs/priorities in the Community Plan will be addressed with this project.



This section should address how the project fits into the regional community plan, rather than establish a new plan of action. Please review your community plan and identify the elements of the plan addressed by this project.

Note: The most recently updated community plans for CAPCOG Region 12 are located on the CAPCOG website under Community and Economic Development, Planning for Criminal Justice Related Activities.

Community Plans



(For Regional Projects Only): Since this is a regional project, this section must contain information from all community plans for criminal justice-related activities for each area that your project will provide services in. You will need to specify which priorities from each plan this project will address. Please refer to these plans that are located on the CAPCOG website, www.capcog.org, under Community and Economic Development, Criminal Justice, for information that can be used in this section.


Community Plans



The goal statement should impact the problem statement. Please revise this section after you have revised the information in the Problem Statement section.

Contains some grammatical errors and provides problem statement information. This section should provide a concise goal of the project. The first two sentences should be edited to establish the goal statement.


Goal Statement


Cooperative Working Agreements (CWA)

Does not involve an exchange of funds. Must be obtained when a grantee intends to carry out a grant

project through collaborating or participating with one or more outside organizations.

Must obtain authorized approval signatures on the CWA from each participating organization.

Does not need to be uploaded into eGrants. Applicants must only maintain copy in their records.




CWA's are required ONLY when a collaborative effort is present in the implementation of a grant project where there is NO exchange of funds or equipment.

If you are going to give funds/equipment to another agency, you will need to delete the text in this field and create an inter-local agreement or Memorandum of Understanding with them.


Cooperative Working Agreements (CWA)



Provide a brief description of how the activity is performed, not just how much each item will cost.

Be brief and concise with your response.


Activities


Target Population Who will be served? Who will benefit from the activities of this project? Be as specific as possible Information provided must support the details provided in the

‘Narrative’ section of the application.

Common Preliminary Review Report (PRR) Remarks: Target Audience – this should be the group that benefits directly from

project activities. Gender – Specify if youth and/or adults are being served. Special Characteristics - Remove current text as it does not belong

under this section.


Target Group and Population


Measures

Section collects data to track the performance of the proposed project toward its stated objectives.

Outcome Measures demonstrate the impact of a project in a targeted area, reflecting the extent to which the goals and objectives of the project have been achieved.

Both Outcome and Output Measures should have realistic and reasonable target levels and be relevant to the project.

Do not create a Custom Performance Measure. Utilize

the CJD-Defined Measure Information only.




Improved program quality should not be zero. The agency should at least demonstrate improvement or progress

with the original situation due to the impact of the new equipment.


Measures


CJD Approved Budget Categories


Personnel

Contractual / Professional

Services

Travel

Indirect CostsConstruction

Supplies and DOEs

Equipment


Personnel

Time/Activity Reports

Case Numbers for Grant-Funded Law Enforcement and Prosecution Personnel

Timesheet Signed by Employee and Supervisor

Salaries Consistent with Local Policy

Overtime



Contractual and Professional

Contracts in Writing

Consistent with Texas Contract Law

Contract Monitoring Documentation

Compliance with Agency Procurement Guidelines

Invoices for Contract Deliverables

CJD-Prescribed Procurement Questionnaire



Travel

Employee Travel and Training Only

Comply with Agency Travel Policies or State Travel Policies

Maintain Travel Log and Travel Receipts

Pre-Approval of Out-of-State Travel

NOTE: Expenses for Outside Trainers go under the Contractual Budget Category as part of overall contracted

services.



Equipment

All purchases MUST be pre-approved by CJD Must maintain Inventory Procurement Questionnaire for purchases in

Excess of $100,000 Must have invoices to support purchases Must be used for the purpose for which it is

purchased All changes to Equipment Line Items

(including the number of items) MUST be approved by CJD



Construction

This budget category is currently unavailable for

CJD funded projects.



Supplies and Direct Operating Expenses

Related to the daily operation of the CJD grant

All costs MUST be Pro-Rated per a Cost Allocation Plan

Rent or Lease MUST include cost/sq. ft. and the number of square feet

Documentation (ex. receipts, invoices) MUST be maintained

Includes small equipment with a useful life of less than one year and a purchase price of $999 or less per unit



Indirect Costs

When allowed, the standard rate is 2% of CJD - funded direct costs (NOTE: to compute this,

divide the amount you are applying for by 1.02 to calculate 2% of Direct Costs)

Cognizant agency approval letter required for requests in excess of 2%



Indirect Costs

When allowed, the standard rate is 2% of CJD - funded direct costs (NOTE: to compute this,

divide the amount you are applying for by 1.02 to calculate 2% of Direct Costs)

Cognizant agency approval letter required for requests in excess of 2%



Budget Development

Must be reasonable.

Ensure budget detail supports the program or project.

Remember: One vendor per line item.




Only one vendor per line item allowed. The description for each item must describe what the item is, who

will be using it, why it is necessary, are installation and training costs included (if not, how will these costs be paid), is it compatible with current computer operating systems and how it will be maintained post grant-period.

Text must be clear and concise for each section. Be sure to enter a response to the "Qty/% of Time" box at the end of

each line item row.


Budget


Common Preliminary Review Report (PRR) Issues

List each personnel position separately and include a brief description of duties specific to the project.

Descriptive titles must be provided for each budgeted position. If there are multiple personnel performing the same activity, each

position must be listed separately. Do not include personal information for individuals such as name or

social security number. Please include the percent of base salary that will be paid with grant

funds.


Budget


Common Preliminary Review Report (PRR) Remarks Continued:

Brand names should not be included in your budget line item descriptions.

Costs for small supply items may be combined into one line item, (pens, paper clips, paper, and diskettes may all be included within the standard Office Supplies line item).


Budget


Resolution

Must be approved by applicant agency governing body and include the following:

1. Designate the grantee’s Authorized Official;

a. Name not needed, can submit only title

b. Must match the Profiles tab grant officials information

2. The Authorized Official is given the power to apply for, accept, reject, alter or terminate the grant on behalf of the applicant agency;

3. Agree to provide applicable matching funds;

4. Agree that in the event of loss or misuse of the CJD funds, assurance that the funds will be returned to CJD in full;

5. Approval of the Resolution (signatures)




Resolution needs to be revised to follow the exact template and instructions.

Current resolution does not mention a commitment to provide all applicable matching funds; a designation of the name and/or title of an authorized official who is given the authority to apply for, accept, reject, alter, or terminate a grant, and a written assurance that, in the event of loss or misuse of grant funds, the governing body will return all funds to CJD.

(Note: If a name is provided, you must update CJD should the official change during the grant period.)


Resolution

Documents

Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) Grant Training Workshop for FY 2011 Violent Crimes Against Women Criminal Justice and Training Projects -