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Posted 2/24/16: Notice of Funds Available

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Introduction

The California Victim Compensation Program (CalVCP) within the Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board (Board) provides compensation for victims of crime. CalVCP provides eligible victims with reimbursement for many crime-related expenses. CalVCP funding comes from restitution paid by criminal offenders through fines, orders, penalty assessments and federal matching funds. On July 1, 2013, Government Code section 13963.1 became law stipulating that the Board administer a program to evaluate applications and award grants to trauma recovery centers (TRCs) in California to provide services to victims of crime.

Purpose of the Grant Program

The grant program will award funding for TRCs to provide services to victims of crime. Awardees may see clients that do not meet CalVCPs eligibility requirements as long as the services provided are consistent with this Notice of Funds Available (NOFA).

Key Application Dates

  • Notice of Funds Available Release Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2016
  • Final Date to Submit Questions: Wednesday, March 16, 2016 by 5:00 p.m. PT
  • Response to Questions Posted: Friday, March 18, 2016
  • Final Application Submission Date: Monday, April 11, 2016 by 2:00 p.m. PT
  • Tentative Board Award Approval Date: Thursday, May 19, 2016

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants awarded funding are not guaranteed continued funding and may apply for a consecutive grant to prevent a lapse in funding. See Grant Review and Award Process (Section 12) for minimum requirements.

An eligible applicant must meet all of the following criteria:

Services

Provide services, including, but not limited to, all of the following resources, treatments, and recovery services to crime victims:

  • Mental health treatment services
  • Assertive community-based outreach
  • Clinical case management
  • Coordination of care among medical and mental health care providers, law enforcement agencies, crime victim service providers and other social service agencies
  • Services to family members and loved ones of homicide victims
  • A multidisciplinary staff of clinicians that includes licensed psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers. These clinicians can be either salaried or contract positions. Additional types of clinicians are permitted. Psychiatrists must be licensed by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Activities

Engage in the following activities:

  • Assist victims with applying for crime victim compensation
  • Collaborate with other community services, including, but not limited to, local crime victim service providers such as:
    • County victim assistance centers
    • Domestic violence shelters
    • Sexual assault crisis centers
  • Facilitate cooperation of victims with law enforcement
  • Provide training to law enforcement, community-based agencies, and other health care providers on the identification and effects of crime and the treatment of trauma caused by crime

The Board, when considering grant applications, shall give preference to a TRC that conducts outreach to, and serves, the following:

  • Victims of crime who typically are unable to access traditional services, including, but not limited to victims who are:
    • homeless
    • chronically mentally ill
    • of diverse ethnicity
    • members of immigrant and refugee groups
    • disabled
    • having severe trauma-related symptoms or complex psychological issues
    • juvenile victims, including minors who have had contact with the juvenile dependency court system or the justice system
  • Victims of a wide range of crimes, including, but not limited to:
    • sexual assault
    • human trafficking
    • domestic violence
    • physical assault
    • shooting
    • stabbing
    • vehicular assault
    • family members and loved ones of homicide victims
  • Applicants whose services are located in an area where the rate of crime and geographic distribution serve the greatest number of victims

Available Funds

Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the Board shall award grants totaling up to two million dollars ($2,000,000) per year. The total grant award of $2,000,000 will be divided amongst the selected grant recipients. The number of grants awarded will be determined by a variety of factors including the number of qualified applicants and the amount of funds requested.

Additional funds may be available through the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act. The amount of those funds is based on the savings accrued to the State from the implementation of the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act and will be determined on or before July 31 of each fiscal year. The additional funds may be used to increase the amount granted to the 2016/17 fiscal year awardees or to award grants to additional applicants.

Eligible Costs

Direct Costs

  • Salary and benefits for personnel providing direct treatment, including:
    • Activities such as mental health treatment, clinical supervision, social work, victim advocacy and case management
    • Administrative salaries related to the support of direct treatment and other eligible activities
  • Other services provided to clients, such as transportation costs for clients (Including bus passes and taxi vouchers for treatment visits)
  • Outreach activities as described in the Eligibility Criteria (Section 4) of this NOFA
  • Operating expenses related to direct services such as rent, utilities, postage, telephone, etc.
  • In-state travel costs for staff to perform eligible activities. Travel will be paid according to PML2013-026, or the State policy in effect at the time the cost is incurred.
  • Evaluation costs
  • Training for evidence-based or evidence-informed practices

Indirect Costs

Indirect costs are costs that are not directly related to a service or outcome such as human resource expenses and staff parking (excluding outreach events).

  • Indirect cost allocations are available to awardee’s that already have an approved indirect cost rate agreement with the State or Federal government.
    • Allocations are limited to the lesser of the awardee’s approved indirect cost rate or five percent (5%) of the total grant award.
    • A copy of the indirect cost allocation plan demonstrating how the indirect cost rate was established must be included with the application for funding.
      • All costs included in the plan shall be supported by formal accounting records which substantiate the propriety of such charges.
  • Indirect cost allocations are not available to applicant organizations that do not have a pre-existing approved indirect cost rate agreement with the State or Federal government.

Ineligible Costs

Ineligible costs include:

  • Any expenses incurred before the grant agreement is executed
  • Travel costs for TRC staff to attend conferences and training
  • Remodeling or refurbishing costs
  • The purchase or lease of office furniture or electronic equipment

The cost for services provided with grant funds must not be charged to or paid for by any other sources of reimbursement including private insurance, federal, state, local funds, or victim compensation funds.

Reporting Requirements

A TRC awarded a grant shall provide quarterly progress reports by the last business day of the month following the end of a fiscal quarter. Awardees will only provide data on victims being treated by clinicians who are funded by the grant. For clinicians who are partially funded by the grant, awardees will only provide data on services expensed by the grant. Reports provided to CalVCP will include the following data:

  • Staffing allocation
  • Staff productivity, including hours worked and quantifiable services provided
  • In compliance with federal statutes and rules governing federal matching funds for victims’ services, the report shall include the following client data, as well as any additional forms and data requested by the Board, to allow the Board to receive the 60 percent federal matching funds for eligible victim services and allowable expenses:
    • Units and types of service delivered, (i.e., mental health treatment, case management, training, outreach activities, collaborative activities, etc.)
    • Number of clients served (counting an individual client who receives multiple services only once)
    • Demographic information for each client served
  • Documentation of other sources of reimbursement for clients served
  • Evaluation protocol to assess the effectiveness of the clinical intervention program across a spectrum of outcome domains, including decreased psychological symptoms, medical symptoms, disability and improved overall quality of life
    • Evaluation does not need to be performed by an independent evaluator
  • Client flow throughout both the clinical and evaluation components of service
  • Number of victims referred to local county victim assistance centers, domestic violence programs, sexual assault crisis centers and other victim services
  • Number of victims that were assisted in applying for CalVCP compensation as well as the number of victims that received services from the TRC that had a preexisting CalVCP application related to the violent crime for which they are being treated
  • Collaborative activities with other agencies, including county victim assistance centers
    • Collaborative activities are those performed with known organizations with whom your TRC has a working and/or referral relationship
  • Outreach activities performed to reach potential clients with whom you do not have a relationship
  • Trainings provided to law enforcement and community-based organizations
  • Evaluation of the clinical effectiveness of services
  • Evaluation of the cost effectiveness of services
  • An invoice for payment detailing eligible costs incurred for provision of grant activities and including certification by person named as having signature authority that funds were expended in accordance with eligible costs

The following mental health assessments must be utilized in addition to any other mental health assessments used:

  • Child Behavioral Checklist (CBCL) for Ages 1 ½ to 5
  • Child Behavioral Checklist (CBCL) for Ages 6 to 18
  • Youth Self Report (YSR)
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist – Civilian (PCL-C)
  • World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument (WHOQOL-BREF)

Software Requirements:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Access

The Board will provide links to the CBCL and YSR assessments; therefore, the applicant is not required to purchase these assessments.

The Board shall provide detailed instruction regarding the collection and reporting of client demographic data, services delivered, and required evaluation protocols to the TRC to which grant funds are awarded. Use of the forms and protocols selected by the Board for data collection is required, but the grantees may also collect additional data and perform additional evaluation. All data collected from TRC grant-funded clinicians and related evaluation efforts must be included in the quarterly and annual reports.

Application Instructions

The application packet must be in the form of a single pdf file and emailed to Grants@VCGCB.ca.gov.

Formatting:

  • Use 11-point Arial font
  • Double-Spaced
  • One inch margins on all sides
  • Number all pages of the application packet

The pdf file must contain a:

  • Cover letter including the applicant name (legal name of the organization that will be responsible for grant administration, if awarded) and complete contact information for a primary contact (person authorized to manage and oversee the grant), a secondary contact, the person with signature authority, and the total amount of funds requested. The cover letter should be no more than one (1) page in length.
  • Program narrative that is no longer than eighteen (18) pages. The narrative should describe:
    • The projected number of victims to be served annually and the number of victims served by your organization and partner organization, if applicable, over the last 12 months
    • How the applicant will accomplish the activities enumerated in the Eligibility Criteria (Section 4) of this NOFA
    • A summary of the evidence-based and evidence-informed practices that will be implemented
    • The scope of work for the licensed clinicians involved with the project.
    • How the clinicians will collaborate with other service providers in the community in the implementation of services
    • What services will be provided by salaried and/or contracted TRC staff and what services will be referred to other providers.
    • The applicant’s understanding of CalVCP benefits
    • The geographic area the applicant will serve (including information such as population demographics, economic indicators and crime rate)
    • What identified gap in victim services will be addressed with these grant funds
  • Client Flow Chart encompassing the systematic process of attending to clients, from intake to discharge
  • Detailed time task plan including dates depicting when eligible goals, objectives, milestones, and activities will be accomplished
  • Budget (see Attachment 1) for each fiscal year of the grant period, depicted by each fiscal quarter. The maximum funding available in the annual grant cycle is two million dollars ($2,000,000), which will be expended over a period of two (2) years. Because the award covers two (2) fiscal years, an applicant seeking funding from this NOFA will not be eligible to apply for additional grant money in 2017/18. July 1, 2016 marks the beginning of the State fiscal year and that is the date funds are authorized for expenditure. If subcontractors will be utilized, a detailed cost breakdown for each subcontractor must be included.
  • Budget narrative describing each portion of the budget, including, but not limited to each position to be funded and types of operating expenses requested. The budget narrative should also include a complete list of other funding streams allocated to this project including the dollar amount and duration those funds will be received. The budget narrative should be no more than five (5) pages in length.
  • Letters of support from medical and mental health care providers, law enforcement agencies, county crime victim assistance centers as designated by California Penal Code 13835.2, sexual assault crisis centers, domestic violence programs, other crime victim service providers, and/or other social service agencies within the applicant’s designated service area. The letters of support should pertain specifically to this project.

Plagiarism of any kind shall result in an applicant’s removal from consideration for this grant.

Questions

Applicants shall submit any questions regarding this NOFA via email to Grants@VCGCB.ca.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. PT on Wednesday, March 16, 2016. Responses to all inquiries will be posted weekly on the Board website at http://www.vcgcb.ca.gov/board/grants.aspx with the final responses posting no later than 5:00 p.m. PT on Friday, March 18, 2016.

Application Due Dates

Applications must be submitted by email and be received no later than 2:00 p.m. PT on Monday, April 11, 2016. Applications must be emailed to Grants@VCGCB.ca.gov. Any applications received after 2:00 p.m. PT, Monday, April 11, 2016, will be rejected.

Grant Review and Award Process

Applicants should anticipate that applications determined to be nonresponsive to the scope of the solicitation, or that do not include all application elements, will not proceed to the review process or receive further consideration. Applicants should anticipate that failure to submit an application that contains all elements specified in the Application Instructions (Section 9) of this NOFA, may negatively affect the review of their application.

Applications that do not demonstrate an applicant’s ability to meet all of the following minimum qualifications will not be scored:

  • Provide mental health services
  • Focus on provision of services to crime victims and their family members
  • Provide community outreach
  • Provide training on victim issues for law enforcement
  • Include a budget for the project and a budget narrative
  • Include a detailed time task plan including dates depicting when eligible activities will be accomplished

The Board reserves the right to reject any or all applications received in response to this NOFA.

Complete applications will be scored according to the following scale:

  • Program narrative – Up to 78 points
  • Budget – Up to 7 points
  • Budget narrative – Up to 10 points
  • Letters of support – Up to 5 points

Applicants must score a minimum of 70 points to be considered for funding.

Board staff will review submitted applications and develop funding recommendations for the consideration and approval of the Board. The approval to fund grant awards to selected applicants will most likely occur at the Board meeting scheduled for Thursday, May 19, 2016.

All applicants awarded funding will be required to enter into a standardized Grant Agreement with the Board. If, for any reason, an awardee is unable to enter into a Grant Agreement with the Board by July 1, 2016, the term of the grant will be less than 24 months and the grant term will end June 30, 2018. Applicants awarded funding are not guaranteed continued funding and may reapply at the end of the 24-month grant award cycle.

General Terms and Conditions

The Board reserves the right to retain all submitted applications and the applications shall become the property of the Board. Applications may be required to be disclosed under the Public Records Act at a later date.

The Board reserves the right to withdraw this NOFA at any time without prior notice. Further, the Board makes no representation that any funding will be awarded to any applicant responding to this NOFA.

Acceptance of an application does not constitute a grant award and does not obligate the Board to award funds. The Board reserves the right to partially fund selected applications. The applicant may request a specific dollar amount to be used for their TRC; however, the Board will make the final determination of the dollar amounts awarded. Any portion of a grant that a TRC does not use within the specified grant period shall revert to the Board Restitution Fund. Both parties reserve the right to terminate the Grant Agreement upon thirty (30) days written notice to the other. The Awardee shall be reimbursed all reasonable expenses incurred up to the date of termination.

Notice to Proceed

The Notice to Proceed is a formal notification from the Board that authorizes the grantee to begin the project and incur costs. It is issued after the grantee and the Board have both signed the grant agreement. Applicants are not permitted to incur any grant-related costs prior to the issuance of the Notice to Proceed.

Process for Payment

Funds will be released retrospectively on a quarterly basis upon receipt of invoices detailing program expenditures and the required reports as set forth in the Reporting Requirements of this NOFA (Section 8). All reports must include a certification page (Attachment 2), signed by the person named as having signature authority, stating that all information reported is correct and grant expenditures are in accordance with Eligible Costs as set forth in this NOFA. Hard copies of all invoices for payment and quarterly reports must be submitted by mail directly to:

Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board
Attn: Accounting Office
P.O. Box 1348
Sacramento, CA 95812-1348

Appeals Process

Applicants who are not selected to receive an award have five (5) business days from the Board award approval date to submit an appeal. If an appeal is submitted during this period, the affected grants will not be awarded until the appeal is resolved. Appeals must be submitted in the form of a pdf file containing a written document, signed by an individual who is authorized to contractually bind the applicant, specifying the grounds of the appeal, and citing the law, rule, process or procedure used as the basis of the appeal. Appellants must provide facts and evidence to support their claim. All appeals will be heard and resolved by the Executive Officer of the Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board.

Appeals must be emailed to Grants@VCGCB.ca.gov.

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