COUNCIL ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - FY04-05
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I.GENERAL INFORMATIONPage #
I.1Statement of Purpose3
I.2Granting Office3
I.3Eligibility3
I.4Incurring Costs3
I.5Inquiries3
I.6Regulations4
I.7Response Date4
I.8Copies Required4
I.9Period of Performance4
I.10Acceptance of Application Content5
I.11Proposal Review5
I.12Funding Allocations6
I.13Notification of Award6
I.14Grant Payment Schedule6
I.15Appeals Procedure6
II.PROGRAM INFORMATION
II.1Funding Source Information7
II.2Council Grant Priorities9
II.3Service Provision Components9
III.WRITING THE PROPOSAL: SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPLETE APPLICATIONS
III.1Instructions for Completion of Proposal Requirements11
A.Proposal Binding/Cover11
B.Table of Contents11
C.Application Facesheet/Assurances/Federal Cert.12
D.Abstract12
E.Statement of Needs12
F.Services To Be Provided12
G.Community Coordination13
H.Agency Management14
I.Budget15
J.Budget Narrative20
IV.REQUIRED APPLICATION FORMS
IV.1Face Sheet (Green)
IV.2Assurance Sheet (Blue)
IV.3Federal Certifications (Yellow)
IV.4Compliance Certification (Pink)
IV.5Budget Forms
A. Program Budget Summary
B. Source of Funds
C. Budget Detail
V.ATTACHMENTS
A.Definitions
- Submission Requirements
- Goals and Objectives Example
- Matching Funds
- Council Review Criteria
- Council Regulations
- FVPSA Grant Award Conditions
H.VOCA Grant Award Conditions
I.SAP Grant Award Conditions
J.RPE Grant Award Conditions
COUNCIL ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT
COMMUNITY BASED VICTIM SERVICES
GRANT PROGRAM
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - FY04-05
I.GENERAL INFORMATION
I.1Statement of Purpose. The primary mission of the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Community Based Victim Service Grant program is to provide immediate safety and support to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in life-threatening situations, and to reduce the incidence of domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska. The Council also provides limited funding for services to victims of other crimes, such as assault, driving while intoxicated, and survivors of victims of homicide.
I.2.Granting Office. This grant program is being administered by the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (Council), Department of Public Safety.
I.3.Eligibility. To qualify, an offeror must be a city or borough or other political subdivision of the state, a non-profit organization, or a combination of these.
I.4.Incurring Costs. The Department of Public Safety is not liable for any costs incurred by offerors prior to the issuance of a grant. All costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal in response to the grant program (including travel expenses to attend any offerors' conference, funding meetings of the Council or negotiation sessions, if held) are the sole responsibility of the grant offeror.
I.5.Inquiries. The Council will hold a teleconference to review the RFP and funding process on January 9, 2003. Exact time and instructions for accessing the teleconference will be forwarded to applicants by January 2, 2003. The cost of participation, including long distance phone and teleconference access fees, will be the responsibility of each applicant.
Applicants should immediately review this Request for Proposal and submit written questions regarding application instructions to:
Susan Scudder, Executive Director
Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
Department of Public Safety
P.O. Box 111200
Juneau, Alaska 99811-1200
Phone: (907) 465-4356
Questions must be received by February 28, 2003. Any vendor who has requested and received a Request for Proposal (RFP) booklet will be furnished a copy of the Council’s written response to all properly submitted inquiries or any resulting amendments to this RFP.
Oral explanations or instructions given prior to the award of grants will not be binding.
I.6.Regulations. The Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault has adopted regulations that apply to the operations of Council-funded programs. Compliance with these regulations is a requirement for acceptance of Council funds. Copies of the regulations (13 AAC 90.010-190 and 13 AAC 95.010-900) which apply to these grants are included with this grant package to furnish prospective offerors with information with respect to the granting process, and the minimum service operations that are required for Council funded programs. See Attachment F.
I.7.Response Date. To be considered, proposals must be postmarked no later than March 14, 2003. Proposals must be mailed to:
Susan Scudder, Executive Director
Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
Department of Public Safety
P.O. Box 111200
Juneau, Alaska 99811-1200
or hand-delivered prior to 4:30 p.m., March 14, 2003 to:
Susan Scudder, Executive Director
Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
Department of Public Safety
450 Whittier Street, Room 105
Juneau, Alaska
Proposals MAILED or HAND-DELIVERED after the specified time will be considered INELIGIBLE and will NOT be reviewed by the Council. Faxed proposals will not be accepted.
I.8.Copies Required. Offerors must submit one (1) original (with original signatures) and eight (8) bound copies of their proposal to the Council office. Proposals that do not contain the prescribed number of copies will be deemed non-responsive and will not be reviewed by the Council. The original and eight copies are to be the same in content.
I.9.Period of Performance. While grant funds can only be allocated annually, the State may award grants for a one or two year period, subject to the availability of funds. This Request for Proposal is a multi-year grant, for the period of FY04 (July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2004) and FY05 (July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005). The proposal must be written to cover a two-year period of time, with the exception of the budget. Second year awards will require an updated set of goals and objectives and budget, and will be contingent upon the prior year's performance. Grants are awarded on the basis of the following general conditions:
A.The grantee's demonstration that a need for services exists;
B.The grantee's demonstration of its ability to meet service and program obligations;
C.Whether sufficient funds have been appropriated by the Legislature and approved by the Governor; and
D.The ability of the grantee and the Council to agree on any adjustments in payments for service.
The process to determine the levels of continuation funding for FY05 will be determined by the Council, prior to the end of FY04. All successful grantees will be notified of this process before it is implemented. Programs not in compliance with the Council's regulations, grant award conditions, assurances, and/or not performing up to the standards of the FY04 grant may be deemed ineligible for continued funding in FY05. In such cases, the program will be notified in writing by April 1, 2004, of their ineligibility. This notification will include a statement of the Council's rationale for ineligibility. Programs deemed ineligible will have access to the Council's appeal process covered in 13 AAC 95.350, and section I.15 of this RFP.
Except as otherwise provided in the current RFP, the terms and conditions of the grant during any extension period will remain the same as the terms and conditions of the preceding period. The Council reserves the option to negotiate starting and ending dates of individual projects. Actual effective start dates of successful offerors, however, may vary depending upon when the FY04 and FY05 Operating Budgets are signed into law by the Governor.
I.10.Acceptance of Application Content. Should an offeror be awarded a grant, the contents of the selected proposals will become binding. Failure of the successful offeror to accept these obligations or the Council's grant conditions may result in cancellation of the award. The State maintains the right to negotiate funding levels, as well as program goals and objectives with successful offerors.
I.11.Proposal Review. Applications will be reviewed and evaluated according to criteria specified in this RFP and in regulation 13 AAC 95.080. The Council will not consider late information sent after the complete application is due. Applications will be reviewed as follows:
A.Council staff will conduct a preliminary review of the proposal using the Submission Requirements for Complete Application, Attachment B, and verifying the budget computations. For current programs, statistical information, on-site evaluations and quarterly reports will be reviewed. Applications will also be reviewed to determine if they meet eligibility requirements for federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), Family Violence Prevention Services Act (FVPSA), Sexual Assault Prevention (SAP) and Rape Prevention Education (RPE) funds (see Section II.1.). Grant award conditions for these federal grants are attached. See Attachments G-J.
B.Council members will receive copies of all proposals for their review. Each proposal will be assigned a primary and a secondary reviewer from within the Council to ensure a more detailed review of each proposal.
I.12.Funding Allocations. The funding decisions will be conducted by the full Council at a public meeting currently scheduled to take place in Anchorage in June 2003. All applicants will be notified of the date and location. The process used to make the funding allocations is as follows:
- The first two days of the meeting are reserved for presentations by the applicants on their proposals, as well as response to questions. A schedule for presentations will be developed, and applicants have the choice of appearing in person or by telephone.
- The third day of the meeting is devoted to the actual allocation of funds. Both the acceptance or denial of an application, and determination of the actual funding amount require a majority vote by the Council members. The Council also approves grant award conditions for all grantees, including any special conditions that may be attached to a specific project.
I.13.Notification of Award. The Council's process for notification of award is guided by 13 AAC 95.090. Within 15 days of the Council's final decision regarding grant awards, applicants will be notified of:
A.A notification of grant award to grantees whose application is approved, contingent upon necessary revisions to be negotiated and availability of funds; or
B.The Council's denial of funding.
I.14.Grant Payment Schedule. The Council's process for grant payment is covered by regulation 13 AAC 95.230. The Council will make payments to a grantee by quarterly advances. The Council will withhold payment if the grantee fails to submit complete and timely reports as required under regulation 13 AAC 95.240. To receive a payment under this section, the grantee must submit to the Council a payment request made on a form provided by the Council. The grantee is responsible for reimbursing the Council for the amount not spent or encumbered at the end of the funding cycle.
I.15.Appeals Procedure. An applicant or grantee may appeal any of the following decisions as per regulation 13 AAC 95.350:
A.a final decision regarding funding under 13 AAC 95.070 (d);
B.a decision to withhold a payment under 13 AAC 95.230(c);
C.a decision of the Council to require a refund of grant money under 13 AAC 95.260; and
D.a decision to suspend or terminate a grant under 13 AAC 95.330.
Applicants or grantees who wish to appeal a decision must submit, within 15 days after receipt of the administrative action or decision, a written request for a hearing. The request must contain the reasons for the appeal, and must cite the law, regulation, or Council policy or procedure upon which the request is based. The appeal will be heard by an appeals committee, consisting of the Council Chair and two other Council members. The appeals committee will review the request for a hearing, and within 15 days after receipt of the request, will advise the applicant or grantee of their decision to accept or reject the request for hearing. If the request is rejected, the reason for the rejection will be stated. If the request for a hearing is accepted, the appeals committee will request the Governor to appoint a hearing officer. A hearing will be scheduled no later than 20 days after the appeals committee's acceptance of a hearing. The hearing officer will submit a transcript of the hearing, any written testimony, and a written recommendation to the appeals committee, which will make the final decision on the appeal.
II.PROGRAM INFORMATION
II.1Funding Source Information. The following instructions describe the funding sources for which the Council is seeking applications. All proposals will be considered for funding under all funding sources.
- State General Funds
The Council currently receives State General Funds from two separate funding sources: the state general revenue and withheld Permanent Fund Dividends from convicted felons and misdemeanants who are incarcerated in the current year and who are Alaska residents. These two revenue sources are combined into a single State General Fund appropriation that is allocated by the Legislature which is approved by the Governor for grants to local programs.
B.Family Violence Prevention Services Act (FVPSA)
The purpose of the Family Violence Prevention Services Act (FVPSA) funds are to assist local public agencies and nonprofit organizations for programs and projects within the State to prevent incidents of family violence and to provide immediate shelter and related assistance for victims of family violence and their dependents in order to prevent future violent incidents. FVPSA requires that not less than 70% of the funds distributed shall be used for immediate shelter and related assistance to the victims of family violence and their dependents and not less than 25% of the funds distributed shall be used to provide related assistance. The term "shelter" means the provision of temporary refuge and related assistance in compliance with applicable State law and regulations governing the provision, on a regular basis, of shelter, safe homes, meals, and related assistance to victims of family violence and their dependents.
The term "related assistance" includes (a) counseling and self-help services to victims and dependents in family violence situations (which shall include counseling of all family members to the extent feasible) and referrals for appropriate health care services (including alcohol and drug abuse treatment), (b) may include transportation, and emergency services (but not reimbursement for any health care services) for victims of family violence and their dependents, (c) legal advocacy to provide victims with information and assistance through the civil and criminal courts, and legal assistance, and (d) children's counseling and support services and child care services for children who are victims of family violence or the dependents of such victims.
Special emphasis is placed to the support of community-based projects of demonstrated effectiveness carried out by non-profit private organizations, particularly those projects the primary purpose of which is to operate shelters for victims of family violence and their dependents and those which provide counseling, advocacy, and self-help services to victims and their children.
FVPSA also seeks to encourage public and private non-profit agencies to commit other resources by requiring matching funds (cash and the value of in-kind services) in conjunction with federal funds to achieve the objectives of this program.
C.Victims of Crime Act (VOCA)
VOCA funds are generated by assessments levied on offenders of federal crimes and are used to support services to victims of violent crime. The Victims of Crime Act was established by Congress in 1984 to provide financial assistance to the States for the purpose of compensating and otherwise assisting victims of crime, and to provide funds to the Department of Justice for the purpose of assisting victims of Federal crime. The Crime Victims Assistance portion of the VOCA funds is provided to the Council for the financial support of eligible crime victim assistance programs in Alaska. Priority is given to eligible crime victims assistance programs providing assistance to victims of sexual assault, spousal abuse or child abuse. A minimum of ten percent (10%) of the Council's VOCA allocation must be made available for grants to programs that serve previously underserved populations of victims of violent crime. These underserved victims of either adult or juvenile offenders may include, but are not limited to, victims of federal crimes; survivors of homicide victims; or victims of assault, robbery, gang violence, hate and bias crimes, intoxicated drivers, bank robbery, economic exploitation and fraud, and elder abuse.
VOCA also seeks to encourage public and private non-profit agencies to commit other resources by requiring matching funds (cash and the value of in-kind services) in conjunction with federal funds to achieve the objectives of this program.
D.Sexual Assault Prevention (SAP)
The Center for Disease Control, through the federal Department of Health and Human Services, has consistently funded sexual assault prevention activities to each state. With the Violence Against Women Act, the funds made available have significantly increased. The Alaska Division of Public Health, Department of Health and Social Services has agreed to turn these funds over to the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault for administration as part of the regular grant line. Because these funds are limited to prevention activities, all applications will fit under the Council’s priority D, education/support programs, including education, outreach, prevention, information and referral.
E.Rape Prevention Education (RPE)
Sexual Assault Prevention monies were split into two programs in FY02 creating the RPE program. RPE monies are to be used for sexual assault prevention activities. RPE monies are designated for statewide activities and will fit under the Council’s priority D, education/support programs, including education, outreach, prevention, information and referral.
II.2.Council Grant Priorities: Listed in the order of priority. The Council has developed and approved the following list of service priorities. First priority is given to programs that have a proven ability to provide services to people affected by family and sexual violence, and for the continuation of existing services deliveries throughout the state before increasing service delivery. Although the Council has agreed upon these priorities, they are not strictly binding upon the Council should the Council decide that other factors dictate some deviation from the numerical ranking in the case of a particular grant or a particular region.
A.Programs that provide immediate safety to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault;
B.Programs that provide crisis intervention services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other violent crimes including counseling, advocacy, information, and referral. This component includes services to other family members and significant others;
C.Programs that specifically address the needs of child victims or children of victims;
D.Education/support programs, including community education, outreach, prevention, information and referral; and