JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAMS FY15 GRANT APPLICATION WORKSHOP NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL Office of the OF Governor GOVERNMENTS Criminal Justice Division ACRONYM DEFINITIONS NCTCOG North Central Texas Council of Governments CJD Governor s Office Criminal Justice Division egrants online application and grant management system for CJD COG FUNDING PROCESS Grant Year Starts 09/01/14 CJD notifies via email status for all projects Applications posted Grant Workshops COG sends out Funding Recommendation email to all applicants We are here! COG Technical Assistance Available COG sends Priority List to CJD May 2014 COG CJPDC scores applications All Applications due February 28, 2014 1
ALL APPLICATIONS Submission Deadline FEBRUARY 28, 2014 PROGRAM CATEGORIES Justice Assistance Grants (JAG): Edward Byrne Memorial Funds General Victim Assistance Direct Services Programs: Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) or Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)* Violent Crimes Against Women Criminal Justice and Training Projects Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, and Stalking Programs: Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Juvenile Justice And Delinquency Prevention Programs Local: State 421 Planning Fund or federal Juvenile Justice & Delinquency and Prevention Act (JJDP)* *If funded, CJD will determine later in the process which funding source will pay for your grant. GRANT GUIDELINES Texas Administrative Code 6-28-12 Version https://cjdonline.governor.state.tx.us/updates.aspx Uniform Grant Management Standards June 2004 Version https://cjdonline.governor.state.tx.us/updates.aspx Office of Justice Programs Financial Guide http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/financialguide/index.htm Office of Justice Programs Procurement Procedures http://cjpa.gov.mp/pdf/ojpprocguide.pdf 2
GRANT GUIDELINES CONT D CJD Guide to Grants https://cjdonline.governor.state.tx.us/filedirectory/cjd_guid e_to_grants_v6.pdf **NEW** CJD Frequently Asked Questions document https://cjdonline.governor.state.tx.us/filedirectory/faqs.pdf THESE ARE COST REIMBURSEMENT GRANTS If your project is funded, you spend your money first, and request reimbursement from CJD SUPPLANTING To deliberately reduce local funds because of the existence of federal funds. Example: Your city/county has budgeted funds for a stated purpose and federal funds are awarded for that same purpose. If you replace your local funds with federal funds, that is considered supplanting. 3
NCTCOG S POLICIES & PROCEDURES HIGHLIGHTS THESE POLICIES ARE SET EACH GRANT CYCLE BY COG S CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (CJPDC) AND APPROVED BY COG S EXECUTIVE BOARD APPLICATION LIMIT **NEW** An agency may submit no more than three (3) new applications to be scored in a given funding category. Exception: The exception applies only to government entities. For cities and counties with distinct departments, the department may submit no more than three (3) new applications to be scored per funding category. MAXIMUM AMOUNT PER PROJECT - New applications being scored and prioritized in ALL program categories can request no more than $80,000. MINIMUM SCORE REQUIRED - A minimum score of seventy (70) is required for a project to be recommended for funding regardless of funding source. After scoring by CJPDC members, NCTCOG staff will place each grant in rank order according to its program category from high score to low score. POLICIES & PROCEDURES CONT D PROJECTS OUTSIDE COG S REGION - Funding allocated to the NCTCOG 16-county region may only serve the NCTCOG region. Therefore, applicants desiring to serve counties in other COG regions must submit a separate application to that COG and follow the policies and procedures set forth by that respective council of governments/regional planning commission. EX-PARTE CONTACT - Any form of contact between a committee member and an applicant agency s representative, employee or contractor in which the application or the scoring of the application is discussed is prohibited. Such contact may result in an applicant agency being ineligible for future funding consideration. YES, MORE POLICIES & PROCEDURES: Vendor Hold for Currently-Funded Agencies - At the time of scoring, if an applicant agency is shown on CJD s vendor hold list, points may be deducted from the score of that applicant s new application(s). COG staff will validate all agencies on the vendor hold list at the time of scoring and will provide the CJPDC with a description of the violation. The CJPDC reserves the right not to recommend a project based on chronic or egregious violations including but not limited to delinquent financial reports, delinquent progress reports, or misuse of CJD funds. An application receiving a reduced score or one that is not recommended for funding based on vendor hold status will be so noted on the final prioritization list submitted to CJD. 4
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR ALL PROJECT CATEGORIES In order for an applicant to be eligible for FY15 funding, the county (or counties) in which the applicant is located must have a 90% average on both adult and juvenile criminal history dispositions reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety for calendar years 2008 through 2012. This requirement must be met by August 1, 2014. Any entity, public or private, in a county that does not have an average of 90% or above for either adult or juvenile for 2008-2012 will be ineligible to receive grants from any state or federal fund source managed by CJD. Do you submit an application if your county is below 90% at the time of the due date? YES counties below 90% in either adult or juvenile have until August 1 st to become compliant. However, entities with a new project being scored may lose points if their county has not met the 90% threshold for adult or juvenile criminal history dispositions at the time of grant scoring (mid-april). County Compliance Averages 2008 2012 (updated 1-7-14) COUNTY ADULT JUVENILE COLLIN 87% 98% DALLAS 87% 98% DENTON 89% 92% ELLIS 92% 99% ERATH 94% 99% HOOD 95% 100% HUNT 94% 98% JOHNSON 93% 100% KAUFMAN 91% 100% NAVARRO 90% 95% PALO PINTO 93% 97% PARKER 90% 98% ROCKWALL 94% 99% SOMERVELL 95% 100% TARRANT 90% 91% WISE 96% 99% CONTACT INFO FOR COMPLIANCE QUESTIONS Who in your county can help with this? Start with the county judge and/or court offices. COG may be able to help with specific contact persons. Contact Judy Switzer at 512-463-1919 or judy.switzer@governor.state.texas.us for CJD compliance questions. If you have technical questions regarding the data reporting requirements for your county, please contact Angie Kendall at the Texas Department of Public Safety at angie.kendall@dps.texas.gov. 5
ORGANIZATIONS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE & DELINQUENCY PREVENTION (JJDP) FUNDS State agencies Units of local government ISDs Indian tribes performing law enforcement functions Universities Colleges PURPOSE AREA FOR JJDP The purpose of the this program is to support programs that prevent violence in and around schools and to improve the juvenile justice system and develop effective education, training, prevention, diversion, treatment, and rehabilitation programs in the area of juvenile delinquency. STATE PRIORITIES FOR JJDP Not listed in order of priority: Diversion - Programs to divert at-risk juveniles from entering the juvenile justice system. For this funding opportunity, CJD has defined at-risk as having had documented discipline problems in the school system or contact with law enforcement or juvenile probation. Preference will be given to programs that: provide for case workers or social workers to continue working with juveniles upon completion of the diversion program; and provide juvenile probation officers to work in the school system. Job Training - Projects to enhance the employability of juveniles or prepare them for future employment. Such programs may include job readiness training, apprenticeships, and job referrals. 6
STATE PRIORITIES FOR JJDP CONTINUED Professional Therapy and Counseling/Mental Health - Services include, but are not limited to, the development and/or enhancement of diagnostic, treatment, and prevention instruments; psychological and psychiatric evaluations; counseling services; and/or family support services. Preference will be given to programs that: incorporate academically researched, peer reviewed, or evidenced based practices; utilize a multi-disciplinary team to assist with planning and implementation of the program; provide a Licensed Professional Counselor for aftercare, re-entry, or front of system services; and provide parent training reinforced with the use of case managers. STATE PRIORITIES FOR JJDP CONTINUED School Based Delinquency Prevention - Education programs and/or related services to prevent truancy, suspension, and expulsion. School safety programs may include support for school resource officers and law-related education. Preference will be given to programs that: provide school liaisons working between the juvenile justice system and the school system; provide school police officers or school resource officers; and provide juvenile probation officers to work in the school system. Substance Abuse - Programs, research, or other initiatives to address the use and abuse of illegal and other prescription and nonprescription drugs and the use and abuse of alcohol. Programs include control, prevention, and treatment. STATE PREFERENCES FOR JJDP Preference will be given to those applicants that: demonstrate cost effective programs focused on proven or promising approaches to services provision and target serious and violent juvenile offender populations. NOTE: In egrants, if your program incorporates academically researched, peer reviewed, or evidence based practices, you must provide information that supports the program s approach. 7
LOCAL PRIORITIES FOR JJDP Not listed in order of priority: Programs that improve family stability, including parent education Prevention programs focused on reducing the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs Programs to address mental health issues in juveniles Drop-out prevention programs Programs focused on employment skills/job training for juveniles Eligible Activities for JJDP Programs (see handout for descriptions) Diversion Job Training Professional Therapy and Counseling School-Based Delinquency Prevention Substance Abuse EXAMPLES OF JJDP PROGRAMS Drug Abuse Prevention Job Readiness Training for Teens Counseling for High- Risk Youth School Resource Officer 8
JJDP Grant Period 09/01/14 through 08/31/15 Minimum $5,000 Maximum $80,000 for new projects Limit of 3 new applications per agency No match Three-year priority cycle no decreasing funds MULTIPLE PROJECTS An agency may submit no more than three (3) new applications in a funding category. The projects must be distinctly different projects within the program category. This is demonstrated with different problems, target populations, different services, and/or different geographic areas. 3 YEAR FUNDING CYCLE Funded Juvenile Justice applications will remain at 100 percent throughout the threeyear prioritization cycle. If funded, you must submit a complete egrants application for the second and third year of funding consideration (and come to workshops!). Your project is NOT scored the second or third year of the cycle. 9
THREE YEAR PRIORITY CYCLE Highest Priority Third Year Prioritized Applications (not scored) Middle Priority Second Year Prioritized Applications (not scored) Lowest Priority New Applications (scored) CONTINUATION PROJECT INFORMATION Refer to the Eligible Amounts for Continuation Projects handout and CJPDC Policies and Procedures related to Three-Year Prioritization Cycle on the COG Criminal Justice Program website: http://www.nctcog.org/cs/cj/cjpdc.asp Specific questions on your continuation project? Visit with COG staff outside the workshop. FUNDING HISTORY FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE NCTCOG REGION FY12: $1,966,450 FY13: $1,453,691 FY14: $1,028,683 FY15:??? 10
IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM CJD Sustainability Over the course of the past few years, funding for juvenile programs has experienced a substantial decline. For example, federal awards to Texas under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act have decreased by 66% since 2010. CJD encourages applicants to consider alternative methods of sustaining grant funded services should future funding become unavailable. APPLICATION SUBMISSION PROCESS 1. Go to CJD s egrants website at: https://cjdonline.governor.state.tx.us 2. All Projects: Submit grant application to CJD via egrants system. 3. Projects to be Scored: In addition to egrants, must also submit Addendum document, applicable Cooperative Working Agreements, and Letters of Support by February 28, 2014 to COG via email at: cjapplications@nctcog.org Applicants must use the egrants User s Guide to Creating an Application document to start the application process https://cjdonline.governor.state.tx.us 11
PRE-SUBMISSION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CJD Provides technical assistance for all questions related to the operation of the egrants website. egrants@governor.state.tx.us COG Provides technical assistance for questions related to the actual content used to fill in the egrants application and the Addendum. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE DURING APPLICATION PROCESS Kelly Schmidt 817-608-2383 kschmidt@nctcog.org Use email for technical assistance reviews; do not fax drafts to COG. Please do not send a partially completed addendum draft in for TA it s easier to provide assistance when all sections are completed. Please allow 2 business days for technical assistance feedback to be returned to you. Feedback will be sent via email. PRE-SUBMISSION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE COG will provide technical assistance to interested applicants. Use the Printer Friendly option in egrants and save this file to your computer. Attach and email the egrants file and COG Addendum for feedback. 12
PRE-SUBMISSION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE - CONT D. COG will read your draft to check that there are responses to the scoring criteria. The technical assistance does not address the quality of your responses. COG technical assistance is advisory in nature and is not intended to address all possible outcomes of the grant application process. Technical assistance is provided by COG as an additional service to our grant applicants. COG technical assistance will not save you from a bad idea for a project. HOW GRANTS ARE SCORED We follow a system that is consistent with many government and private funding organizations that deal with a large volume of applications. The Criminal Justice Policy Development Committee is divided into teams based on the number of applications to be scored. Each team is given a batch of applications to score. SELECTION PROCESS CJD will make all final funding decisions based on state and local priorities, reasonableness of the project, availability of funding, and costeffectiveness. ALL APPLICANTS: CJD has the option to disqualify your application from the grant process. 13
NCTCOG DOCUMENTS ONLY FOR PROJECTS BEING SCORED! ADDENDUM WILL BE SCORED: This is a separate Word document that applicants will be required to email to COG in addition to submitting the online egrants application. Addendum form must be downloaded from COG website s Juvenile Justice Programs Workshop Handouts section. http://www.nctcog.org/cs/cj/forms/registration_jj.asp NCTCOG DOCUMENTS - CONTINUED THIS INFORMATION IS NOT SCORED however it will be used by reviewers to assess the overall potential for project success: COOPERATIVE WORKING AGREEMENTS (CWAs): Submit all applicable Cooperative Working Agreements (CWAs) and/or Mutual Aid Agreements for the project. These agreements do not involve an exchange of funds; however, they exist because the project cannot function without the participation or cooperation with one or more outside agency. LETTERS OF SUPPORT: Applicant agencies may submit no more than 10 letters of support directly related to the delivery of the services described in the application. COG DOCUMENT SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS Email completed Addendum, CWAs and Letters of Support to cjapplications@nctcog.org on or before February 28, 2014. IMPORTANT: Send these documents as separate files within the same email - Addendum as Word file; CWAs and Letters of Support as a PDF file. Do not send Addendum, CWAs or Letters of Support to CJD 14
SCORING CRITERIA NCTCOG ADDENDUM: AGENCY HISTORY THIS SECTION WILL NOT BE SCORED Location of Agency Headquarters Mission Statement Experience in providing this service: If this a new project, why is your agency qualified to provide this service? If this project is currently in existence in any capacity, how long has your agency been providing this service? NCTCOG ADDENDUM: STATE PRIORITIES AND PREFERENCES (up to 20 points) Thoroughly describe how this project addresses diversion, job training, professional therapy and counseling/mental health, school-based delinquency prevention or substance abuse services that target serious and violent juvenile offender populations. The Office of the Governor s Criminal Justice Division (CJD) will determine which state priority(ies) and if applicable, which program-specific preference(s) the project addresses. COG reviewers will then rate the degree to which the project addresses a state priority(ies) and program-specific preferences. 15
NCTCOG ADDENDUM: LOCAL PRIORITIES (up to 20 points) Thoroughly describe how this project addresses at least one of the following local priorities: Programs that improve family stability, including parent education Prevention programs focused on reducing the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs Programs to address mental health issues in juveniles Drop-out prevention programs Programs focused on employment skills/job training for juveniles Reviewers will rate the degree to which the project addresses a local priority(ies). NCTCOG ADDENDUM: COST AND PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS Describe the target population and the geographical target area to be served by the project. Describe the problem and its negative impact on the community to be served. (Up to 6 points) Reviewers will rate the potential impact the project will have on addressing a local need. TIP: Should refer to situations outside of your agency directly related to your target population. You needing money is not the problem!! NCTCOG ADDENDUM: COST AND PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS To support the significance of the problem, please provide locally relevant and verifiable statistical data. (Up to 6 points) Reviewers will rate the data s relevance to the project and how well the data supports the importance of the problem. NOTE: All data must be cited, verifiable and describe local conditions. Include state and/or national data only when comparing/contrasting with local data. 16
NCTCOG ADDENDUM: COST AND PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS Describe or demonstrate how the supporting data addresses a significant crime problem. (Up to 5 points) Reviewers will rate the magnitude of the crime data as it relates to the problem to be addressed by the project. NOTE: All data must be cited, verifiable and describe local conditions. Include state and/or national data only when comparing/contrasting with local data. NCTCOG ADDENDUM: COST AND PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS Describe how this project avoids duplication or overlapping of existing resources or programs available within the project s proposed service area and target population. (Up to 5 points) Reviewers will assess how well the program fills an unmet need/gap in services within the service area. NCTCOG ADDENDUM: COST AND PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS Describe the overall project goal and how the activity(ies) selected in egrants will accomplish the goal. NOTE: Do not copy and paste the CJD definition of the activity(ies). (Up to 5 points) Reviewers will evaluate the activity(ies) as it relates to the goal and its necessity to make the project successful. 17
NCTCOG ADDENDUM: COST AND PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS Describe the planned flow of services for the individuals to be served by the project. (Up to 6 points) Reviewers will rate the degree to which the project description is clear, accurately described, organized, well planned and feasible. Descriptors may include but are not limited to: frequency the services will be provided, length of time a person remains in the program, how long a person receives a specific service, involvement of other entities (internal or external) in serving the needs of the target population. NCTCOG ADDENDUM: COST AND PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS MEASURES egrants: COG will print Measures info from egrants. Do not type in this space on the Addendum. Current and Target levels of outputs/outcomes are identified within the Measures section of egrants. Do not create custom measures. Target levels must cover the 12- month grant period. (Up to 5 points) Reviewers will rate the degree to which each measure appears to be reasonable, achievable and have the potential to impact the problem. NCTCOG ADDENDUM: COST AND PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS For each output and outcome measure, describe how data will be collected and the method in which each output and outcome will be measured. (Up to 6 points) Reviewers will rate the soundness of the data collection and program evaluation plan for the project. 18
BUDGET COG WILL PRINT BUDGET FROM EGRANTS. DO NOT PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BUDGET NARRATIVE IN THE ADDENDUM. All budget line items must have sufficient detail to justify the item to be included in the project. Budget line items should be eligible, essential and reasonable to carrying out the project. (Up to 5 points) NOTE: Grant-Funded Personnel: Budget line item description must include a brief summary of responsibilities and qualifications of grant-funded project personnel. Include fringe benefit amount in description, if applicable. Reviewers will rate how well the budget correlates to the goal of the project, the budget s reasonableness and the eligibility of the budget items. COMPLETING THE BUDGET IN EGRANTS Refer to the egrants User s Guide for Creating an Application document when creating your budget. Refer to the CJD Guide to Grants for specific information on budgetary line items. Both of these documents can be found on NCTCOG s website as well as on the egrants website. EGRANTS BUDGET LINE ITEM: PERSONNEL Budget line item description must include a brief summary of responsibilities and qualifications of grant-funded project personnel. If applicable, include fringe benefits in the salary amount. The description MUST have the fringe amount listed separately. For example: $25,000 annual salary plus $5,000 for fringe benefits. Do not include fringe benefits as a separate line item. Personnel line items must be tied to a person, not a cost pool. Grant staff must be on separate line items for example, don t combine two identical positions in one line item. The quantity/% of time column refers to the percentage of the salary that will be funded from the grant (including match). Do not describe grant personnel job duties as and other duties as assigned or as needed. 19
EGRANTS BUDGET LINE ITEM: PROFESSIONAL AND CONTRACTUAL SERVICES Contracting services out without going through a procurement process violates federal administrative regulations. Vendors or contractors must not be identified by name in the description unless you have gone through your agency s procurement process. Each contract should be listed on a separate line item. If the contract includes several services, it should be explained in the line item description. List each contractual service, rate, number of hours if applicable, and a brief explanation and purpose for the contract. Follow the Office of Justice Programs Procurement Procedures Guidelines http://cjpa.gov.mp/pdf/ojpprocguide.pdf EGRANTS BUDGET LINE ITEM: TRAVEL AND TRAINING Each travel and training line item description must include: the purpose and description of the travel the applicant agency's travel guidelines along with the mileage, per diem, and lodging rates. BUDGET LINE ITEM: TRAVEL AND TRAINING CONT D Out of state and international travel MUST include the following in the description: how the event is related to grant activities how attendance at the event will impact the project s goals and objectives justification as to why agency personnel must go out-of-state rather than attend a similar training in-state 20
EGRANTS BUDGET LINE ITEM: EQUIPMENT Purchasing equipment without going through a procurement process violates federal administrative regulations. Vendors must not be identified by name in the description unless you gone through your agency s procurement process. In the equipment description, be specific on how the equipment will be used to accomplish the activities. Equipment under $1,000 should be placed in Supplies, unless the applicant agency depreciates the item, then it will be shown in equipment. The applicant should state this in the line item to eliminate questions. Follow the Office of Justice Programs Procurement Procedures Guidelines http://cjpa.gov.mp/pdf/ojpprocguide.pdf EGRANTS BUDGET LINE ITEM: EQUIPMENT CONT D Any of the following items with costs between $500 and $1,000 must be classified as equipment: stereo systems, still and video cameras, fax machines, DVD players, VCRs and VCR/TV combinations, cellular and portable telephones, and computer systems. EGRANTS BUDGET LINE ITEM: SUPPLIES AND DIRECT OPERATING EXPENSES Costs that are directly related to the delivery of services and do not fall under one of the other budget categories should be itemized under supplies with a brief description and justification. When calculating cost for space and utilities, ensure that costs are based on percent of square footage. You must indicate amount of square footage and rate per square foot in the budget description. All costs must be prorated. 21
More on Procuring Equipment or Services From Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Financial Guide: For a specific procurement, you must exclude from bidding or proposal submission any contractors who have been involved in development of the procurement. For example, you must not accept bids or proposals from contractors who have developed or drafted specifications, requirements, statements of work, and/or requests for proposals for the procurement. BUDGET HINTS Budget expenses should be focused on accomplishing the activities of the project. Provide enough detailed information so that the reader understands what the project is funding if the reader has to guess what something is to be used for, then you don t have enough detail. The description should answer: Is the line item reasonable? necessary? and allocable (does it fit in this project)? BUDGET HINTS CONT D Understand what costs are eligible and what are ineligible refer to the list of prohibited items in the RFA handout. Explain what you ll be buying (equipment, supplies) - quantity and what it s used for, who uses it. The costs in the budget must support the activities described in the activities tab. 22
UNIFORM CRIME RATE (UCR) AND CRIMINAL HISTORY REPORTING (up to 5 points) Per the RFA, applicant agencies providing law enforcement functions must meet eligibility requirements pertaining to UCR reporting and all applicant agencies must ensure compliance with 90% or above on criminal history reporting. REVIEWER ASSESSMENT (up to 6 points) The reviewer will assign up to 6 points based on their OVERALL assessment of how well the application demonstrates potential for success. FOR NEW PROJECTS - NOW THAT THE APPLICATION IS COMPLETE, WHAT DO YOU SEND TO COG? The Addendum(s) should be sent as a Word attachment, CWAs and Letters of Support as a PDF attachment in one email to cjapplications@nctcog.org on or before February 28, 2014. Do not send COG Addendum as a pdf file! You will receive an email confirming COG has received your documents. NOTE - Identify your agency name in the subject line of the email. 23
NCTCOG FUNDING RECOMMENDATION NOTICE This email communication to all applicants follows TAC language and states COG is/is not recommending your organization for funding to CJD Being recommended for funding means your project scored 70 or higher in the CJDPC prioritization A score of 70 or higher does NOT guarantee funding by CJD CJD will determine if your ranking is high enough to be funded GRANT PRELIMINARY REVIEW REPORT (PRR) PROCESS AFTER YOU SUBMIT APPLICATION What s a PRR? CJD staff will perform an in-depth compliance review on the egrants application for new and continuation projects. The review of an application requesting revisions does not guarantee funding nor is it meant to suggest the project will be funded. NEW PROJECTS: CJD staff may contact you for egrants revisions before the application is scored and prioritized. The original submission of your egrants application is the version that will be scored. A PRR is NOT performed on the Addendum, CWAs, or Letters of Support. REPORTING and AUDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR FUNDED PROJECTS Quarterly financial reporting via egrants Programmatic reporting to PPRI (Texas A&M) CJD monitoring staff will conduct either an on-site audit or desk review audit of all funded projects. Budget and programmatic adjustments for funded projects must be approved by COG prior to being submitted to CJD 24
Civil Rights Protected Classes Race Color National Origin Age Sex Religion Disability If a person files an employment or service discrimination complaint, regardless of its merits, an employer or service provider cannot retaliate against the person who filed the complaint. Retaliation claims are often easier to prove than the underlying discrimination claim. Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964 Provides the basis for civil rights protection in Federally assisted programs. Applies to the whole organization receiving Federal funds, not just the specific grant funded program. Prohibits the following on the basis of race, color or national origin: - Treating individuals differently when determining eligibility for services. - Denying the opportunity to participate as a member of a planning or advisory body. - Selecting a program s location with the purpose or effect of excluding individuals. Disability Discrimination Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) Applies to recipients of federal funding and prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of disability. Applies to public entities, whether or not they receive federal funding and prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of disability. 25
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (Safe Streets Act) Department of Justice (DoJ) Program Statutes Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) The Safe Streets act prohibits discrimination against any person on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. This Act applies to both employment in connection with the agency and services offered by the agency. VOCA prohibits the exclusion of benefits, services or employment to individuals on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, handicap, or sex. JJDPA prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, and handicap. Ways to Prove Discrimination Disparate Treatment Intentionally treating individuals in a protective class differently. Disparate Impact Neutral policy or procedure has the effect of discriminating against individuals of a protected class. National Origin Discrimination Includes Discrimination on the basis of LEP A Limited English Proficient person has a first language other than English and has a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English. Take reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access to the programs, services and information free of charge. Establish and implement policies and procedures for language assistance services that provide LEP persons with meaningful access. Provide Language Services Avoid Discrimination Against LEP Persons Oral (Interpretation) Services Ensure interpreter is competent. NOTE: In most instances, family members, friends and uncertified persons are NOT appropriate. Written (Translation) Services Provide translation of written materials, especially vital documents. Develop a Language Access Plan (Go to www.lep.gov for more information) Ensures consistent application of policies and practices Provides the basis for training staff on how best to serve LEP persons Informs LEP persons about available language access services 26
Faith Based Organization (FBO) Guidance FBO Practices FBOs may not use Federal funding to advance inherently religious activities. FBOs may not discriminate against beneficiaries based on religion or religious belief. FBO Regulations do not alter existing statutory non-discrimination provisions against employment discrimination. FBO Treatment Obstacles to the inclusion of FBOs in funding programs must be eliminated FBOs must be given equal treatment as other organizations How does this affect my agency as it pertains to CJD grants? All funded agencies, regardless of type, must comply with Civil Rights statutes. Civil Rights compliancy will be monitored by CJD auditors should your project be funded. During FY14 grant audits, CJD monitors were very thorough in their review of agency Civil Rights policies. Make sure you have adequate written policies and staff are appropriately trained. GRANT REMINDERS, TIPS, AND TRICKS 27
EGRANTS PROFILE TAB - PLAN YEAR INFO Grant Period 09/01/14 through 08/31/15 Plan Year 2015 EGRANTS PROFILE TAB AGENCY NAME Applicant Agency name CORRECT: INCORRECT: Anywhere, City of Anywhere Police Department or City of Anywhere EGRANTS PROFILE TAB PROJECT TITLE Project title should be related to the project, NOT the name of the application program category. Don t use Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention as your project title. CJD discourages the use of lengthy project titles 28
EGRANTS GRANT VENDOR TAB Applicants must have a DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System) number assigned to its agency http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayho mepage.do Do not enter dashes with your DUNS number. EGRANTS GRANT VENDOR TAB CONT D All applicants must be registered in the federal system for award and management (SAM) database located at www.sam.gov and maintain an active registration throughout the grant period. If project is funded, an expired SAM will result in the project being placed on fund hold. Do not fall prey to John Wayne (yes, that s his name) encouraging you to pay him to register your agency in SAM this service is FREE!! EGRANTS NARRATIVE TAB: COMMUNITY PLAN Per CJD, completing this section is optional for FY15 (enter N/A). If you d like to complete it, please use the following guidelines: Must identify the corresponding Community Plan(s) for the projects service area(s) and must describe priority(ies) the project will address from the Community Plan(s). If your project covers more than one county, each county s Community Plan MUST be referenced in this section. Where are the community plans? On COG s website: http://www.nctcog.org/cs/cj/cjplans/info.asp 29
EGRANTS NARRATIVE TAB: PROJECT SUMMARY COG will not directly score the Summary, BUT the scoring committee will be given the Summaries of all continuation projects to assess the need of services in any new applications from that geographic area/target population that may be submitted. Summary should be a brief explanation of the project that lets the reader know what the project will do and its purpose. This is a summary of the project, not the applicant agency s vision or mission. EGRANTS ACTIVITIES TAB You will see a section to create custom activities. Please note that CJD discourages the use of custom activities. EGRANTS MEASURES TAB FYI - Measures are general for the solicitation and may change once the fund source is assigned. Additional measures may be collected by Texas A&M s Public Policy Research Institute (PPRI). 30
EGRANTS DOCUMENTS TAB SOURCE OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT Sources of Financial Support section should identify all state and federal grant funds expended for the applicant agency, not the division applying for the grant. For example do not provide just the police department s state and federal grant funds, provide the entire city s state and federal grant funds. EGRANTS DOCUMENTS TAB - EEOP REQUIREMENT If you re a Type II or Type III agency, it is critical that you meet the EEOP requirements! Criteria for # of employees pertains to the applicant agency, not a department/division. View the EEOP short form template at https://external.ojp.usdoj.gov/eeop/surveyintro.jsp Check with your Human Resources Department. Non-Profits are not required to have an EEOP plan on file. More Info on Equal Employment Opportunity Plan (EEOP) An EEOP is a comprehensive document which analyzes: an agency s workforce in comparison to relevant labor market data and employment practices to determine their impact on the basis of race, national origin, and sex. The EEOP is a tool to identify possible discriminatory practices. Go to www.ojp.usdoj.gov/about/offices/ocr.htm for more information on agency EEOP obligations. 31
EGRANTS DOCUMENTS TAB CONTRACT MONITORING If contractual costs are shown in the budget, the applicant must explain how they will monitor the contracts for compliance with deliverables. If project is funded, contract monitoring will be reviewed closely by CJD s audit staff. EGRANTS DOCUMENTS TAB RESOLUTION Except for state agencies, each applicant must upload a resolution from its governing body (city council, county commissioners court, school board, board of directors). The resolution does NOT have to be uploaded in egrants by the February 28 th due date. All resolutions must address these four items: Authorization by your governing body for the submission of the application to CJD that clearly identifies the name of the project for which funding is requested. 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 (Note: If a name is provided, you must submit a new resolution to CJD should the official change during the grant period.) A written assurance that, in the event of loss or misuse of grant funds, the governing body will return all funds to CJD. Need to see a sample resolution? COG can send one to you. EGRANTS DOCUMENTS TAB FFATA INFORMATION Certification of Recipient Highly Compensated Officers The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) requires Prime Recipients (that s CJD) to report the names and total compensation of each of the five most highly compensated officers (a.k.a. positions) of each sub-recipient organization (that s you). Answers in this section will be based on the most recently completed fiscal year preceding the year in which the grant is awarded and will pertain to questions you answer regarding revenue from Federal sources. 32
EGRANTS DOCUMENTS TAB CERTIFICATION AND ASSURANCES CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS: 1. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: Prohibiting discrimination in programs or activities on the basis of race, color and national origin. 2. Federal Program Statutes: Prohibiting discrimination in employment practices or in programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, and sex. 3. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Prohibiting discrimination in employment practices or in programs and activities on the basis of disability. 4. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: Prohibiting discrimination in services, programs, and activities on the basis of disability. 5. Age Discrimination Act of 1976: Prohibiting discrimination in programs and activities on the basis of age. 6. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972: Prohibiting discrimination in educational programs or activities on the basis of sex. HINTS FOR COMPLETING THE ADDENDUM Do not change the font size Do not use ALL CAPS Do not remove instructional information Do not change the margins/orientation of the page Make sure to use the correct addendum for your program category MORE HINTS FOR THE ADDENDUM Make use of tables in the data sections to convey trends and patterns. Data in paragraph format may be cumbersome to read through. All text and tables should be in black/white. Scorers will not receive color copies of your addendum. Paragraph breaks are your friend! Remember that scorers will be reading dozens of addendums - the easier you make it for them to read through the information, the better they will be able to digest it. 33
HINTS FOR EGRANTS Do not use ALL CAPS in egrants. Use the Save button frequently to make sure you don t lose information. You have to completely fill out a tab before egrants will allow you to Save/Continue. There is a 2 hour time-out feature on each tab. Copy and paste from Word to egrants to prevent loss of work. Just because COG uses the Addendum to score your project, doesn t mean you don t have to thoroughly complete each section of egrants! CERTIFY CERTIFY CERTIFY!!!! After the grantwriter hits submit in egrants, the Authorized Official must log in to egrants and Certify the application before CJD accepts it. The certification MUST be done no later than 11:59 PM on February 28, 2014. Applications that are not certified by the due date will be INELIGIBLE! APPLICATION MELTDOWN PREVENTION EFFORTS Do not wait until February 28 th to enter information into egrants for the first time. Do not send your draft to COG for technical assistance on February 28 th!!! If you have a new project, make sure the egrants is submitted online AND the COG Addendum/CWAs/ Letters of Support are emailed no later than 11:59 pm on February 28, 2014. 34
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? EMOTIONAL OUTBURSTS? WE RE DONE! stick around if you want to see a quick egrants demo 35