Legal Assistance for Victims (16.524)

Program

16.524 Legal Assistance for Victims

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Justice
Office: Violence Against Women Office

Authorization

Violence Against Women Act of 2000, Section 1201, 42 U.S.C. 3796gg-6, as amended; Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005, Title I, Section 103, Public Law 109-162.

Program Number

16.524

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

These grants are for increasing the availability of comprehensive and criminal legal services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in matters arising from the abuse or violence. The goal is to develop innovative, collaborative programs within the legal system that promote victim safety and increase victim economic autonomy.

Types of Assistance

PROJECT GRANTS

Uses and Use Restrictions

The Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program provides an opportunity for communities to enhance legal assistance for victims. Funds may be used: (1) to implement, expand, and establish cooperative efforts and projects between domestic violence, dating viiolence, and sexual assault victim services organizations and legal assistance providers to provide legal assistance for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault; (2) to implement, expand, and establish efforts and projects to provide legal assistance for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault by organizations with a demonstrated history of providing direct legal or advocacy services on behalf of these victims; and (3) to provide training, technical assistance, and data collection to improve the capacity of grantees and other entities to offer legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Eligible grantees for this program are private, nonprofit entities, Indian tribal governments and tribal organizations, territorial organizations, and publicly funded organizations not acting in their governmental capacity, such as law schools.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Beneficiaries include public or private nonprofit entities providing legal assistance primarily to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and or stalking.

Credentials/Documentation

Grantees must certify that any person providing legal assistance has completed or will complete training that was developed with a domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault coalition or program and that the grantee's policies do not require mediation or counseling of offenders and victims together. Grantees must also verify that any person or organization providing legal assistance has informed and will continue to inform State, local, or tribal domestic violence or sexual assault programs and coalitions and appropriate State, territorial, tribal, and local law enforcement of their work. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

An applicant should consult the office designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. Application forms furnished by the Federal agency, in accordance with 28 CFR Part 66 (Common Rule), must be used for this program. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Applicants must apply online through the grants.gov portal. The receipt, review, and analysis of application will follow Office on Violence Against Women policies and procedures for the administration of grant applications. This program is subject to provisions of OMB Circular No. A-110.

Award Procedure

Upon approval by the Office on Violence Against Women, online notification is sent to the applicant agency with copies of the Grant Award. One copy of the Grant Award must be signed electronically by an authorized official and returned to the Office of Justice Programs.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Applicants will be notified by the end of the fiscal year.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Continuation grant awards are competitively selected and determined on a case-by-case basis.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.
This program has no matching requirements. Grants will be made for amounts up to 100 percent of the costs of programs or projects contained in approved applications. Match is not required for this grant program; however, applicants are encouraged to maximize the impact of Federal grant dollars by contributing the costs of their project. Supplemental contributions may be cash, in-kind services, or a combination of both.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Up to 24 months. Funds are released on an as-needed basis to the grantee. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Quarterly financial reports are required as stipulated in the program regulations and the effective edition of the OJP Financial Guide. No cash reports are required. Semi-annual progress reports shall explain the activities carried out and include an assessment of the effectiveness of those activities in achieving the purposes of the program, including number of persons served and numbers of persons seeking services who could not be served. No expenditure reports are required. No performance monitoring is required.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

The award recipient must keep complete records on disposition of funds.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: Awards: 260. Fiscal Year 2011: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

15-0409-0-1-754.

Obligations

(Project Grants) FY 08 $27,671,944; FY 09 est $29,392,105; FY 10 est $29,686,026

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Range: $226,000 - $33,205,899;
Average: $16,715,949.50.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

OJP Financial Guide is applicable. Legal Assistance for Victims Grantee Policy Guidebook.

Related Programs

16.587 Violence Against Women Discretionary Grants for Indian Tribal Governments; 16.588 Violence Against Women Formula Grants; 16.589 Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Assistance Program; 16.590 Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Josh Kamp 800 K Street, NW Suite 850, Washington, District of Columbia 20001 Email: joshua.kamp@usdoj.gov Phone: 2023532639

Web Site Address

http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov.

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2011: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Criteria are established by the Office on Violence Against Women and are included in an annual Application Kit.