Federal Law Justice and Legal Services Grants

This funding opportunity provides financial support to non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and civil society groups in the U.S. and Argentina for projects that promote economic growth, good governance, and democratic principles in Argentina.

As people harmed by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking seek expanded options to address the harm they have experienced, communities have continued to strengthen and improve their responses, approaches, and services. One such approach is restorative practices. Restorative practices incorporate an understanding of trauma and are intended to repair and address the harm experienced while providing meaningful accountability for the harm-doer. An effective restorative practices program is completely voluntary for the person harmed, promotes their autonomy, and prioritizes their safety, while promoting meaningful justice, accountability, and community safety. The Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022, 34 U.S.C. 12514, authorizes funding to eligible entities to develop and implement a program, or to assess best practices for: 1) restorative practices to prevent or address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking; 2) training by eligible entities, or for eligible entities, courts or prosecutors, on restorative practices and program implementation; and 3) evaluations of a restorative practice, as defined within the statute. Accordingly, OVW is launching the Restorative Practices Pilot Program in three (3) phases: 1) Training and Technical Assistance; 2) Evaluation; and 3) Pilot Sites. Phase 1: Training and Technical Assistance OVW issued the FY 2023 Restorative Practices Technical Assistance Pilot Program Call for Concept Papers in March 2023 to identify organizations with the requisite experience and capacity to provide Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) to recipients, subrecipients, and potential recipients and subrecipients of this program. Following an intensive review of responses to the Call for Concept Papers, OVW invited five entities to submit full applications. OVW issued awards to three of those applicants in March 2024 for five-year TTA projects that will run from April 2024 through March 2029 and will involve a planning phase. In addition to providing TTA to the pilot sites, the TTA providers will participate in evaluation efforts funded through the FY 2024 Restorative Practices Pilot Program Evaluation Solicitation. The TTA providers are funded under a separate funding announcement. This solicitation is exclusively intended to fund pilot sites of the Restorative Practices Pilot Sites Program. Phase 2: Evaluation In March 2024, OVW released the Restorative Practices Pilot Program Evaluation Solicitation to invite applications to conduct research and evaluation on restorative practices in collaboration with TTA providers and pilot sites. While pilot sites funded through this Restorative Practices Pilot Sites Program Solicitation will be required to provide funding for and designate an on-site Evaluation Liaison to work with evaluator(s) and participate in the community-tailored evaluation, the comprehensive evaluation will be funded under that separate funding announcement. This solicitation is exclusively intended to fund pilot sites of the Restorative Practices Pilot Sites Program. Phase 3: Pilot Sites (this solicitation) This Restorative Practices Pilot Sites Program is a 60-month funding opportunity seeking to support, strengthen, enhance, and expand existing restorative practice programs that prevent or address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, in accordance with the restorative practices definition at 34 U.S.C. 12514(a)(3), and build evidence for victim-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive restorative practices addressing these harms. OVW will award cooperative agreements to eligible entities that form a partnership of two or more entities that have (1) a demonstrated history of comprehensive training and experience in working with victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking; and (2) demonstrated experience in implementing restorative practices. OVW is interested in supporting communities to enhance or expand current efforts, including an evaluation of the intersection of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking and restorative practices. In addition, OVW seeks to fund a range of pilot sites, including sites in various geographic locations with different demographic characteristics; culturally specific, and/or underserved populations; and different VAWA subject areas to be addressed (i.e., domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking). OVW is interested in supporting projects that implement a diverse range of restorative practices, including projects that may have a connection to the criminal justice system, as long as the program is not housed within or administered by a court, prosecutors office, law enforcement agency, or any other component of the civil or criminal justice system. Recipients under this program will receive TTA for the duration of their awards that is tailored to the recipients distinct approach to restorative practices in domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking cases. Recipients will be required to collaborate with the evaluator(s) to help develop an understanding of establishing, implementing, and using restorative practices to redress the harm caused by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The terms used throughout this solicitation may vary from people harmed, people who caused harm, harm-doers, victim, survivor, and offender, which reflects terminology used by practitioners and the statutory language that authorizes this program, 34 U.S.C. 12514.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to local, state, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies to develop and implement innovative community policing strategies that enhance public safety and community engagement.

With this solicitation, BJA seeks applications for funding under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Formula Grant Program. The PSN Program is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community-based partners, and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. PSN is coordinated by the U.S. Attorneys Offices (USAOs) in the 94 federal judicial districts throughout the 50 states and U.S. territories.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations and educational institutions to improve transparency and governance in Malawi's mining sector and public debt management.

This program provides funding to state and local governments, tribal entities, and public agencies to implement safety measures and training aimed at reducing violence in schools and enhancing overall school security.

With this solicitation, BJA seeks to fund four national training and technical assistance (TTA) programs to support law enforcement and criminal justice stakeholders in Task Force Leadership, Operations and Management (Category 1), Specialized Units TTA (Category 2), Crime Gun Intelligence Center TTA (Category 3) and Police Recruiting and Retention Among Underrepresented Groups (Category 4).

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The U.S. Embassy Kuwait City, Kuwait, Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program. This is an Annual Program Statement, outlining our funding priorities, the strategic themes we focus on, and the procedures for submitting requests for funding. Please carefully follow all instructions below. Purpose of Small Grants: PAS Kuwait invites proposals for programs that strengthen people-to-people ties and advance our shared goals of climate resilience, economic well-being, and a safe and secure world. Proposals should model fair practices. Special consideration will be given to proposals that highlight the diversity of the United States and programs whose participants come from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, projects must address one or more of the priority areas listed below. Examples of PAS Small Grants Program programs include, but are not limited to: - Academic and professional lectures, seminars and speaker programs; - Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances and exhibitions; - Cultural heritage conservation and preservation programs; - Professional and academic exchanges and programs; If you have any questions about the grant application process in its entirety, please email to [email protected]. Program Priority Areas: - Strengthening and expanding U.S.-Kuwait people-to-people partnerships to enhance regional stability and security, encompassing education, arts, freedom of speech, and fortifying U.S.-Kuwait ties. - Enhancing national security through political reform, economic development, and an improved legal framework. This includes advancing women's empowerment in politics and economics, addressing gender-based violence, and promoting cybersecurity and responsible AI use. - Engaging individuals with disabilities and promoting disability research and advocacy in Kuwait. - Promoting U.S.-Kuwait economic cooperation by emphasizing economic development, entrepreneurship, and environmental preservation in Kuwait, addressing both economic prosperity and climate change. Projects Examples: - Conference on emerging technologies, in collaboration with civil society leaders to advance digital transformation research. - Project with civil society to heighten environmental awareness regarding air quality, addressing the impact of climate change on Kuwait's environment. Activities may include awareness conferences, a workshop on investigative reporting on climate issues, or designing a digital media campaign supporting STEM in environmental protection. - Project in collaboration with civil society and/or academia that would provide training to Kuwaiti women in leadership skills, legal principles, and political etiquette. Training would aim to empower women with stronger social and legal knowledge, fostering increased participation in political careers. - Project to support the administration and management of volunteer work in Kuwait, collaborating with civil society to enhance youth engagement and foster creative community service and corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects led by both the private sector and the government. - Project to advance disability rights research in collaboration with academia and civil society. - Training program for sports arbitrators to equip them with required skills in sports arbitration principles. - Webinar series in collaboration with civil society to train young and aspiring business leaders on digitizing businesses using AI and IT solutions to enhance overall business activities. - Project to empower Kuwaiti women through art and environmental awareness in collaboration with local civil society via workshops that cover nature art, recycling, and climate change. Inviting women environmentalists, organizing field trips, and concluding with an exhibition The Following Program Categories Are Not Eligible for Funding: - Programs relating to partisan political activity; - Charitable or development activities; - Construction programs; - Programs that support specific religious activities; - Fund-raising campaigns; - Lobbying for specific legislation or programs; - Scientific research; - Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization; or - Programs that duplicate existing programs. Authorizing Legislation, Type and Year of Funding: Funding authority rests in the Smith-Mundt Act. The source of funding is FY2024 Public Diplomacy Funding. B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION Length of performance period: 1 to 12 months Number of awards anticipated: Varies (dependent on amounts) Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $25,000. Total available funding: $125,000 Type of Funding: Fiscal Year 2024 Smith-Mundt Public Diplomacy Funding Anticipated program start date: October 1, 2024 (for a maximum of one year) This Notice Is Subject to Funding Availability. Funding Instrument Type: Grant, Fixed Amount Award (FAAs), or Cooperative agreement. Cooperative agreements and some FAAs are different from grants in that PAS staff are more actively involved in the grant implementation. (Note: If a cooperative agreement or an FAA that includes substantial involvement is used, PAS will include a description of the substantial involvement. Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 12 months or less. Optional: PAS will entertain applications for continuation grants funded under these awards beyond the initial budget period on a non-competitive basis subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the program, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the U.S. Department of State. C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION 1. Eligible Applicants (in the Following Eligibility Order): PAS encourages applications from Kuwait based: - Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations. - Non-profit educational institutions - Individuals For-Profit or Commercial Entities Are Not Eligible to Apply. 2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Cost share is not required but is encouraged and will be evaluated positively during the merit review; it will be used to break ties among applications with equivalent scores after evaluation against all other factors. 3. Other Eligibility Requirements: To be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number issued via www.SAM.gov as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for more information. Individual applicants are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov. Applicants are encouraged to only apply for one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, only the most competitive proposal from that organization will be considered for funding. D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION 1. Address to Request Application Package Application forms required below are available at c https://kw.usembassy.gov/grant-application-forms/ 2. Content and Form of Application Submission Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be deemed ineligible. Content of Application Please ensure: - The proposal shall be clearly reflect the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity. - All documents shall be in English. - All budgets shall be in U.S. dollars. - All pages shall be numbered. - All documents shall be formatted to 8 x 11 paper, and - All Microsoft Word documents shall be single-spaced, 12 point Calibri font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins. The following documents are required: 1. Mandatory application forms - SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance organizations) or SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance -- individuals) - SF424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) - SF424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) - Completed Grant Proposal Form 2. Summary Coversheet: Cover sheet stating the applicant name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program. 3. Proposal (5 pages maximum): The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. Please see the attached document for complete details of the Annual Program Statement. 3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Required Registrations: Please see the attached document for complete details of the Annual Program Statement. 4. Submission Dates and Times Applications may be submitted for consideration at any time before the closing date of May 31, 2024. No applications will be accepted after that date. 5. Funding Restrictions Award funds cannot be used for construction, vehicle purchases, etc. 6. Other Submission Requirements All application materials must be submitted by email to [email protected]. E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION 1. Criteria Each application will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the evaluation criteria outlined below. The criteria listed are closely related and are considered as a whole in judging the overall quality of an application. Organizational capacity and record on previous grants 20 points: The organization has expertise in its stated field and PAS is confident of its ability to undertake the program. This includes a financial management system and a bank account. Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea 20 points The program idea is well developed, with detail about how program activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline. Goals and objectives 15 points: Goals and objectives are clearly stated and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results. Embassy priorities 10 points: Applicant has clearly described how stated goals are related to and support U.S. Embassy Kuwaits priority areas or target audiences. Budget 10 points: The budget justification is detailed. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The budget is realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities. Monitoring and evaluation plan 15 points: Applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provide milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The program includes output and outcome indicators, and shows how and when those will be measured. Sustainability 10 points: Program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program. 2. Review and Selection Process A review committee will evaluate all eligible applications. 3. Responsibility/Qualification Information in SAM.gov (formerly, FAPIIS) Please see the attached document for complete details of the Annual Program Statement. 4. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates: July 31, 2024 F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION Please see the attached document for complete details of the Annual Program Statement. G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact PAS at: [email protected] Note: We do not provide any pre-consultation for application related questions that are addressed in the NOFO. Once an application has been submitted, State Department officials and staff both in the Department and at embassies overseas may not discuss this competition with applicants until the entire proposal review process is completed. H. OTHER INFORMATION Please see the attached document for complete details of the Annual Program Statement.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to victim service organizations and state agencies to enhance their use of technology in delivering effective services to crime victims.

The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a project to strengthen the ability of the Salvadoran justice system to combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and support survivors and victims. The purpose of this project is to equip justice institutions to recognize and investigate TIP without causing further harm or re-traumatizing victims.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and government entities to develop innovative solutions that improve access to legal resources and services for underserved rural communities across the United States.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) is seeking applications for funding. OJP is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthens community safety, protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community. With this solicitation, OJJDP seeks to increase the technological investigative capacity and associated training of Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force personnel nationwide through the development, refinement, and advancement of widely used investigative tools, methods, and technologies that address child pornography (herein referred to as child sexual abuse material - CSAM), exploitation, and sex trafficking.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to various organizations for delivering essential services to victims of crime, including children, the elderly, and other affected individuals, across the United States.

This project seeks to enhance detainees rights in Tunisia by expanding access to legal aid and improving enforcement of detainee rights in Tunisia. In 2016, Tunisia passed wide-ranging reforms of its Criminal Procedure Code (CPC). Act 2016-5 (Law 5) enacting article 13 of the CPC gave arrestees in police custody the right to legal counsel and significantly reduced the duration of legal pre-charge detention from 72 to 48 hours. By the order of public prosecutor and when justified, pre-charge detention could be extended with 48 hours for felonies and 24 hours for misdemeanors. In parallel, the anti-terrorism law of 2015 allows prosecutors and police to hold suspects for the first 48 hours without access to a lawyer and extends the duration of pre-charge custody to five days extendable two times for a total of 15 days. Since Law 5 came into force, its application has been uneven. This project seeks to ensure that the rights granted to civilians in Tunisia by Law 5 and criminal procedures proposing alternatives to detention, inter alia, bail provisions, are enforced consistently during the pre-trial phase.

OJP is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthens community safety, protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community. With this solicitation, OJJDP seeks to build the capacity of states, state and local courts, units of local government, and federally recognized Tribal governments to implement new and innovative approaches to enhance existing juvenile drug treatment courts (JDTC) and improve outcomes for youth with substance use disorder or co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, including those with histories of trauma.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that offer mentoring services to children and youth affected by opioid and other substance use, helping them and their families through structured programs and supportive services.

The mission of the State Departments Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is to keep Americans safe by countering crime, illegal drugs, and instability abroad. The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is at the forefront of responding to these challenges, uniting these overarching themes through our foreign assistance programs, diplomatic engagement, and policy coordination. INLs foreign assistance programs are essential to advancing U.S. policy objectives. INL programs advance the following strategic goals: 1. Disrupt and reduce illicit drug markets and transnational crime to protect American lives and U.S. national security.2. Combat corruption and illicit financing to strengthen democratic institutions, advance rule of law, and reduce transnational crime and its enablers.3. Strengthen criminal justice systems to support stable, rights-respecting partners.

With this solicitation, BJA seeks to support state, local, and tribal jurisdictions as they develop or expand their ability to utilize crime gun intelligence by equipping them with the tools and personnel they need.

With this solicitation, OJJDP seeks to provide training and technical assistance (TTA) to enhance the national AMBER Alert network; increase and improve law enforcement response to missing, endangered, and abducted children; increase the recovery rate of abducted children; enhance public participation in the recovery of missing, endangered, and abducted children; and continue support of this work in Indian country while implementing the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for organizations to deliver specialized training and resources to law enforcement and affiliated agencies focused on investigating and preventing technology-facilitated crimes against children.