Services to Victims of a Severe Form of Trafficking (93.598)

Program

93.598 Services to Victims of a Severe Form of Trafficking

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: Administration For Children And Families

Authorization

Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, as amended, Public Law 106-386, as amended by Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003, Public Law 108-193, 22 U.S.C 7105, as amended by Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005, Public Law 109-164, as amended by William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, Public Law 110-457.

Program Number

93.598

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To provide outreach to, identification of, and service referral to individuals who may be victims of a severe form of trafficking. To enhance anti-trafficking efforts in the U.S. by building regional capacity, developing regional coalitions, conducting public awareness, and providing training and technical assistance on human trafficking issues.

Types of Assistance

PROJECT GRANTS

Uses and Use Restrictions

The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) provides funding for outreach to, and identification of, human trafficking victims, in particular among vulnerable populations. Funds are also provided to conduct public awareness and to build and maintain the Rescue and Restore Regional Programs that serve as the focal points for regional public awareness campaign activities and intensification of local outreach to identify victims of human trafficking. Rescue and Restore Regional Program grantees must sub-award 60 percent of grant funds. Funds may be used only for the purposes set forth in the grant award.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

State and local governments and private nonprofit organizations. Under the "Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (VTPA), and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2003 (TVPRA)" trafficking victims are eligible for benefits and services to the same extent as refugees. The law, enacted in October 2000, and amended in December 2003 specifically requires HHS, in consultation with the Attorney General, to "certify" adult trafficking victims as a precondition for their eligibility. Children under eighteen must be determined to be victims of a severe form of trafficking but do not require such certification in order to be eligible for benefits. Certain family members of victims of a severe form of trafficking are eligible for federally funded or administered benefits and services to the same extent as refugees. Specifically, holders of a T-2, T=3, T-4 or T-5 visa (collectively referred to as "Derivative T Visas) are eligible for benefits and services.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Beneficiaries are adult victims of a severe form of trafficking who have been certified by HHS/ORR. Children under 18 years of age subjected to a severe form of trafficking who have received letters of eligibility from HHS/ORR are considered eligible for services. Certain family members of victims of a severe form of trafficking are legible for federally funded or administered benefits and services to the same extent as refugees. Holders of the "Derivative T Visas" (T-2, T-3, T-4, or T-5 visa) are eligible for services.

Credentials/Documentation

Cost principals for nonprofit organizations will be determined by OMB Circular No. A-122. Cost principals for State and local governments are found under OMB Circular No. A-87. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable. 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

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Each application submitted under this program announcement will undergo a pre-review to determine if (1) the application was received by the closing date and submitted in accordance with the instructions in this announcement and (2) the applicant is eligible for funding.

Award Procedure

Applications that pass the initial Administration for Children and Families (ACF) screening will be evaluated and rated by an independent review panel on the basis of specific evaluation criteria. The evaluation criteria were designed to assess the quality of a proposed project and to determine the likelihood of its success.

Deadlines

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

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

From 90 to 120 days. It is anticipated that the approval/disapproval time will not exceed 120 days.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Not Applicable.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

This program has no matching requirements.

This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Funds are generally made available for two to three-year project periods with funding on an annual basis. Funds are available to reimburse costs, up to the amount of the award, incurred during the year for which the funds are awarded. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Funds are awarded each year during the project periods.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Program reports are required, usually on a quarterly or semi-annual basis. Final program reports summarizing the activities and accomplishments of the project in relation to the approved goals and objectives are also required. Cash reports are not applicable. No progress reports are required. SF-269 Financial Status Reports are due on a semi-annual basis. Final financial reports are also required. On-site and desk monitoring is done annually and on an ongoing basis.

Audits

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-133. Periodic audits are made as part of the system of financial management and internal control to meet terms and conditions of grants and other agreements. "In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit 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 that $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133." Nonprofit organization receiving less than $25,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from federal audit requirements, but records must be available for review by appropriate officials of the Federal grantor agency or subgranting entity.

Records

Grant recipients are required to keep all financial, business, and program reports necessary for program review and audit during the project period and for three years thereafter to insure that funds have been expended in accordance with the regulations, grant terms, and conditions of this program.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: The total number of trafficking victims was reported at 317. Fiscal Year 2009: It is estimated that the number of trafficking victims will be approximately 333. Fiscal Year 2010: It is estimated that the number of trafficking victims will be approximately 350.

Financial Information

Account Identification

75-1503-0-1-609.

Obligations

(Project Grants) FY 08 $3,381,323; FY 09 est $4,229,000; FY 10 est $4,117,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

In FY 2008, 24 grants were awarded or continued, ranging from $25,000 to $500,000. The average grant amount was $140,888. It is estimated that 16 grants will be awarded or continued in FY 2009 and 21 in FY 2010. The range of awards in FY 2009 and 2010 is estimated to be $100,000 to $600,000.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

Not Applicable.

Related Programs

93.566 Refugee and Entrant Assistance_State Administered Programs; 93.567 Refugee and Entrant Assistance_Voluntary Agency Programs; 93.576 Refugee and Entrant Assistance_Discretionary Grants; 93.583 Refugee and Entrant Assistance_Wilson/Fish Program; 93.584 Refugee and Entrant Assistance_Targeted Assistance Grants; 93.676 Unaccompanied Alien Children Program

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Maggie Wynne, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., 8th Floor West, Washington, District of Columbia 20447 Email: Maggie.Wynne@acf.hhs.gov Phone: (202) 401-4664. Fax: (202) 401-5487

Web Site Address

http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/orr.

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: 24 grants were awarded and continued in FY 2008, for outreach to, and identification of, victims of a severe form of human trafficking, and to conduct public awareness and build and maintain coalitions for public awareness activities and local outreach. Fiscal Year 2009: Future funding for projects is contingent upon the availability of authorized funding. It is estimated that 18 grants will be awarded or continued in FY 2009 for outreach to, and identification of, victims of a severe form of human trafficking, and to conduct public awareness and build and maintain coalitions for public awareness activities and local outreach.. Fiscal Year 2010: Future funding for projects is contingent upon the availability of authorized funding. It is estimated that 18 grants will be awarded or continued in FY 2010 for outreach to, and identification of, victims of a severe form of human trafficking, and to conduct public awareness and build and maintain coalitions for public awareness activities and local outreach..

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Notice of criteria for awarding funds can be found at the ORR website. Please refer to the Information Contact section for more information.