Include, as critical elements in the plan:

Project Duration

The length of the project should not exceed 12 months. Federal Share of the Project

The maximum Federal share of the project will not exceed $35,000 for the 1year project period. Applications for lesser amounts also will be considered under this priority area.

Matching Requirements

Successful applicants must provide at least 25 percent of the total cost of the project. The approved total cost of the project is the sum of the ACF share and nonFederal share. Applications for lesser amounts also will be considered under this priority area. Cash or inkind contributions may meet the nonFederal share, although applicants are encouraged to meet their match requirements through cash contributions. If approved for funding, the applicant will be held accountable for commitments of nonFederal resources and failure to provide the required amount will result in a disallowance of unmatched Federal funds. Therefore, a project requesting $35,000 in Federal funds (based on an award of $35,000 per budget period) must include a match of at least $11,666 (25% of total project cost) for a total budget of $46,666.

Anticipated Number of Projects to be Funded

We anticipate that five projects will be funded at the maximum level. We may fund more than five projects if we receive acceptable applications for lesser amounts.
Priority Area FV0202, Collaborative efforts between FaithBased/ Spiritual Organizations and Domestic Violence Organizations Background

For many women across varying social and economic strata, churches, synagogues, or places of contemplation and spiritual connection may be the only sources of safe and confidential interaction. However, even in these settings of assumed trust and confidentiality, many women who seek counseling are hesitant to expose the nature and extent of their abuse because of fear, shame, guilt, or feelings of human or spiritual failure. Additionally, spiritual leaders, though dedicated to the principles of respect and human dignity for all people, are sometimes unable to recognize the characteristics and results of abusive relationships. Even when recognized, they often lack the resources and information available to provide support that would ensure protection and safety through the resolution of the problem.

Establishing a collaborative effort between faithbased organizations and domestic violence intervention services will help provide organizations with information about the availability of domestic violence intervention services, effectively create additional points of entry to services for victims of family violence, and expand and strengthen the network of knowledgeable service providers.

Some suggested activities applicable under this priority area are: (a) Plan and implement training and the development of training materials that enable leaders of faithbased organizations to increase the capacity of the faithbased community to understand and appropriately respond to the complexities of domestic violence. (b) Plan and implement a replicable domestic violence collaborative project that provides information on resources, facilities, and service alternatives to family violence victims and their dependents for use by faithbased organizations.
(c) Plan and implement a domestic violence information and awareness project related to specific population groups such as youth, elderly, disabled, or gay/lesbian/transgender individuals that provide information on the services available to these groups for intervention and prevention.

Eligible Applicants

State and local private nonprofit agencies experienced in the field of family violence prevention in collaboration with private non profit faithbased organizations, public and private nonprofit educational/faithbased institutions, associations, or societies, and other entities that have designed and implemented activities related to the prevention of domestic violence as a faithbased issue.

Minimum Requirements for Project Design

This project requires the collaboration between a recognized domestic violence service provider or state domestic violence coalition with a church, synagogue, mosque, faithbased or spirituallybased organization or an organization representing multiple churches, synagogues, mosques, and/or other faithbased entities. Applicant's proposal should include a description of the collaborating domestic violence service provider's organization, domestic violence service experience, and organizational affiliation with the domestic violence community.

The applicant's proposal should address the following:

Demonstrate that the required collaboration has occurred in the preparation and planned implementation of the activities specified in the grant application; and demonstrate that the developed materials and/or training will incorporate guiding principles similar to the following:

Include, as critical elements in the plan:

The length of the project should not exceed 12 months. Federal Share of the Project

The maximum Federal share of the project is not to exceed $37,500 for the 1year project period. Applications for lesser amounts also will be considered under this priority area.

Matching Requirements

Successful applicants must provide at least 25 percent of the total cost of the project. The approved total cost of the project is the sum of the ACF share and nonFederal share. Cash or inkind contributions may meet the nonFederal share although applicants are encouraged to meet their match requirements through cash contributions. If approved for funding, the applicant will be held accountable for commitments of nonFederal resources and failure to provide the required amount will result in a disallowance of unmatched Federal funds. Therefore, a project requesting $37,500 in Federal funds (based on an award of $37,500 per budget period) must include a match of at least $12,500 (25% of the total project cost) for a total budget of $50,000. Anticipated Number of Projects To Be Funded

It is anticipated, subject to the availability of funds, that six projects will be funded at the maximum level; more than six projects may be funded depending on the number of acceptable applications for lesser amounts which are received.

Part III. Evaluation Criteria

Applicants must clearly identify the specific priority area under which they wish to have their applications considered, and tailor their applications accordingly. Previous experience has shown that an application which is broad and more general in concept than outlined in the priority area description is less likely to score as well as one which is more clearly focused and directly responsive to the concerns of that specific priority area.

Using the evaluation criteria below, a panel of at least three reviewers (primarily experts from outside the Federal government) will review each application. Applicants should ensure that they address each minimum requirement in the priority area description under the appropriate section of the Program Narrative Statement.

Reviewers will determine the strengths and weaknesses of each application in terms of the appropriate evaluation criteria listed below and provide comments and assign numerical scores. The point value following each criterion heading indicates the maximum numerical weight that each section may be given in the review process:

1. Need for the Project (10 points)

The extent to which the need for the project and the problems it will address have national and local significance; the applicability of the project to coordination efforts by national, Tribal, State and local governmental and nonprofit agencies; its ultimate impact on domestic violence prevention services and intervention efforts, policies and practice; the relevance of other documentation as it relates to the applicant's knowledge of the need for the project; and the identification of the specific topic or program area to be served by the project. Maps and other graphic aids may be attached. 2. Goals and Objectives (10 points)

The extent to which the specific goals and objectives have national or local significance, the clarity of the goals and objectives as they relate to the identified need for and the overall purpose of the project, and their applicability to policy and practice. The provision of a detailed discussion of the objectives and the extent to which the objectives are realistic, specific, and achievable;

3. Approach (30 points)

The extent to which the application outlines a sound and workable plan of action pertaining to the scope of the project, and details about how the proposed work will be accomplished; relates each task to the objectives and identifies the key staff member who will be the lead person; provides a chart indicating the timetable for completing each task, the lead person, and the time committed; cites factors which might accelerate or decelerate the work, giving acceptable reasons for taking this approach as opposed to others; describes and supports any unusual features of the project, such as design or technological innovations, reductions in cost or time, or extraordinary social and community involvement; and provides for projections of the accomplishments to be achieved.

The extent to which, when applicable, the application describes the evaluation methodology that will be used to determine if the needs identified and discussed are being met and if the results and benefits identified are being achieved;

4. Results and Benefits (20 points)

The extent to which the application identifies the results and benefits to be derived; the extent to which they are consistent with the objectives of the application; the extent to which the application indicates the anticipated contributions to policy, practice, and theory; and the extent to which the proposed project costs are reasonable in view of the expected results. The extent to which the application has identified, in specific terms, the results and benefits specific for target groups and human service providers, to be derived from implementing the proposed project; and has described how the expected results and benefits will relate to previous demonstration efforts.

5. Level of Effort: (30 Points)

Staffing patternDescribe the staffing pattern for the proposed project, clearly linking responsibilities to project tasks and specifying the contributions to be made by key staff.

Competence of staffDescribe the qualifications of the project team including any experiences working on similar projects. Also, describe the variety of skills to be used, relevant educational background, and the demonstrated ability to produce final results that are comprehensible and usable. One or two pertinent paragraphs on each key member are preferred to resumes. However, resumes may be included in the ten pages allowed for attachments/appendices.

Adequacy of resourcesSpecify the adequacy of the available facilities, resources and organizational experience with regard to the tasks of the proposed project. List the financial, physical and other resources to be provided by other profit and nonprofit organizations. Explain how these organizations will participate in the day to day operations of the project.

BudgetRelate the proposed budget to the level of effort required obtaining project objectives and providing a cost/benefit analysis. Demonstrate that the project's costs are reasonable in view of the anticipated results.

Collaborative effortsDiscuss in detail and provide documentation for
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any collaborative or coordinated efforts with other agencies or organizations. Identify these agencies or organizations and explain how their participation will enhance the project. Letters from these agencies and organizations discussing the specifics of their commitment must be included in the application.

AuthorshipThe authors of the application must be clearly identified together with their current relationship to the applicant organization and any future project role they may have if the project is funded.

Applicants should note that nonresponsiveness to the section designated as ``Minimum Requirements for Project Design,'' in the applicable priority areas, will result in a low evaluation score by the panel of expert reviewers.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services, Division of State Assistance, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW, Washington, DC 20447. Telephone Sunni Knight, (202) 4015319, James Gray, (202) 4015705, William Riley (202) 4015529, or Shena Williams, (202) 2055932.

For a Copy of the Announcement Contact: Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC, 20447. Telephone Shena Williams, (202) 2055932. Our Web site address is: http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ocs under ``Funding Opportunities''.