Title: Awards for Providing Technical Assistance to Tribal Courts and Developing a National Tribal Court Resource Center. Series: Competitive Grant Announcement Author: Bureau of Justice Assistance Published: June 1999 Subject: Funding resources 6 pages 10,000 bytes Figures, charts, forms, and tables are not included in this ASCII plain-text file. To view this document in its entirety, download the Adobe Acrobat graphic file available from this Web site or order a print copy from BJA at 800-688-4252. ------------------------------ U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance Competitive Grant Announcement: Awards for Providing Technical Assistance to Tribal Courts and Developing a National Tribal Court Resource Center Application Deadline: August 6, 1999 About BJA The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), a component of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, supports innovative programs that strengthen the nation's criminal justice system. Its primary mission is to provide leadership and a wide range of assistance to local criminal justice strategies to make America's communities safer. BJA accomplishes this mission by providing funding, training, technical assistance, and information to state and community criminal justice programs and by emphasizing the coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal efforts. BJA's specific goals are to help communities reduce and prevent crime, violence, and drug abuse and to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system. What This Solicitation Seeks The Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance, announces, as part of the Department of Justice's Indian Country Law Enforcement Initiative, the availability of competitive grants to develop and deliver training and technical assistance to fiscal year 1999 tribal court grantees (see enclosed grant announcement). Concept papers are solicited in the following two categories: I. Providing Technical Assistance for Tribal Courts Grants Awards under this category will be given to support training and technical assistance for tribal court grantees. Awards will support the following activities: o Developing and implementing training seminars for sites awarded tribal court planning grants. The curricula developed for these sessions will include information designed to assist tribal governments as they create new tribal courts. The curricula will be developed in collaboration with the National Judicial College (NJC) and other agencies and organizations identified by BJA. Tribes will be required to assemble a team with responsibility for developing the tribal court and attending all seminars. o Providing onsite technical assistance to tribal court enhancement projects and working with NJC and other agencies and organizations identified by BJA to provide training to tribal court grantees. The technical assistance provider will also provide assistance in the development and enhancement of intertribal court systems. NOTE: Travel and per diem expenses for attendees of the planning grant training seminars will be the responsibility of tribal court grantees. II. Developing a National Tribal Court Resource Center Grants Awards under this category will establish a National Tribal Court Resource Center. Activities will include developing on-call resources such as bench books, operation guides, training materials, and other useful tools to support tribal courts nationwide and creating and maintaining a database of tribal case law that can be accessed by grantees and others. Concept papers for both categories of awards should be broad in scope and address training and technical assistance issues relevant to new and developing tribal courts as well as intertribal court systems. The awardee(s) will work with an array of U.S. Department of Justice components, as well as with NJC and other organizations identified by BJA, to develop and implement all program activities. Who Is Eligible Any nonprofit organization, unit of government, tribal government, court, tribal judicial system, or academic institution that has demonstrated the capability to work with and provide training and technical assistance to tribal governments and tribal judicial systems may apply for one or both of the initiatives. Applicants are encouraged to collaborate with other organizations in the submission of applications. Amount and Length of Awards The proposal should include a request for funding within the following guidelines. o Technical Assistance for Tribal Courts. Awards will not exceed $250,000. The grant period will be up to 18 months. BJA will determine the number of awards based upon the number of submissions received. o National Tribal Court Resource Center. Awards will not exceed $500,000. The grant period will be up to 24 months. BJA will determine the number of awards based upon the number of submissions received. Administrative Requirements If your organization is applying for both projects, you must submit two separate concept papers. Each concept paper must be submitted with a separate cover page. To be considered for funding, applicants must: o Follow the format described below under Selection Criteria in the sequence shown for the type of grant you are seeking. o Not exceed 10 pages (not including cover page). o Submit their proposal on 8«- by 11-inch paper, single or double spaced, using one side, in standard 10- or 12-point font. o Not include appendixes or attachments. o Submit six copies of their paper. Selection Criteria Concept papers must address the following questions in the order presented below for each grant category. Only answer the questions pertaining to the category for which you are submitting a proposal. If you are applying for both, you must submit two separate concept papers. List each question by number, followed by your answer. Papers not following this format will be removed from the review process. If selected, applicants will be required to complete an Application for Federal Assistance. STOP Organizations submitting concept papers for Providing Technical Assistance for Tribal Courts Grants must answer the following questions: 1. Describe how you will develop the curricula lesson plans and products that will be used during the tribal court planning seminars. Outline your strategy for facilitated group training, including curricula materials, lesson plans, and faculty. (20 points) 2. Describe how you will provide technical assistance for tribal court enhancement sites. (20 points) 3. Describe your strategy for providing followup technical assistance and posttraining needs assessments. (20 points) 4. Describe your strategy to collaborate with other tribal and nontribal agencies. Discuss who your partners will be, what role they will play, and whether these partnerships will be new. Partnerships or consortia that include public and private organizations and community-based groups are strongly encouraged. (10 points) 5. Describe your organization's experience working with tribal governments and tribal courts. (10 points) 6. Describe your organizational capability for managing a large grant award. (10 points) 7. Describe the project's costs and cost benefits. (10 points) STOP Organizations submitting concept papers for Developing a National Tribal Court Resource Center Grants must answer the following questions: 1. Describe your strategy for instituting a National Tribal Court Resource Center. The center should make available a wide range of legal resources to tribal court personnel as well as respond to legal inquiries from tribal courts. (40 points) 2. Describe the organization's experience with tribal governments and tribal courts. (20 points) 3. Describe your strategy to collaborate with other tribal and nontribal agencies. Discuss who your partners will be, what role they will play, and whether these partnerships will be new. Partnerships or consortia that include public and private organizations and community-based groups are strongly encouraged. (20 points) 4. Describe the organizational capability for managing a large grant award. (10 points) 5. Describe the project's costs and cost benefits. (10 points) Deadline and Submission Six copies of your concept paper must be RECEIVED at the address below no later than 5:30 p.m. eastern time, August 6, 1999. Concept papers received after the deadline will not be considered. BJA will not grant extensions of the deadline or accept faxed submissions. Concept papers should be mailed or delivered to: Bureau of Justice Assistance Attention: BJA Control Desk 5640 Nicholson Lane, Suite 300 Rockville, MD 20852 For More Information The staff of the Department of Justice Response Center are available at 1- 800-421-6770 to answer questions about this solicitation. Applicants will receive a postcard acknowledging BJA's receipt of their concept paper 4 to 6 weeks after the submission deadline. For general information about BJA programs and technical assistance, contact the BJA Clearinghouse at 1- 800-688-4252 or access the BJA World Wide Web home page at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA. SL 000363 Tribal Court Technical Assistance Submission Cover Page All applicants must use this page as the cover for their submission. Type of Grant o Providing Technical Assistance for Tribal Courts o Developing a National Tribal Court Resource Center Name of Applying Agency Address of Applying Agency Applicant's Unit of Government (e.g., city, county, state, tribal) Point of Contact (Name and Title) Contact Telephone Number Contact Fax Number Contact E-mail Address