Title: FY 1998 Open Solicitation. Series: BJA Solicitation Author: Bureau of Justice Assistance Published: April 1998 Subject: Funding Resources 17 pages 4,600 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 FY 1998 Open Solicitation Announcement ------------------------------ U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 810 Seventh Street NW. Washington, DC 20531 Janet Reno Attorney General U.S. Department of Justice Raymond C. Fischer Associate Attorney General Nancy E. Gist Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance U.S. Department of Justice Response Center 1-800-688-4252 Bureau of Justice Assistance World Wide Web Home Page http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA ------------------------------ The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims of Crime. ------------------------------ Bureau of Justice Assistance FY 1998 Open Solicitation Announcement April 1998 SL 000281 ------------------------------ A Message From the Director I am pleased to announce the second annual Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Open Solicitation competition. In my travels across the country, I often hear the same issue voiced in many different ways: the Federal Government needs to demystify the grant-making process and open it up to new ideas from State, local, and tribal communities. In response to these requests, BJA initiated the Open Solicitation Program in 1997. We limited the solicitation to the areas of greatest need as reported by our constituents and asked for concept papers on selected topics suggested by practitioners. State, local, and tribal governments and agencies were invited to submit a six-page concept paper describing innovations they would like to try in their communities. They, in turn, reached out within their communities and proposed building partnerships with schools, social service agencies, private-sector organizations, and virtually every other type of institution with a stake in safe and vibrant communities. BJA received more than 1,700 concept papers from every level of government and from every component of the criminal justice system. Our first year's experience with the Open Solicitation Program has reinforced my conviction that Washington can learn much by listening to America's communities. With this solicitation BJA continues to encourage, support, and publicize local innovations and to build safe and healthy communities. I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and look forward to your submissions. Nancy E. Gist Director ------------------------------ Contents About BJA FY 1998 Open Solicitation Announcement FY 1998 Concept Paper Topic Areas 1. Community Justice 2. Law Enforcement Partnerships To Address Hate Crimes 3. Criminal Justice Challenges for Rural or Rural Tribal Communities 4. Criminal Justice System Responses to Senior Citizens 5. The Role of Alcohol and Crime 6. Indigent Defense 7. Cultural Barriers to Justice 8. Nontraditional Uses of Prosecution Resources To Enhance Public Safety 9. Public Health and Criminal Justice Collaborations 10. Local Priorities Selection and Review Process Contacts for More Information Submission Criteria Administrative Requirements Concept Paper Format Requirements and Scoring Deadline and Submission Cover Page: FY 1998 Open Solicitation, Bureau of Justice Assistance FY 1998 Open Solicitation: Suggestions for Submitting Proposals to BJA ------------------------------ About BJA The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), a component of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), 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. Established by the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended, 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, and local efforts. BJA's specific goals are to assist communities to reduce and prevent crime, violence, and drug abuse and to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system. For more information about programs, training and technical assistance, and information dissemination supported by BJA, 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. FY 1998 Open Solicitation Announcement BJA is pleased to announce its FY 1998 Open Solicitation Discretionary Grant Program. Applicants for this program are limited to units and agencies of State, local, or tribal governments. Only units of government or agencies within units of government are eligible to submit concept papers under this solicitation. If you are not a governmental entity, you may partner with one, but the governmental agency or unit of government must serve as applicant. Concept papers under this solicitation must address CRIMINAL JUSTICE issues. Through the Open Solicitation Program, BJA is encouraging State, local, and tribal governments to identify emerging or chronic criminal justice issues within their communities and jurisdictions and to provide us with innovative strategies for addressing those issues. This year, BJA is soliciting concept papers under nine very broadly defined areas: community justice, hate crimes, criminal justice challenges for rural communities or rural tribal communities, criminal justice system responses to senior citizens, alcohol and crime, indigent defense, cultural barriers to justice, nontraditional uses of prosecution resources to enhance public safety, and public health and criminal justice collaborations. These nine topic areas represent priority issues for BJA, as expressed by practitioners throughout the criminal justice system. These topics also include priorities of DOJ. In addition, we are including a category under which jurisdictions and agencies are invited to address issues not covered by the topic areas. All concept papers must adhere to the administrative requirements outlined on page 9 of this document and must follow the format prescribed in the submission criteria on pages 9 and 10. Concept papers not adhering to the administrative requirements or the prescribed format will not be considered. Submissions will be reviewed by panels of expert practitioners, who will make recommendations for awards to the Director of BJA. For suggestions on writing and submitting a concept paper to BJA, see page 13. Questions about this solicitation may be directed to the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770. FY 1998 Concept Paper Topic Areas Applicants may submit only one concept paper in each topic area. Applicants may apply for as many topic areas as they wish, but they must submit a DIFFERENT concept for each topic. 1. Community Justice Community justice emphasizes building partnerships between communities and local criminal justice systems to combat crime. Community justice gives the community a voice in shaping sanctions and programs, often through community courts. Applicants are invited to submit concept papers that present strategies to address the achievement of community justice. For more information, see the BJA Bulletin Responding to the Community: Principles for Planning and Creating a Community Court, available from the BJA Web site or from the BJA Clearinghouse at 1-800-688-4252. Please note that BJA will not entertain funding of programs exclusively featuring community policing under this solicitation. o Number of awards: one or more grants awarded in this topic area. o Award amount: up to $150,000 per award. o Award period: up to 18 months. Eligibility Criteria Units and agencies of State, local, or tribal government are eligible. Tribes must be federally recognized. Eligibility includes, but is not limited to, States, counties, municipalities, villages, towns, townships, courts, prosecution, indigent defense, probation, parole, pretrial services, corrections, law enforcement, and social services. This restriction does not preclude private/not-for-profit agencies from collaborating with eligible applicants, nor does it preclude two or more units of government from applying under the cover of one authorized applicant, which will be responsible for the administration of the award. 2. Law Enforcement Partnerships To Address Hate Crimes Applicants are invited to submit concept papers that present strategies to address crimes targeted toward individuals or groups because of their race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, gender, disability, or sexual orientation. Applicants are strongly encouraged to include law enforcement partners and other resources. o Number of awards: one or more grants awarded in this topic area. o Award amount: up to $150,000 per award. o Award period: up to 18 months. Eligibility Criteria Units and agencies of State, local, or tribal government are eligible. Tribes must be federally recognized. Eligibility includes, but is not limited to, States, counties, municipalities, villages, towns, townships, courts, prosecution, indigent defense, probation, parole, pretrial services, corrections, law enforcement, and social services. This restriction does not preclude private/not-for-profit agencies from collaborating with eligible applicants, nor does it preclude two or more units of government from applying under the cover of one authorized applicant, which will be responsible for the administration of the award. 3. Criminal Justice Challenges for Rural or Rural Tribal Communities Applicants are invited to submit concept papers that present strategies addressing criminal justice challenges that are unique to rural or tribal communities. o Number of awards: one or more grants awarded in this topic area. o Award amount: up to $150,000 per award. o Award period: up to 18 months. Eligibility Criteria Units and agencies of State, local, and tribal governments are eligible, provided that they have, or serve, populations of fewer than 25,000 residents and that the community is not located within a metropolitan area. All federally recognized tribal governments and their units and agencies and all State and local governments and their units and agencies that serve such federally recognized tribes may apply. Eligibility includes, but is not limited to, States, counties, municipalities, villages, towns, townships, courts, prosecution, indigent defense, probation, parole, pretrial services, corrections, law enforcement, and social services. This restriction does not preclude private/not-for-profit agencies from collaborating with eligible applicants, nor does it preclude two or more units of government from applying under the cover of one authorized applicant, which will be responsible for the administration of the award. Please note that preference will be given to Rural Empowerment Zones, Enterprise Communities, and Champion Communities. 4. Criminal Justice System Responses to Senior Citizens Applicants are invited to submit concept papers that present strategies to address issues presented by senior citizens, including meeting their needs when they are victims, witnesses, defendants, offenders, and volunteers in the criminal justice system. o Number of awards: one or more grants awarded in this topic area. o Award amount: up to $150,000 per award. o Award period: up to 18 months. Eligibility Criteria Units and agencies of State, local, or tribal government are eligible. Tribes must be federally recognized. Eligibility includes, but is not limited to, States, counties, municipalities, villages, towns, townships, courts, prosecution, indigent defense, probation, parole, pretrial services, corrections, law enforcement, and social services. This restriction does not preclude private/not-for-profit agencies from collaborating with eligible applicants, nor does it preclude two or more units of government from applying under the cover of one authorized applicant, which will be responsible for the administration of the award. 5. The Role of Alcohol and Crime Applicants are invited to submit concept papers that present strategies to address the link between alcohol and crime. o Number of awards: one or more grants awarded in this topic area. o Award amount: up to $150,000 per award. o Award period: up to 18 months. Eligibility Criteria Units and agencies of State, local, or tribal government are eligible. Tribes must be federally recognized. Eligibility includes, but is not limited to, States, counties, municipalities, villages, towns, townships, courts, prosecution, indigent defense, probation, parole, pretrial services, corrections, law enforcement, and social services. This restriction does not preclude private/not-for-profit agencies from collaborating with eligible applicants, nor does it preclude two or more units of government from applying under the cover of one authorized applicant, which will be responsible for the administration of the award. 6. Indigent Defense Applicants are invited to submit concept papers that present strategies to enhance the representation of indigent criminal defendants. o Number of awards: one or more grants awarded in this topic area. o Award amount: up to $150,000 per award. o Award period: up to 18 months. Eligibility Criteria Units and agencies of State, local, or tribal government are eligible. Tribes must be federally recognized. Eligibility includes, but is not limited to, States, counties, municipalities, villages, towns, townships, courts, prosecution, indigent defense, probation, parole, pretrial services, corrections, law enforcement, and social services. This restriction does not preclude private/not-for-profit agencies from collaborating with eligible applicants, nor does it preclude two or more units of government from applying under the cover of one authorized applicant, which will be responsible for the administration of the award. 7. Cultural Barriers to Justice Applicants are invited to submit concept papers that present strategies to reduce cultural barriers to justice, defined as those that prevent individuals from participating fully in the criminal justice process by virtue of language, philosophy, or experience. o Number of awards: one or more grants awarded in this topic area. o Award amount: up to $150,000 per award. o Award period: up to 18 months. Eligibility Criteria Units and agencies of State, local, or tribal government are eligible. Tribes must be federally recognized. Eligibility includes, but is not limited to, States, counties, municipalities, villages, towns, townships, courts, prosecution, indigent defense, probation, pretrial services, corrections, law enforcement, and social services. This restriction does not preclude private/not-for-profit agencies from collaborating with eligible applicants, nor does it preclude two or more units of government from applying under the cover of one authorized applicant, which will be responsible for the administration of the award. 8. Nontraditional Uses of Prosecution Resources To Enhance Public Safety Applicants are invited to submit concept papers that present strategies that use prosecutors or prosecution resources to enhance public safety through nontraditional work, including, but not limited to, work in schools, in the community, and/or with special needs populations. o Number of awards: one or more grants awarded under this topic area. o Award amount: up to $150,000 per award. o Award period: up to 18 months. Eligibility Criteria Units and agencies of State, local, or tribal government are eligible. Tribes must be federally recognized. Eligibility includes, but is not limited to, States, counties, municipalities, villages, towns, townships, courts, prosecution, indigent defense, probation, pretrial services, corrections, law enforcement, and social services. This restriction does not preclude private/not-for-profit agencies from collaborating with eligible applicants, nor does it preclude two or more units of government from applying under the cover of one authorized applicant, which will be responsible for the administration of the award. 9. Public Health and Criminal Justice Collaborations Applicants are invited to submit concept papers that present strategies for the development of collaborative efforts among public health and criminal justice agencies to prevent or reduce the incidence of violent crime in the community. o Number of awards: one or more grants awarded under this topic area. o Award amount: up to $150,000 per award. o Award period: up to 18 months. Eligibility Criteria Units and agencies of State, local, or tribal government are eligible. Tribes must be federally recognized. Eligibility includes, but is not limited to, States, counties, municipalities, villages, towns, townships, courts, prosecution, indigent defense, probation, pretrial services, corrections, law enforcement, public health, and social services. This restriction does not preclude private/not-for-profit agencies from collaborating with eligible applicants, nor does it preclude two or more units of government from applying under the cover of one authorized applicant, which will be responsible for the administration of the award. 10. Local Priorities This category is open to local innovative strategies that address local problem areas not described in topics one through nine. Topics are restricted only to the extent that they cannot be categorized under the defined topics, but they must specifically address criminal justice system issues. Applicants may not submit a concept paper in this category that they have submitted in any other topic area. o Award amount: up to $150,000 per award. o Award period: up to 18 months. Eligibility Criteria Units and agencies of State, local, or tribal government are eligible. Tribes must be federally recognized. Eligibility includes, but is not limited to, States, counties, municipalities, villages, towns, townships, courts, prosecution, indigent defense, probation, pretrial services, corrections, law enforcement, and social services. This restriction does not preclude private/not-for-profit agencies from collaborating with eligible applicants, nor does it preclude two or more units of government from applying under the cover of one authorized applicant, which will be responsible for the administration of the award. Selection and Review Process BJA will establish peer review teams for individual topic areas. These teams of practitioners will review and score the concept papers and make recommendations for awards to the Director of BJA. Final selection by the Director will be based on the scoring system as well as geographic or other considerations. BJA will then request that applicants selected submit formal applications for approval prior to funding. Contacts for More Information Questions about this solicitation announcement may be directed to the DOJ Response Center at 1-800-421-6770. Additional copies of the announcement, as well as information about other BJA programs, may be obtained by calling the BJA Clearinghouse at 1-800-688-4252 or by accessing the BJA World Wide Web home page at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA. ------------------------------ Submission Criteria Concept paper submissions must be RECEIVED at the Bureau of Justice Assistance by close of business (5:30 p.m. eastern time) on JULY 2, 1998. FAXED SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Administrative Requirements To be considered for funding, concept papers must: o Follow the format prescribed on pages 9 and 10 of this announcement in the sequence shown. o Not exceed six pages in length plus cover page. o Be submitted on 8«- by 11-inch paper, single or double spaced, using one side, in standard 10- or 12- point fonts. o Not include attachments. Applicants must submit six copies of their concept papers. SUBMISSIONS NOT ADHERING TO THESE REQUIREMENTS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. Concept Paper Format Requirements and Scoring Each concept paper must address only one topic area. To be eligible for consideration, each paper must answer the following questions in the same order as presented here. List each question by number, followed by your answers. Papers that do not follow this format will be removed from the review process. If statistics or other research findings are used to support a statement or position, include the source in your narrative; do not include them as appendixes to the concept paper. Concept papers will be scored using the following criteria in the following sequence: 1. What is the problem? (200 points) Identify a problem that fits easily within the topic area you have chosen. Describe your problem clearly and succinctly. Include data that show the size and scope of the problem. Explain the impact of the problem on your system or community. Explain why the problem has not been addressed previously. Or, if it has, describe the results. 2. What are you proposing to do and how do you intend to do it? (200 points) Provide an overview of your concept or strategy. Make certain there is a clear and strong link between what you are proposing and how it will address the problem you described in section 1. This solicitation is seeking new and innovative approaches. Are you proposing a concept that is new for your community or jurisdiction? How is it different from the current approach? How will the new approach produce the results you are seeking? Describe the strategy carefully so it is clear what you propose to do and how you will do it. Once the strategy is fully developed, what tasks will occur and when? Include all elements needed to make your concept work. This section must address issues such as program length and overall design. 3.What other agencies/resources will work with you? (200 points) This section should describe who your partners will be, what role they will play, and whether these partnerships will be new. Partnerships or consortia among public agencies, private organizations, and community-based groups are strongly encouraged and will contribute to your score in this section. The commitment and support you describe from other sources will be verified prior to final award. 4. How will you know if your concept works? (200 points) This section should address the measurements you will put in place to determine your strategy's effectiveness. A clear connection should be maintained with the problem you identified in section 1. Explain what will be measured, who will do it, and how the information will be used. 5. What are the costs and cost benefits of implementing the strategy? (200 points) Describe not only the cost, but the cost benefits of your strategy. At this point you do not need to submit a detailed budget but you must describe how the Federal funds you are seeking will be used. If your approach seeks to reduce the costs of current practices, describe the nature and extent of the savings. Only proposals that include direct support from other Federal or non-Federal sources will be eligible to receive the maximum number of points for this section. Note to Applicants: These instructions will be provided to peer reviewers when they review and score submissions to FY 1998 Open Solicitation. Deadline and Submission Six copies of each paper must be RECEIVED at BJA no later than close of business (5:30 p.m. eastern time), JULY 2, 1998. Concept papers delivered after the deadline will not be considered. The envelope conveying the copies must be clearly marked, indicating the specific number of the corresponding solicitation topic area. For example, the envelope of a submission addressing Hate Crimes must be marked "Topic Area 2." Applicants submitting more than one concept paper must submit the copies of each paper in a separate envelope. Concept papers should be mailed or delivered to: Bureau of Justice Assistance Attention: BJA Control Desk 5640 Nicholson Lane, Suite 300 Rockville, MD 20852 BJA WILL NOT GRANT EXTENSIONS OF THE DEADLINE OR ACCEPT FAXED SUBMISSIONS. ------------------------------ Cover Page: FY 1998 Open Solicitation Bureau of Justice Assistance NOTE: All applicants must use this page as the cover of each submission. Topic Area: o 1. Community Justice o 2. Law Enforcement Partnerships To Address Hate Crimes- o 3. Criminal Justice Challenges for Rural or Rural Tribal Communities o 4. Criminal Justice System Responses to Senior Citizens o 5. The Role of Alcohol and Crime o 6. Indigent Defense o 7. Cultural Barriers to Justice o 8. Nontraditional Uses of Prosecution Resources To Enhance Public Safety o 9. Public Health and Criminal Justice Collaborations o 10. Local Priorities------ Type of Strategy: (e.g., law enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, multiagency) Name of Applying Agency: Address of Applying Agency: Applicant Unit of Government: (e.g., city, county, State, tribal) Are you one of the following: o Empowerment Zone o Enterprise Community o Champion Community Point of Contact: Contact Telephone Number: Contact Fax Number: Contact Internet Address: Is this your first Federal grant proposal? o Yes o No Is this your first Department of Justice proposal? o Yes o No Was this concept paper submitted previously under BJA's FY 1997 Open Solicitation? o Yes o No Is your jurisdiction's population less than 25,000? o Yes o No Have you submitted this proposal to other Federal agencies? o Yes o No ------------------------------ FY 1998 Open Solicitation: Suggestions for Submitting Proposals to BJA o Carefully review the eligibility section for the topic area you have selected. Remember: not-for-profit organizations must have a government partner. o Carefully review the administrative requirements on page 9. o Although this concept paper process is less burdensome for the applicant than traditional applications for competitive grants, DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE! Rushed proposals often omit key elements and fail to explain crucial concepts. Write your proposal early, review it, show it to others, and give yourself time to make adjustments. o Before attempting to put your concept paper in narrative form, develop an outline using the solicitation criteria as a framework. Include your proposal's major components and participants. o Do not waste time worrying about "what are these funders really looking for?" Instead propose your State/local/tribal response to issues you feel can be successfully addressed with a grant award. o Don't promise what you can't produce. Reviewers are often skeptical of overly ambitious projects that do not appear to have the potential for success. o Write plainly and succinctly. Your proposal will be reviewed by people like you, practitioners with experience with the solicitation topic areas. Describe your proposal in your terms. Do not waste space by including "buzz phrases" you feel may be held in favor by funders. o Resist the temptation to list past accomplishments of the agency or unit of government sponsoring the proposal or those of key actors. Do not list collaborators who do not have a direct role in your proposal. Use the six pages (plus cover) you are allotted to answer the questions the reviewers will score. o Remember that proposals exceeding six pages WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. Give yourself enough time to edit your ideas to fit the required format. o Remember that your proposal in all likelihood will be reviewed by people who have never been to your jurisdiction or community. Do not assume they know what you do not tell them. o Keep in mind that it is our job to help you. If you have questions about the solicitation, call the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at 1- 800-421-6770. o Tell us what you think of this process. BJA is interested in developing responsive, fair procedures to support the grant process. If you have comments or suggestions regarding the grant process, please send them to Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance, 810 Seventh Street NW., Washington, DC 20531.