OVW Fiscal Year 2022 Research and Evaluation Solicitation

OVW Fiscal Year 2022 Research and Evaluation Solicitation is sponsored by U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). This discretionary grant opportunity focuses on building practical, credible evidence about what works to prevent and respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

OMB No. 1122-0020 | Approval Expires 6/30/2028 # U.S. Department of Justice # Office on Violence Against Women ## (Revised sections include Priorities, Program Description, Program-Specific Unallowable Costs, and Application Contents .) # OVW Fiscal Year 2025 Research and Evaluation (R&E) Initiative # Grants. gov Funding Opportunity Number # Assistance Listing Number Deadline to submit Standard Form/SF-424 in Grants.

gov: September 23, 2025, by 11:59 PM Eastern Time Deadline to submit application in JustGrants: September 25, 2025, by 8:59 PM Eastern Time 2 # Basic Information ........................................................................ 4 Executive Summary .....................................................................................................

4 Key Dates .................................................................................................................... 5 Resources for Applying ................................................................................................ 6 # Eligibility ......................................................................................

6 Eligible Applicants........................................................................................................ 6 Other Program Eligibility Requirements ....................................................................... 7 Ineligible Entities and Disqualifying Factors .................................................................

7 # Program Description ................................................................... 8 Priorities ....................................................................................................................... 8 Areas of Study .............................................................................................................

8 Topics for Research and Evaluation ............................................................................ 9 Program Requirements .............................................................................................. 10 Program-specific Unallowable Costs .........................................................................

12 Type of Award............................................................................................................ 13 # Application Contents and Format............................................ 14 Letter of Intent............................................................................................................

14 Application Contents .................................................................................................. 14 Formatting and Technical Requirements ................................................................... 14 Proposal Abstract ......................................................................................................

15 Data Requested with Application ............................................................................... 15 Summary Data Sheet................................................................................................. 15 Proposal Narrative .....................................................................................................

15 Budget and Associated Documentation ..................................................................... 16 Required Appendices................................................................................................. 20 Additional Application Components ...........................................................................

23 Disclosures and Assurances...................................................................................... 24 # Submission Requirements and Deadlines.............................. 25 Prior to Application Submission .................................................................................

25 How to Apply.............................................................................................................. 26 3 Submission Dates and Times .................................................................................... 27 Application Submission Checklist ..............................................................................

27 # Application Review Information............................................... 29 Responsiveness Review ............................................................................................ 29 Review Criteria ..........................................................................................................

29 Review and Selection Process .................................................................................. 29 Risk Review ............................................................................................................... 31 # Award Notices ...........................................................................

31 # Post-Award Requirements and Administration...................... 32 Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements ................................ 32 Post-award Reporting Requirements .........................................................................

32 # Other Information ...................................................................... 32 Public Reporting Burden - Paperwork Reduction Act Notice ..................................... 32 Appendix A: Pre-Award Risk Assessment .................................................................

33 Appendix B: Summary Data Sheet ............................................................................ 35 4 The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) is accepting applications for funding in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

Created in 1995, OVW administers grant programs authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and subsequent legislation and provides national leadership on issues of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. OVW grants support coordinated community responses that provide services to victims and hold offenders accountable.

The purpose of the Research and Evaluation (R&E) Initiative is to study approaches to preventing and addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. By studying the efficacy of strategies for serving victims and holding offenders accountable, the R&E Initiative helps communities assess their current programs and adopt proven strategies.

The initiative is designed to support researcher-practitioner partnerships and a broad range of research and evaluation methods, including qualitative, mixed-method, quasi-experimental, and experimental designs. Because OVW has limited funds to support research and evaluation, this initiative prioritizes topics for which a stronger evidence base would help OVW recipients use federal funds most effectively.

## Funding Opportunity Details Federal Agency Name U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women Funding Opportunity Title OVW FY 2025 Research and Evaluation Initiative Announcement Type Initial Grants. gov Funding Opportunity Number O-OVW-2025-172399 Assistance Listing Number 16. 026 Statutory Authority 34 U.S.C.

§12291(b)(7) Expected Total Amount of Funding $8,000,000 Anticipated Number of Awards 7 Expected Award Amount(s) Up to $500,000 (except for topic area #7, which may be for up to $5,000,000) Expected Award Period(s) 12 to 36 months (except for topic area #7, which may be between 36 and 48 months) 5 This table contains deadlines and other important dates. Funding Opportunity Release Date On or about August 20, 2025 Sam.

gov Registration/Renewal Recommend completing process by September Grants. gov Registration/Renewal Recommend completing process by September Letter of Intent (Optional) September 1, 2025 , to OVW. Research@usdoj.

gov Grants. gov Deadline September 23, 2025 , by 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) JustGrants Deadline September 25, 2025 , by 8:59 PM ET Decision Notification Date OVW anticipates notifying applicants of funding decisions by February 2, 2026 . For assistance with the application process or questions about this funding opportunity, contact the resources listed below.

OVW Contact Phone: 202-307-6026 Email: OVW. Research@usdoj. gov For assistance with SAM.

gov Website: https://sam. gov/content/help Hours of Operation: 8:00 a. m.

to 8:00 p. m. ET Monday-Friday For assistance with Grants.

gov Email: support@grants. gov Website: https://www. grants.

gov/support Hours of operation: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (closed federal holidays) For assistance with JustGrants Phone: 866-655-4482 Email: OVW. JustGrantsSupport@usdoj.

gov 6 ## Resources for Applying • Application Companion Guide • Resources for Applicants page • Budget Information on OVW Website • JustGrants Application Submission Training Entities that are eligible to apply are: • State governments, including the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands (34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(37)).

Units of Local Government • Any city, county, township, town, borough, parish, village, or other general purpose political subdivision of a State (or territory) (34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(47)).

• The following are not considered units of local government: (1) police departments; (2) pre-trial service agencies; (3) district or city attorneys' offices; (4) sheriffs' departments; (5) probation and parole departments; (6) shelters; (7) nonprofit, nongovernmental victim service agencies including faith-based or community-based organizations; and (8) universities. (28 C. F.

R. § 90. 2(g)).

Indian Tribal Governments • The governing body of an Indian Tribe; or • A Tribe, band, pueblo, nation, or other organized group or community of Indians, including any Alaska Native Village or regional or village corporation (as defined in, or established pursuant to, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. §§ 1601 et seq.))

, that is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians (34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(43)).

• The governing body of any Indian Tribe; • Any legally established organization of Indians which is controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by such governing body of a Tribe or Tribes to be served, or which is democratically elected by the adult members of the Indian community to be served by such organization and which includes the maximum participation of Indians in all phases of its activities; or 7 • Any Tribal nonprofit organization (34 U.S.C.

§ 12291(a)(45)). • Any nonprofit, with or without 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service. Institutions of Higher Education • Private institutions of higher education.

• Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. ## Other Program Eligibility Requirements OVW welcomes applications that involve two or more entities; however, only one eligible entity should be designated as the applicant, whereas the other(s) should be proposed as the subrecipient(s). The applicant will have primary responsibility for conducting and leading the research.

If funded, the applicant will be responsible for monitoring and appropriately managing any subrecipients or, as applicable, for administering any procurement subcontracts that would receive federal program funds from the applicant under the award.

## Ineligible Entities and Disqualifying Factors Applications submitted by ineligible entities or that do not meet all other program eligibility requirements will not be considered for funding . In addition, an application deemed deficient in one or more of the following areas may not be considered for funding: 1. Program-specific unallowable costs 3.

Completeness of application contents An application will be removed from consideration if the applicant does not comply fully with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM. gov requirements (see Submission Requirements and Deadlines section for more information on these requirements). An applicant with past performance issues, long-standing open audits, or an open criminal investigation also may not be considered for funding.

Note: Any nonprofit organization that holds money in offshore accounts for the purpose of avoiding paying the tax described in section 511(a) of the Internal Revenue Code is not eligible for a grant from this program. See 34 U.S.C. § 12291(b)(15)(B)(ii).

This program has no matching or cost-sharing requirement. 8 The R&E Initiative is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 12291(b)(7), and topic area #7 below is also authorized by 34 U.S.C § 12513.

For a brief description of this program, see the Executive Summary . For more information about OVW programs, including how recipients of OVW grant funding achieve program goals, see: OVW grant program information: OVW Grants and Programs webpage . Data that recipients collect and report: VAWA Measuring Effectiveness Initiative webpage .

What recipients have achieved and some of the evidence-based approaches they may have used: OVW’s most recent report to Congress on the effectiveness of VAWA grant programs. Applications that fare well in merit review and substantively address one or more of the priorities listed below, to the extent consistent with authorizing statutes , may receive priority consideration for funding: 1.

Measures to combat human trafficking and transnational crime, particularly crimes linked to illegal immigration and cartel operations, that support safety and justice for trafficking victims who have also suffered domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and/or stalking; and 2.

Projects to provide victim services, especially housing, and improve law enforcement response in rural and remote areas, Tribal nations, and small towns that often lack resources to effectively combat domestic violence and sexual assault. OVW is interested in funding research and evaluation that will contribute to knowledge in these six areas of study. 1.

Justice: Ways the justice system can effectively pursue and achieve justice in cases involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, with justice broadly understood to include safety and healing for victims, accountability for offenders, and procedural fairness for all. 2.

Victims’ needs: How victimization and its aftermath affect people’s lives, and what victims need to cope, heal, and achieve safety and justice. 3. Access to services and justice: Where and to whom people go for help, and whether they can access justice and get services that are useful to them.

4. Impact: Short- and long-term impact of the criminal and civil justice systems’ responses, victim services, and other VAWA-funded interventions on victim safety and offender accountability. 9 5.

Indicators of success: What success looks like and how to measure it—for victims pursuing safety, well-being, and justice; for offenders being held accountable for their violence; and for people who work with victims and offenders. 6. Promoting desistance and reducing recidivism: How to prevent people from continuing to use violence.

## Topics for Research and Evaluation OVW invites proposals under these topics: 1. Evaluations of VAWA-funded interventions. “VAWA-funded intervention” refers to any activity that is funded, or could potentially be funded, through OVW grant programs to address sexual assault, domestic/dating violence (including technological abuse and economic abuse), stalking, and sex trafficking.

OVW is especially interested in studying the effectiveness of interventions that cut across multiple grant programs. Information about OVW grant programs can be found on the OVW Grant Programs webpage . 2.

Evaluations or systematic reviews of trainings, strategies, policies, practices, tools, and other means of fostering trauma-informed law enforcement and prosecutorial responses to sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, and stalking. 3. Evaluation of the effectiveness of training curricula, tools, and other technical assistance (TA) resources developed and implemented with OVW grant funds.

Note: TA providers can be practitioner partners on R&E Initiative applications under this topic but should not apply to lead an evaluation of their own TA/training. For example, a TA provider may be a project partner of another organization that applies to evaluate a model the TA provider created. 4.

Evaluations of emerging innovations for serving victims and holding offenders accountable. 5. Secondary data analyses related to domestic/dating violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking.

Applicants proposing studies under this topic may include multiple, distinct projects in one application. 6. Research, evaluation, and data analysis related to domestic violence homicide prevention.

Applications may address interventions designed to help prevent domestic violence homicides, as well as analysis of data related to domestic violence homicide and efforts to prevent it. 7. Multi-site evaluation of the effectiveness of trauma-informed, victim-centered training for law enforcement funded under the Abby Honold Act Program (34 U.S.C § 12513).

a. Key research questions could include but are not limited to: ii. Which elements of training content or process are most effective?

iii. What factors or conditions impact efficacy of implementation? 10 iv.

How is training integrated and implemented across law enforcement agencies? v. How does training vary across implementation sites, and how is it adapted to a specific community or context?

vi. What, if any, are the medium and short-term effects of participating in training on law enforcement activities and victim experiences? b.

Research activities might include: i.

The development of a system for generating and collecting data, conducting evaluability assessments, context mapping, the identification of indicators or measurable outcomes, assessment of successes or barriers to implementation, evaluating the impact of community adaptation, conducting comparison analyses or quasi-experimental studies, and/or developing recommendations for improving the use of grant funds. c.

The proposed research design should focus on practical and programmatically relevant findings to inform future efforts to train law enforcement officers on trauma-informed investigation and improve investigations. d. This award may be issued as a cooperative agreement.

Recipients should plan to work cooperatively with OVW, training and technical assistance providers, local researchers, and more than ten demonstration sites. Recipients should expect to share regular updates regarding findings, including public reports of preliminary results. Recipients should also anticipate findings being used in future reports to Congress.

The award period must be between 36 and 48 months and budgets must reflect the requested project duration. OVW estimates that it will issue at least one award of up to $5,000,000 for research under this topic. Applicants that receive R&E Initiative funding must adhere to OVW’s requirements related to methodological principles, expected products, and confidentiality and human subjects’ protections.

Methodological Principles OVW will only support research methods that: • Are well-matched to the purpose of the research and build on existing evidence; • Uphold victim safety as the paramount objective, with the understanding that scientific progress is always subordinate to that objective; • Are likely to yield findings that have practical utility for victim services providers and justice system professionals; • Are developed collaboratively between researchers and practitioners; • Place as minimal a burden as possible on research participants; • Operate from a cogent theoretical framework; and • Have been approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) if they involve human subjects research.

11 OVW expects R&E Initiative recipients to produce these products: • Pre-specification report. If applicable to the project design and methodology, award recipients will submit a pre-specification report detailing final design and methods before data collection begins. If a recipient’s pre-specified design and methods are later revised, then performance reports should include an explanation of the revisions.

• One or more presentations delivered via webinar or at conferences. • One or more scholarly product(s) that are published or submitted for publication, meaning peer-reviewed, scientific journal articles, and/or (if appropriate) law review journal articles, conference papers, book chapter(s) or book(s) in the academic press.

• One or more, 1- to 2-page research brief(s), written in plain language and intended for practitioners, policymakers, and/or the general public. The brief should include a summary of the study, goals and objectives, research questions, methods, results, key findings, and limitations. • One or more, plain language product(s) intended for practitioners on how to apply research findings to their work.

This could include videos, infographics, briefs, or other materials focused on how to make research findings actionable. • Final research report. Recipients of an award under this funding opportunity will be expected to submit a final research report.

The final report should be written in a way that makes the content useful to a broad audience, which includes the public, practitioners, policymakers, and other researchers. Award recipients should expect that all or part of the final report will be made available to the public.

Confidentiality and Human Subjects Protection Any recipient of an R&E Initiative award will be required to comply with DOJ regulations on confidentiality and human subjects’ protection. See Human Subjects and Privacy Protection, at: https://nij. ojp.

gov/funding/human-subjects-and-privacy-protection . Note: Final IRB approval is not required at the time an application is submitted. Any recipient of an R&E Initiative award may be required to pre-specify their design and methodology before data collection can begin.

There are multiple ways of pre-specifying design and methods, including in project reports and publicly available pre-registration. For a given R&E initiative award, a method for pre-specification should be chosen that affords the greatest transparency and accountability within constraints on disclosing information. If pre-specification is not feasible, then the reason should be clearly stated in subsequent performance reports.

If a recipient’s pre-specified design and methods are later revised, then project reports should include an explanation of the revisions. 12 ## Program-specific Unallowable Costs Applications proposing activities described below may have points deducted during the review process or may be removed from consideration.

Activities that Compromise Victim Safety and Recovery or Undermine Offender Accountability OVW will not fund activities that compromise victim safety and recovery, deter healing for victims, and/or undermine offender accountability. See the Application Companion Guide for more details about these activities, including program-specific information. *** This list of out-of-scope activities is the subject of federal litigation.

For the most up-to-date information about out-of-scope activities, please see the OVW website at: https://www. justice. gov/ovw/open-notices-of-funding-opportunity .

*** The activities listed below are out of the program scope. 1. Promoting or facilitating the violation of federal immigration law.

2. Inculcating or promoting gender ideology as defined in Executive Order 14168, Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government . 3.

Promoting or facilitating discriminatory programs or ideology, including illegal DEI and “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility” programs that do not advance the policy of equal dignity and respect, as described in Executive Order 14173, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity .

This prohibition is not intended to interfere with any of OVW’s statutory obligations, such as funding for HBCUs, culturally specific services, and disability programs. 4. Activities that frame domestic violence or sexual assault as systemic social justice issues rather than criminal offenses (e.g., prioritizing criminal justice reform or social justice theories over victim safety and offender accountability).

5. Generic community engagement or economic development without a clear link to violence prevention, victim safety, or offender accountability. 6.

Programs that discourage collaboration with law enforcement or oppose or limit the role of police, prosecutors, or immigration enforcement in addressing violence against women. 7. Awareness campaigns or media that do not lead to tangible improvements in prevention, victim safety, or offender accountability.

8. Initiatives that prioritize illegal aliens over U.S. citizens and legal residents in receiving victim services and support. 13 9.

Excessive funding for consulting fees, training, administrative costs, or other expenses not related to measurable violence prevention, victim support, and offender accountability. 10. Any activity or program that unlawfully violates an Executive Order.

11. Proposals to conduct needs assessment activities exclusively for the purpose of program improvement. (Refer to the OVW research decision tree in the Application Companion Guide .)

12. Proposals primarily to purchase equipment, materials, or supplies. (A budget may include these items if they are necessary to conduct the proposed study.)

13. Proposals that are not responsive to this specific NOFO. 14.

Implementation of an intervention unrelated to the scope of the proposed research project. 15. Training in support of programs or direct services unrelated to, or unassociated with, the proposed research project.

Note: Recipients should serve all eligible victims as required by statute, regulation, or award Grant funds under this program also may not be used for the following costs: 3. Purchase of real property. 4.

Physical modifications to buildings, including minor renovations (such as painting or carpeting). R&E Initiative Awards will be made as grants. The topic area #7 (Abby Honold Act Program evaluation) award may be made as a grant or as a cooperative agreement.

Cooperative agreements are a type of award in which OVW expects to be substantially involved in planning and implementing the project. Examples of substantial involvement are: participating in meetings, reviewing drafts of products and plans, and helping select trainers, subject matter experts, and project sites.

Recipients must be willing to work closely with OVW and be willing to make changes at OVW’s request and/or when new needs emerge. 14 # Application Contents and Format Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a Letter of Intent stating their intention to apply. The letter should be submitted to OVW at OVW.

Research@usdoj. gov by September 1, 2025. This letter does not obligate the applicant to apply, and applicants that do not submit this letter can still apply.

See the OVW website for a sample Letter of Intent . Applications must include the required documents and meet the program eligibility requirements. For a checklist of all required items, see the Application Submission Checklist section of this NOFO.

OVW will not contact applicants for missing items on the list below.

Applications must include ALL the following to be considered for funding: ## Required Application Components Number of Possible Points Proposal Abstract (not scored) Statement of the Problem 10 points Project Design and Implementation 50 points Potential Impact 15 points Capabilities and Competencies 15 points Dissemination Plan 10 points Budget worksheet and narrative Not Scored ## Formatting and Technical Requirements Applications must follow the requirements below for all attachments, unless otherwise noted.

OVW may deduct points for applications that do not adhere to these requirements: 1. Double-spaced text (charts may be single-spaced) 4. Arial font, type no smaller than 11-point, except for footnotes, which may be 9-point 5.

Correctly numbered pages 6. No more than 30 pages for the Proposal Narrative 15 7. Documents in the following formats: Microsoft Word (.

doc), PDF files (. pdf), or Text Documents (. txt) 8.

Headings and sub-headings that correspond to those identified below for each application component The Proposal Abstract (no more than 400 words) should summarize the proposed project in plain language, including the project title, purpose of the project, goals and intended outcomes, primary activities, intended beneficiaries, and subrecipient involvement (if known).

The abstract is an important part of the application and serves as an introduction to the proposed project. OVW uses the abstract for a number of purposes, including assignment of the application to an appropriate review panel. If the application is funded, the abstract typically will become public information and may be used to describe the project.

The abstract, which is to be entered into a text box in JustGrants, will not be scored but is used throughout the review process. The abstract does not count against the page limit for the Proposal Narrative. ## Data Requested with Application Applicants must complete the Pre-award Risk Assessment questionnaire in JustGrants.

The questionnaire will not be scored. The questions are listed in Appendix A of this NOFO. (1 to 4 pages maximum, single or double-spaced) The Summary Data Sheet must be completed and submitted as an attachment under the Additional Application Components section in JustGrants.

It will not be scored. Refer to Appendix B for the list of (100 points , 30 pages maximum, double-spaced) The Proposal Narrative must include the sections outlined below. Statement of the Problem (10 points) 1.

Identify topic(s) the proposed project will address. 2. Explain the need for research in this area.

3. State the purpose, goals, and objectives of the proposed project. 4.

Offer a review of relevant literature. 5. State how the study is expected to contribute to one or more of the six Areas of Study .

16 6. If applicable, describe how the proposal will address priority one (human trafficking and transnational crime) and/or priority two (under-resourced rural and remote areas, Tribal nations, and small towns). Project Design and Implementation (50 points) 1.

Explain the theoretical foundation on which the proposed study is based. 2. Provide a description of a sound research design and appropriate analytic methods, including research questions, description of sample, and analysis plan, all of which must align with the Methodological Principles in the Program Requirements section of this NOFO.

If the applicant is proposing an experimental or quasi-experimental design, a power analysis must be included. 3. Discuss potential pitfalls of the proposed project design and how the applicant will mitigate them.

4. Explain how people with direct experience with the issues being studied, and connection to the communities being studied, are involved in project design and implementation (other than as study participants). 5.

Include a plan to pre-specify any outstanding design and methodology decisions before data collection begins or provide an explanation for why pre-specification is not feasible. Potential Impact (15 points) 1. Describe the implications for practice and policy in victim services and/or the justice system’s response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

Capabilities and Competencies (15 points) 1. Describe the applicant’s qualifications and the qualifications of key staff and partners. 2.

Present an approach and a management plan that reflect a strong researcher-practitioner partnership. Dissemination Plan (10 points) 1. Provide a detailed plan to produce Expected Products (see Program Requirements for more details) and make findings available in plain language to broader audiences, including the public, practitioners, and policymakers, through written materials and interactive formats.

## Budget and Associated Documentation OVW awards are governed by the provisions of 2 C. F. R.

Part 200 and the DOJ Financial Guide . Applicants must submit a detailed budget and budget narrative and upload the applicable associated documentation under each heading, as described below. The budget worksheet and budget narrative will be reviewed separately from the Proposal Narrative.

The associated documentation will not be scored, but failure to include it may result in removal from consideration or a delay in access to funding.

17 For additional information on budget requirements and allowable costs, see the Budget Information , the Sample Budget Narrative (including Excel file), and the Creating a Budget webinar on the OVW Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative Applicants must upload in JustGrants a detailed budget and budget narrative for all applicable cost categories.

OVW strongly encourages using a spreadsheet (e.g., Excel, Numbers, etc.) for the budget worksheet. The budget narrative must describe each line item requested in the budget and explain all costs included in the budget, including how the costs of goods and services are determined and how they will fulfill the objectives of the project. Budgetary requirements vary among programs.

The budget should be reasonable and based on the resources needed to implement the proposed project in the applicant’s specific geographic location. The award period is between 12 and 48 months for the R&E Initiative and between 36 and 48 months for topic area #7 (Abby Honold Act Program evaluation). Budgets, including the total “estimated funding” on the SF-424 , must reflect the proposed months of project activity.

OVW anticipates that the award period will start on or about March 1, 2026. Awards will be made for up to $500,000 for the R&E Initiative (up to $5,000,000 for topic area #7). OVW has the discretion to make awards for greater or lesser amounts than requested and to negotiate the scope of work and budget with applicants before making an award or after an award is made but prior to access to funds.

1. Present a clear link between the specific project activities and the proposed budget items. The budget should not contain items that are not supported by the Proposal Narrative.

2. Fairly and reasonably compensate all project partners (including study participants, consultants, and members of advisory groups that inform and guide the project) for their full level of effort, unless otherwise stated in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) or letter of support. a.

Applicants are encouraged to include stipends for research participants in their budgets unless there is a compelling reason for not compensating participants. Refer to information on Participant Support Costs in the DOJ Financial Guide for information on providing research participant stipends to cover the cost of participants’ time, transportation, gas, and other incidentals (excluding food and beverages).

A stipend, which can be in the form of cash, is not a salary, honorarium, incentive, or fee. 3. Include sufficient funds to provide language access, identify other funds that the applicant has budgeted for language access for this project, or describe other resources that the applicant has secured to ensure meaningful access for persons with limited English proficiency.

See the Accessibility section of this NOFO for more information. 18 4. Include sufficient funds to provide access for people with disabilities or who are Deaf/hard of hearing, identify other funds that the applicant has budgeted for such access for this project, or describe other resources that the applicant has secured to ensure meaningful access for such people.

See the Accessibility section of this NOFO for more information. 5. Distinguish clearly between subawards and contracts in allocating any grant funds to other entities.

a. Pursuant to 2 C. F.

R. § 200. 331, a subaward is for the purpose of carrying out a portion of the federal award, such as compensating an MOU partner; a contract is for the purpose of obtaining goods and services for the recipient’s use.

b. The substance of the relationship is more important than the form of the agreement in determining whether the entity receiving federal funds is a subrecipient or a contractor. c.

The awarding and monitoring of contracts must follow the recipient’s documented procurement procedures, including full and open competition, pursuant to the procurement standards and oversight requirements in 2 C. F. R.

§§ 200. 317-200. 327.

d. The issuance and monitoring of subawards must meet the requirements of 2 C. F.

R. §§ 200. 328-200.

329 & 200. 332, which includes oversight of subrecipient spending and overall performance to ensure that the goals of the subaward are achieved. For more information on distinguishing between subawards and contracts, see the Budget Information , the Sample Budget Narrative , and the Application Companion Guide .

Food and Beverage/Costs for Refreshments and Meals Recipients must receive prior approval before using grant funds to provide a working meal and/or refreshments at a meeting, conference, training, or other event. Food and beverages are generally considered personal expenses for which government funds should not be used.