NIC FY 2025 Enhancing Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils is a grant from the DOJ National Institute of Corrections that provides technical assistance and coaching to criminal justice coordinating councils (CJCCs) seeking to improve local justice system collaboration and outcomes. The program supports councils in strengthening cross-agency coordination among law enforcement, courts, corrections, and community stakeholders.

This opportunity incorporates updated 2 CFR Part 200 compliance requirements, including a revised de minimis indirect cost rate of 15 percent, an equipment threshold of ,000, and a subaward threshold of ,000. Jurisdictions operating or developing CJCCs that need structured guidance to enhance planning, data sharing, and coordinated decision-making across the criminal justice continuum are the primary intended recipients.

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) is seeking applications for funding under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 to provide specialized technical assistance (TA) and coaching to criminal justice coordinating councils.

# NIC FY 2025 Enhancing Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils Through Specialized Technical Assistance and Coaching Applicants to NIC for awards with expected issuance dates on or after October 1, 2024, should be aware of revisions to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR Part 200) effective from that date.

All NIC awards issued on or after October 1, 2024, will be subject to the revised regulations. You may incorporate these changes into your applications now. Significant changes to 2 CFR Part 200 that may be most relevant for NIC’s applicants and recipients include: an increase in the de minimis indirect cost rate from 10% to 15% of Modified Total Direct Costs (2 CFR § 200.

414 [f]), an increase in the threshold for determining equipment from a per unit cost of $5,000 to $10,000 (2 CFR an increase in the upper limit for computers as supplies from $5,000 to $10,000, an increase in the threshold for reporting unused supplies from an aggregate value of greater than $5,000 to $10,000 (2 CFR § 200.

314), an increase in the threshold for excluding subaward costs from the modified total direct cost base from $25,000 to $50,000. a requirement that recipients verify that subrecipients are not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded from receiving Federal funds (2 CFR § 200. 332), and an increase in the Single Audit Threshold from $750,000 to $1 million (2 CFR § 200.

501). Recipients of NIC awards issued prior to October 1, 2024, will not be subject to the new regulations, although supplements to these awards will. NIC encourages applicants and recipients to read OMB’s final rule, now entitled OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance, at: https://www.

federalregister. gov/documents/2024/04/22/2024- 07496/guidance-for-federal-financial-assistance . Eligibility NIC invites applications from nonprofit organizations (including faith-based, community, and tribal organizations), for-profit organizations (including tribal for-profit organizations), and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education).

Recipients, including for-profit organizations, must agree to waive any profit or fee for services. Foreign governments, international organizations, and non-governmental international organizations/institutions are not eligible to apply.

Proof of 501(c) (3) status as determined by the Internal Revenue Service or an authorizing tribal resolution NIC welcomes applications that involve two or more entities; however, one eligible entity must be the applicant and the others must be proposed as subrecipients. The applicant must be the entity with primary responsibility for administering the funding and managing the entire program.

Only one (1) application will be accepted from a submitting organization. NIC may elect to make awards for applications submitted under this solicitation in future fiscal years, dependent on the merit of the applications and on the availability of appropriations. For additional eligibility information, see Section C.

Eligibility Information. Applicants must register with Grants. gov prior to submitting an application.

NIC encourages applicants to register several weeks before the application submission deadline. In addition, NIC urges applicants to submit applications 72 hours prior to the application due date. All applications are due to be submitted and in receipt of a successful validation message in Grants.

gov by 11:59 p. m. eastern time on October 15, 2024 Late applications are neither reviewed nor considered.

For additional information, see How To Apply in Section D Application and Submission Information . 25CS09 For programmatic questions concerning this solicitation contact Mandy Potapenko National Programs Advisor, National Institute of Corrections at mpotapenko@bop. gov .

Responses to programmatic questions will be posted on NIC’s website for public review. The website will be updated regularly and postings will remain on the website until the closing date of this solicitation. For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the Grants.

gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726, or via e-mail to support@grants. gov . Hotline hours of operation are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except federal holidays.

Applicants who experience unforeseen Grants. gov technical issues beyond their control that prevent them from submitting their application by the deadline must e-mail the NIC at BOP-NIC/General@bop. gov within 24 hours after the application deadline and request approval to submit their application.

Additional information on reporting technical issues is found under “Experiencing Unforeseen Grants. gov Technical Issues” in the How To Apply section. Grants.

gov number assigned to this announcement: 25CS09 Release date: August 16, 2024 25CS09 NIC FY 2025 Enhancing Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils Through Specialized Technical Assistance and Coaching ........................................................................................................................

1 Eligibility ................................................................................................................................................ 2 Deadline ..................................................................................................................................................

2 NIC FY 2025 Enhancing Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils Through Specialized Technical Assistance and Coaching ........................................................................................................................ 5 (Assistance Listing Number (CFDA) # 16. 60 3)......................................................................................

5 A. Program Description .............................................................................................................................. 5 Overview.................................................................................................................................................

5 Program-Specific Information ................................................................................................................ 6 Goals .......................................................................................................................................................

6 Objectives ............................................................................................................................................... 6 Deliverables ............................................................................................................................................

6 Applications must include in Program Narrative and Budget Narrative the incorporation of products delivered meet Plain Language and 508 Standards. ............................................................................... 6 Cooperative Agreements require significant staff involvement excluding the basic monitoring of the project, progress, deliverables and reports.

............................................................................................. 7 B. Federal Award Information ....................................................................................................................

8 Financial Management and System of Internal Controls ...................................................................... 10 Budget Information ............................................................................................................................... 10 C.

Eligibility Information ......................................................................................................................... 11 D. Application and Submission Information ............................................................................................

11 What an Application Should Include .................................................................................................... 11 Statement of the problem. .....................................................................................................................

13 Project Design and Implementation ..................................................................................................... 13 Logic Model ......................................................................................................................................... 13 Timeline or Milestone Chart ................................................................................................................

13 Capabilities and Competencies, Résumés of All Key Personnel .......................................................... 14 Letters of Support/Memoranda of Understanding ................................................................................ 14 Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative ..................................................................................

15 Budget and Budget Justification ............................................................................................................ 15 How to Apply ....................................................................................................................................... 21 25CS09 All applicants are required to complete the following steps: ................................................................

22 Acquire and maintain registration with the System for Award Management (SAM). ......................... 22 Acquire an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and a Grants.

gov username and password .............................................................................................................................................................. 23 How to Submit an Application to the National Institute of Corrections via Grants. gov ......................

23 Grants. gov applicants can apply online using Workspace ................................................................... 23 Applicant Support .................................................................................................................................

24 Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission ......................................................... 24 Duplicate applications .......................................................................................................................... 25 Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.

gov Technical Issues ....................................................................... 25 E. Application Review Information .....................................................................................................

25 Selection Criteria .................................................................................................................................. 25 Programmatic Review (40) ................................................................................................................... 26 Organizational Review (35) .................................................................................................................

26 Management/Administrative Review (25) ........................................................................................... 26 Review Process ..................................................................................................................................... 26 F.

Federal Award Administration Information ......................................................................................... 27 Federal Award Notices ......................................................................................................................... 27 Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements ........................................................

28 Plain Language ..................................................................................................................................... 29 Section 508 Accessibility .....................................................................................................................

29 Paperwork Reduction Act ..................................................................................................................... 30 G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) .................................................................................................

30 H. Other Information ................................................................................................................................ 30 Provide Feedback to NIC .....................................................................................................................

30 25CS09 # NIC FY 2025 Enhancing Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils Through Specialized Technical Assistance and Coaching # (Assistance Listing Number (CFDA) 16. 6 03) Criminal justice coordinating councils (CJCCs), are established bodies of key criminal justice, government, and community stakeholders that convene regularly to identify systemic challenges and work collaboratively to improve the local criminal justice system.

Since the early 2000s, NIC has developed several initiatives and resources to support jurisdictions seeking to advance evidence-based practices and enhance the efficacy of CJCCs. Most recently, in 2023, NIC introduced the National Standards for CJCCs. A companion document, CJCC Essential Elements was also produced and creates a construct of essential elements for jurisdictions to consider when developing or enhancing an existing CJCC.

The essential elements represent core characteristics of high-performing councils. The essential elements for CJCCs are as follows: 1. Systemic Focus – The CJCC takes a systemic approach to coordinating the criminal justice system and is guided by a vision statement and a mission statement.

2. Participation – The CJCC has executive-level decision makers as members, and they actively participate in the council. 3.

Leadership – The CJCC has an effective leadership structure that includes officers and an executive committee. 4. Consensus Building – The CJCC makes consensus-based decisions and relies on voting for 5.

Organized Meetings – The CJCC, including committees and workgroups, has structured meetings regularly. 6. Committees and Workgroups – The CJCC has standing committees and workgroups that advance the strategic initiatives and work of the council.

8. Data and Research – The CJCC produces quantitative and qualitative data on the criminal justice system and uses the data to inform decision making. 9.

Community Engagement – The CJCC engages the community by sharing information and by involving the community in the work of the council. 10. Director and Staff – The CJCC has a director and staff who coordinate and advance the council’s strategic initiatives.

Through this award, a specialized TA and coaching approach will be developed for jurisdictions to help them apply the CJCC Essential Elements checklist 1 and address identified areas for improvement. Statutory Authority: Public Law 93 -415 CJCC Essential Elements: A Companion to the National Standards for Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils | National Institute of Corrections (nicic.

gov) , pages 19-36 25CS09 # Program-Specific Information NIC has noted a growing trend among jurisdictions aiming to establish or enhance CJCCs to optimize their criminal justice systems. When fully leveraged, CJCCs serve as powerful entities that harness data-driven insights to address various challenges.

They play a crucial role in managing jail populations more effectively and advancing reentry programs, ultimately contributing to a more streamlined and effective justice system. By integrating diverse stakeholders and utilizing comprehensive data, CJCCs can drive meaningful improvements in both operational efficiency and outcomes for individuals navigating the justice system.

As a result, NIC wants to invest in local CJCCs that demonstrate a desire to implement NIC-identified best practices. A specialized TA process will be used to: a) Identify and select qualified jurisdictions that satisfy NIC’s readiness protocol. b) Deliver specialized TA and coaching in partnership with the NIC Program Manager.

c) Assess the CJCC implementation efforts for each of the selected jurisdictions. NIC has developed training and TA standards to promote among providers the consistency and quality responses that advance common expectations of performance excellence. The standards present minimum expectations that providers must meet for effective practice in the planning, coordination, delivery, and evaluation of provided services.

Through this cooperative agreement, NIC seeks to deliver targeted (TA) and coaching to support CJCCs over a 12-month period.

This specialized support will be provided to no more than three qualifying jurisdictions, with the goal of helping them strengthen their CJCCs and improve their overall operational efficiency and impact by applying the National Standards The following are objectives the awardee must meet to successfully satisfy this scope of work: 1. Develop selection criteria and an application process for CJCC TA and coaching. 2.

Develop and deliver a TA approach to select localities that have applied the CJCC Essential Elements checklist and are requesting assistance to address identified areas for improvement. 3. Assess the implementation of the assistance provided to each of the jurisdictions.

The successful applicant must complete the following deliverables during the project period. The program narrative should reflect how the applicant will accomplish these activities. 1.

Creation of a TA application to assess the readiness of jurisdictions to improve a CJCC 2. Development of the specialized TA process/phases for jurisdictions to follow 3. Delivery and facilitation of CJCC specialized TA to selected jurisdictions 4.

Preparation of a final report of the summary of activities and areas of concern for each selected site Applications must include in Program Narrative and Budget Narrative the incorporation of products delivered meet Plain Language and Section 508 Standards. Applications must include in Program Narrative and Budget Narrative the incorporation of products delivered meet Plain Language and 508 Standards.

25CS09 # NIC Staff Responsibilities Cooperative Agreements require significant staff involvement excluding the basic monitoring of the project, progress, deliverables and reports. The NIC Program Manager will: • Engage in collaborative work with the awardee, including facilitating a kickoff meeting (within 30 days) and regular monthly meetings to manage work activities. • Serve as NIC Program Manager for all activities under this award.

• Serve as content subject matter expert (SME) and enlist other SMEs as required during the project work. • Provide detailed feedback to awardee and serve as final approver of all objectives, TA goals, project deliverables, and reports as specified. • Post and distribute notice of the TA opportunity, including application(s).

• Receive all TA requests through the NIC electronic system. • Discuss TA requests with the awardee in making decisions about services, discuss and approve any TA providers suggested by the awardee, and maintain correspondence with the requestors. • Be responsible for tracking individual requests, conducting internal data entry, and providing a feedback form to the requestor after completion of the services.

In addition to the strategy and content of the program design, the successful applicant must complete the deliverables specified in the statement of work and program description during the project period. The program narrative should reflect how the applicant will accomplish these activities. Before approving a deliverable, NIC reserves the right to test the deliverable against the applicant’s Section 508 claims.

If NIC determines that the applicant’s claims were false and at higher level of conformance than what was actually received, NIC may, at its option, reject the deliverable and require the applicant to remediate the deliverable to align with the applicant’s stated Section 508 conformance claims before its approval. Evidence-Based Programs or Practices .

NIC strongly emphasizes the use of data and evidence in policy making and program development. • improving the quantity and quality of evidence NIC generates; • integrating evidence into program, practice, and policy decisions within NIC and the field; and • improving the translation of evidence into practice.

NIC considers programs and practices to be evidence-based when their effectiveness has been demonstrated by causal evidence, generally obtained through one or more outcome evaluations.

Causal evidence documents a relationship between an activity or intervention (including technology) and its intended outcome, including measuring the direction and size of a change, and the extent to which a change may be attributed to the activity or intervention. Causal evidence depends on the use of scientific methods to rule out, to the extent possible, alternative explanations for the documented change.

The strength of causal evidence, based on the factors described above, will influence the degree to which NIC considers a program or practice to be evidence-based. 25CS09 Accessibility Requirements Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (P. L.

105-220) requires that when federal agencies develop, buy, maintain, or use information and communication technology (ICT), it shall be accessible to people with disabilities. Federal employees and members of the public who have disabilities must have access to and use of information and data comparable to employees and members of the public without disabilities.

Deliverables submitted as part of this project must conform to the Revised Section 508 Standards (see 36 C. F. R.

§ 1194. 1 & Apps. A, C & D), which are available online at https://www.

govinfo. gov/content/pkg/CFR-2017-title36 -vol3/xml/CFR -2017-title36 -vol3 -part1194. xml .

All functional performance criteria apply when the requirements outlined Chapters 4–6 of the Revised 508 Standards either (1) do not address one or more functions of ICT or (2) provide lower accessibility and usability for people with disabilities than would be provided by using alternative design or technology.

All Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Level A and AA success criteria and 502 Interoperability with Assistive Technology and 503 Application of the Revised 508 Standards apply. All requirements for hardware features, components, and support services and documentation also apply. See https://www.

section508. gov/ Plain Language Requirements https://plainlanguage. gov/law/ Submitting Manuscripts for Publication, which is available at https://www.

nicic. gov/plainlanguage . NIC training and technical assistance awardee standards.

NIC has developed the TA Handbook] to promote among providers the consistency and quality of NIC-sponsored training and technical assistance and to advance common expectations of performance excellence. The standards present minimum expectations that providers must meet for effective practice in the planning, coordination, delivery, and evaluation of training. # B.

Federal Award Information NIC expects to make one award for as much as $80,000. 00 for a 12-month project period, beginning on December 2, 2024. Requests for amounts more than a total of $80,000.

00, including direct and indirect costs will not be considered. Type of award. NIC expects to make an award from this solicitation in the form of a cooperative agreement which is a particular type of grant used when NIC expects to have ongoing substantial involvement in award activities.

Substantial involvement includes direct oversight and involvement with the grantee organization in implementation of the grant but does not involve day-to-day project management, additional information on the substantial involvement can be found in Section A. See 25CS09 Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements , under Section F.

Federal Award Administration , for details regarding the federal involvement anticipated under an award from this All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and to any modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by law.

If the awardee demonstrates significant progress toward implementing project activities and achieving project goals, NIC may, in certain cases, provide supplemental non-competitive funding for FY 2026 and FY 2027 to the awardee. With the supplemental funding, the project period can be extended up to two additional 12-month increments for an overall project period of 36 months.

Important considerations in decisions regarding supplemental funding include, among other factors, the availability of funding, strategic priorities, assessment of the quality of the management of the award (for example, timeliness and quality of progress reports), and assessment of the progress of the work funded under the Award.

Performance measures capture outcomes of cooperative agreement activities, demonstrating if programs accomplish goals and objectives. Performance measures. NIC requires all applicants to submit quarterly progress reports demonstrating progress towards completion of the work proposed under this solicitation.

The performance measures for this solicitation outlined on the following page: Description Data Grantee Provides Awardee is to work with NIC Program Manager to develop application for CJCC TA and Awardee will create record of discussions and submit to Awardee to work in consultation with NIC Program Manager to develop and deliver a TA approach.

presentation slides, etc.) used throughout the project to activities and areas of concern for each selected site in a Awardee will submit a report summary in accordance with the NIC style guide, plain language requirements, and # Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Award recipients and subrecipients (including recipients or subrecipients that are pass-through entities) must, as described in Part 200 Uniform Requirements as sent out as set out at 2 C.

F. R. 200.

303: Establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the nonfederal entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award.

These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in “Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government” issued by the Comptroller General of the United States and the “Internal Control Integrated Framework”, issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Comply with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal awards.

Evaluate and monitor the nonfederal entity's compliance with statute, regulations, and the terms and conditions of federal awards. Take prompt action when instances of noncompliance are identified, including noncompliance identified in audit findings.

Take reasonable measures to safeguard protected personally identifiable information and other information the federal awarding agency or pass-through entity designates as sensitive or the nonfederal entity considers sensitive consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding privacy and obligations of confidentiality. Foreign Travel is not allowed unless prior written approval is received from Awarding Agency (NIC).

Equipment purchases are not allowed. Construction is not an allowable activity. Unless specifically listed in Section A, NIC will not fund incentives or Stipends.

Pre-Agreement Cost Approvals NIC does not typically approve pre-agreement costs; an applicant must request and obtain the prior written approval of NIC for all such costs. If approved, pre-agreement costs could be paid from grant funds consistent with a grantee’s approved budget, and under applicable cost standards. However, all such costs prior to award and prior to approval of the costs are incurred at the sole risk of an applicant.

Generally, no applicant should incur project costs before submitting an application requesting federal funding for those costs. Should there be extenuating circumstances that appear to be appropriate for NIC’s consideration as pre-agreement costs, the applicant should contact the point of contact listed on the title page of this announcement for details on the requirements for submitting a written request for approval.

Limitation on use of award funds for employee compensation; waiver With respect to any award of more than $250,000 made under this solicitation, recipients may not use federal funds to pay total cash compensation (salary plus cash bonuses) to any employee of the award 25CS09 recipient at a rate that exceeds 110 percent of the maximum annual salary payable to a member of the Federal Government’s Senior Executive Service (SES) at an agency with a Certified SES Performance Appraisal System for that year.

The 2024 salary table for SES employees is available at the Office of Personnel Management website . Note: A recipient may compensate an employee at a greater rate, provided the amount in excess of this compensation limitation is paid with non-federal funds. (Any such additional compensation will not be considered matching funds where match requirements apply.)

# C. Eligibility Information NIC invites applications from nonprofit organizations (including faith-based, community, and tribal organizations), for-profit organizations (including tribal for-profit organizations), and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education). Recipients, including for-profit organizations, must agree to waive any profit or fee for services.

Foreign governments, international organizations, and non-governmental international organizations/institutions are not eligible to apply. Proof of 501(c) (3) status as determined by the Internal Revenue Service or an authorizing tribal resolution NIC welcomes applications that involve two or more entities; however, one eligible entity must be the applicant and the others must be proposed as subrecipients.

The applicant must be the entity with primary responsibility for administering the funding and managing the entire program. Only one (1) application will be accepted from a submitting organization. NIC may elect to make awards for applications submitted under this solicitation in future fiscal years, dependent on the merit of the applications and on the availability of appropriations.

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement This solicitation does not require cost sharing or match. However, if a successful application proposes a voluntary cost share or match amount, and NIC approves the budget, the total cost share or match amount shall be incorporated into the approved budget, and becomes mandatory and subject to audit. Cost sharing or match will not be used as a factor during the merit review of applications.

Limit on Number of Application Submissions If an applicant submits multiple versions of the same application, NIC will review only the most recent system-validated version submitted. For more information on system-validated versions, see How To # D.

Application and Submission Information # What an Application Should Include Applicants should anticipate that if they fail to submit an application that contains all of the specified elements, it may negatively affect the review of their application; and, should a decision be made to make an award, it may result in the inclusion of special conditions that preclude the recipient from accessing or using award funds pending satisfaction of the conditions.

See attached checklist. Moreover, applicants should anticipate that applications that are determined to be nonresponsive to the 25CS09 scope of the solicitation, do not request funding within the funding limit, or that do not include the application elements that NIC has designated to be critical, will neither proceed to peer review nor receive further consideration.

Under this solicitation, NIC has designated the following application elements as critical: Project Abstract, Program Narrative, Accessibility Conformance Report, Budget Detail Worksheet, Budget Narrative, Logic Model, Timeline or Milestone Chart and résumés of all key personnel. Applicants should review the “Note on File Names and File Types” under How To Apply to be sure that they submit their applications in the permitted formats.

NIC strongly recommends that applicants use appropriately descriptive file names (e. g . , “Accessibility Conformance Report”, “Program Narrative,” “Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative,” “Timelines,” “Memoranda of Understanding,” “Résumés ”) for all attachments.

Also, NIC recommends that applicants include résumés in a single file. Information to Complete the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) The SF-424 is a required standard form used as a cover sheet for submission of pre- applications, applications, and related information. This form can be found on Grants.

gov and NIC’s website https://nicic. gov/invitations-bid-and-requests-proposal . This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order 12372 .

(In completing the SF-424, applicants are to make the appropriate selection in response to question 19 to indicate that the “Program is not covered by E. O. 12372.

”) Applications must include a high-quality project abstract that summarizes the proposed project in 400 words or less. Project abstracts should be • written for a general public audience; • submitted as a separate attachment with “Project Abstract” as part of its file name; and • single-spaced, using a standard 12-point font (Times New Roman) with 1-inch margins.

As a separate attachment, the project abstract will not count against the page limit for the program narrative. The abstract should briefly describe the project’s purpose, the population to be served, and the activities that the applicant will implement to achieve the project’s goals and objectives. The abstract should describe how the applicant will measure progress toward these goals.

Applicants must submit a program narrative that presents a detailed description of the purpose, goals, objectives, strategies, design, and management of the proposed program. The program narrative should be double-spaced with 1-inch margins, not exceeding 30 pages of 8½ by 11 inches, and use a standard 12-point font, preferably Times New Roman.

Pages should be numbered “1 of 30,” etc. The tables, charts, pictures, etc., including all captions, legends, keys, subtext, etc., may be single-spaced and will count in the 30 -page limit. Material required under the Budget and Budget Narrative and Additional Attachments sections will not count toward the program narrative page count.

Applicants may provide bibliographical references as a separate attachment that will not count toward the 30 -page program narrative limit. If the program narrative fails to comply with these length-related restrictions, NIC may consider such 25CS09 noncompliance in peer review and in final award decisions.

The program narrative should address the following selection criteria: (1) statement of the problem; (2) goals, objectives, and performance measures; (3) program design and implementation; and (4) capabilities/competencies. The applicant should clearly delineate the connections between and among each of these sections. For example, the applicant should derive the goals and objectives directly from the problems to be addressed.

Similarly, the project design section should clearly explain how the program’s structure and activities will accomplish the goals and objectives identified in the previous section. The following sections should be included as part of the program narrative: Statement of the problem .

Applicants should describe any research or evaluation studies that relate to the problem and contribute to the applicant’s understanding of its causes and potential solutions. While NIC expects applicants to review the research literature for relevant studies, they should also explore whether unpublished local sources of research or evaluation data are available. Goals, objectives, and performance measures.

Applicants should describe the goals of the proposed training and technical assistance program and identify its objectives. When formulating the program’s goals and objectives, applicants should be cognizant of the performance measures that NIC will require successful applicants to provide. Goals.

Applicants should describe the program’s intent to deliver training and technical assistance, as described in the previous section and outline the project’s goals. Program objectives. Applicants should explain how the program will accomplish its goals.

Objectives are specific, quantifiable statements of the project’s desired results. They should be clearly linked to the training and technical assistance strategy identified in the preceding section and NIC does not require applicants to submit performance measures data with their application.

Performance measures are included as an alert that NIC will require successful applicants to submit specific data as part of their reporting requirements. For the application, applicants should indicate an understanding of these requirements and discuss how they will gather the required data, should they receive funding.

Project Design and Implementation Applicants should detail how the project will operate throughout the funding period and describe the strategies that they will use to achieve the goals and objectives identified in the previous section. Applicants should describe how they will complete the deliverables stated in the Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables section on page 5.

NIC encourages applicants to select evidence-based practices for their programs. Applicants must include a logic model that graphically illustrates how the performance measures are related to the project’s problems, goals, objectives, and design. Applicants should submit the logic model as a separate attachment, as stipulated in Additional Attachments.

Timeline or Milestone Chart 25CS09 Applicants must submit a milestone chart that indicates major tasks associated with the goals and objectives of the project, assigns responsibility for each, and plots completion of each task by month or quarter for the duration of the award, using “Year 1,” “Month 1,” “Quarter 1,” etc., not calendar dates.

Applicants should submit the timeline as a separate attachment, as stipulated in Additional Attachments, page 19. On receipt of an award, the recipient may revise the timeline, based on training and technical assistance that NIC will provide.

Capabilities and Competencies, Résumés of All Key Personnel This section should describe the experience and capability of the applicant organization and any contractors or subawards that the applicant will use to implement and manage this effort and its associated federal funding, highlighting any previous experience implementing projects of similar design or magnitude.

Applicants should highlight their experience/capability/capacity to manage subawards, including details on their system for fiscal accountability. Management and staffing patterns should be clearly connected to the project design