Title: Violence Against Women Research and Evaluation: Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence Series: Solicitation Author: National Institute of Justice Published: December 2003 Subject: Funding resources 14 pages 28,000 bytes ---------------------------- Figures, charts, forms, and tables are not included in this ASCII plain-text file. To view this document in its entirety, download the Adobe Acrobat graphic file available from this Web site. ---------------------------- U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs National Institute of Justice Solicitation Violence Against Women Research and Evaluation: Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence Notice: You must submit your application using the Office of Justice Programs' automated Grants Management System. Paper applications will not be accepted. We suggest you begin the process as soon as possible. To start the process, go to http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fundopps.htm. Deadline: 9 p.m. eastern time Program A: Sexual Violence March 16, 2004 Program B: Prosecution March 30, 2004 SL 000656 ---------------------------- U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 810 Seventh Street N.W. Washington, DC 20531 John Ashcroft Attorney General Deborah J. Daniels Assistant Attorney General Sarah V. Hart Director, National Institute of Justice This and other publications and products of the National Institute of Justice can be found on the World Wide Web at: Office of Justice Programs National Institute of Justice http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij ---------------------------- Violence Against Women Research and Evaluation: Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence I. Introduction The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. NIJ provides objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to enhance the administration of justice and public safety. The Institute solicits proposals to inform its search for the knowledge and tools to guide policy and practice. With this solicitation, NIJ is seeking proposals for research on sexual violence and the prosecution of intimate partner violence. Under this solicitation, women are defined as females age 12 and older. NIJ seeks research that has the potential to be useful in reducing the level of violence against women, increasing the safety of women, and improving criminal justice policy and practice. Due dates: Due dates for the two categories of proposals are listed on the cover of this announcement and on the NIJ Web site at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. Extensions to the deadlines are generally not granted. Page limit: The program narrative section of your proposal must not exceed 30 double-spaced pages in 12-point font with 1-inch margins. Tables, charts, figures, appendixes, and government forms do not count toward the 30-page limit. Reasons for rejection: NIJ may reject applications that are incomplete, do not respond to the scope of the solicitation, do not comply with format requirements, or are submitted after the deadline. No additions to the original submission are allowed. How to submit proposals to NIJ: Complete details about how to apply for funding are in "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications," available on the NIJ Web site at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. II. Proposal Topics With this solicitation, NIJ is seeking proposals for research and evaluation on violence against women. Violence against women, including sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking, continues to be a major problem impacting the health and safety of many women throughout the Nation. The large number of domestic and sexual assaults of women committed each year and the early age at which violence starts for many women suggests that such violence is widespread and must be addressed more effectively in all jurisdictions. Applicants should be familiar with the background that guides this solicitation: the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-322) and the Violence Against Women Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-386), the current NIJ research program on Violence Against Women (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/vawprog/welcome.html), the National Academy of Sciences reports Understanding Violence Against Women and Violence in Families: Assessing Prevention and Treatment Programs, and related research and evaluation. Applicants will be expected to submit a detailed plan for ensuring the safety of victims/survivors who are study participants. Proposed projects must be sensitive to the safety and confidentiality needs of victims and to the needs of public agencies and community service organizations that are collaborating in the research. Applicants who will be recruiting subjects as a part of their research are encouraged to consult the NIJ report, "Recruitment and Retention in Intimate Partner Violence Research," available at http://www.ncjrs.org/txtfiles1/nij/201943.txt. For evaluation research, applicants should explicitly describe their definition of success, including what the program seeks to change (e.g., behavior, attitude, or safety), the number of participants who must meet some specified criteria for the program to be considered successful, whether change is required immediately upon entering the program or at some subsequent point in time, and how much change is required for the program to be considered successful. A number of priority research issues have been identified and categorized into two major program areas for this solicitation: o Program A: Criminal Justice Responses to Crimes of Sexual Violence o Program B: Prosecution of Intimate Partner Violence A. Criminal Justice Responses to Crimes of Sexual Violence NIJ is soliciting proposals for research on sexual violence to increase women's safety by informing and improving policy and practice in the criminal justice system. Proposed research may address stranger or nonstranger sexual violence against women. For the purposes of this solicitation, sexual violence includes crimes identified by State and Federal statutes for rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, and attempted sexual assault. Proposals for research on the sexual abuse of children will not be supported under this solicitation. Crimes of sexual violence are not uncommon, although they are frequently unreported; are more often than not committed by acquaintances, friends, or intimates of the victim; and with increasing frequency, are facilitated by the use of drugs and alcohol. Sexual victimization extracts an enormous personal toll on victims and those who care for them. In addition, victimization has economic costs for individuals and their families (e.g., lost wages, costs of medical and mental health care, lifelong effects on quality of life and productivity) and for communities. Community costs include resources devoted to programs for victims; public safety and criminal justice efforts to prevent sexual violence; and the detection, identification, apprehension, and treatment and confinement of perpetrators. Therefore, NIJ seeks proposals that address the cost effectiveness of forensic investigative methods and the effectiveness of interventions in crimes of sexual violence. Proposals in Program A may be submitted in the following four areas: 1. Economic analysis of the use of forensic methods in sexual assault cases. This may include studies of the cost effectiveness of using DNA or other forensic methods to identify, apprehend, and prosecute sexual offenders. Generally accepted cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis methodology should be applied, models fully specified, and assumptions presented. 2. Evaluation of justice responses. This may include the evaluation of law enforcement, public safety, and criminal and civil justice system responses to crimes of sexual violence. Outcomes of interest should be specifically identified and operationalized and should include system outcomes, case outcomes, and victim outcomes, where appropriate. Data sources should be identified. Evidence of sufficiency of the data for the purpose described and of the applicant's access to the data should be provided. Where the impact or effectiveness of interventions is being assessed, comparison or control group designs are preferred. 3. Effective prosecution of "consent" cases. This may include studies of strategies that are most likely to lead to the effective prosecution of sexual assault cases involving a contested claim of consensual sexual contact. Studies may focus on forensic, investigative, interrogatory, prosecutorial, or other strategies. 4. Drug-facilitated sexual assault. This may include studies of the nature and prevalence of drug-facilitated sexual assault, including obstacles to the successful reporting, investigation, and prosecution of these crimes. Proposals may also evaluate the use of interventions to reduce the incidence of drug- facilitated sexual assault within communities. B. Prosecution of Intimate Partner Violence NIJ is soliciting proposals for research and evaluation directed toward improved policy and practice in prosecuting intimate partner violence. The term prosecution is commonly used to describe a prosecutor's actions that bring a case to some resolution other than outright dismissal. The actions may range from agreeing to diversion from court proceedings to bringing a case to trial. Effective prosecution of cases involving intimate partner violence is critical for a system seeking justice and for the protection and restoration of the victim and community. Prosecuting these cases poses a special challenge for an adversarial system that is oriented toward winning: The outcome may not always result in the protection of victims. Prosecutors act with a goal of protecting both the individual and the larger community, and they do so within various resource constraints. For more than two decades, there has been increasing acceptance of the need to prosecute spouse abuse as a crime, yet many jurisdictions continue to be slow to improve their responses to domestic violence. For example, violations of protective orders are not routinely enforced, the seriousness of the offense is minimized, and sanctions imposed are not proportional or appropriate. A State's provision of criminal justice rests on the idea that holding criminals accountable for their behavior protects society and responds to the individual criminal act. But does prosecution actually prevent intimate partner violence and enhance the safety of women and can prosecution help to change an individual's behavior so they will not be abusive? Proposals in Program B can be submitted in the following five areas: 1. Victim safety and involvement in the prosecution process. Prior research suggests a victim's threat to prosecute results in small gains in deterrence. Additional research in this area is needed. Additional research also is needed on victim preference in prosecution decisions, victim-centered decisionmaking and its effects on victim safety and prosecution outcomes, and prosecutorial responses to the violation of protection orders. 2. Prosecutorial discretion and decisionmaking. Various factors are involved in the decision to charge. Research in this area may examine approaches to screening and bargaining and the impact of offense seriousness, case attrition, and conviction rates. Research may also examine the effects of no-drop policies, evidence-based prosecution, and victims' testimony on sentencing recommendations and victim safety. Research involving jurisdictional comparisons should aim at uncovering effective and efficient innovations. 3. Prosecution-police relations. The relationship between prosecutors and police may be case specific or focused on broader policy concerns. Research in this area may address innovations for improved evidence gathering, coordination, and communications. 4. Evaluation of specialized organizational strategies. There are a number of organizational approaches that create specialized functions in a prosecutor's office, including vertical prosecution and specialized prosecution units. These specialized approaches have not received the attention of a rigorous evaluation. Research could examine whether these approaches produce better outcomes, increase sensitivity to victims, or use prosecutorial staff more effectively and efficiently. 5. Effective strategies in the trial process. Under this topic, research could examine policies and practices that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the trial process. This may include issues and approaches to victim interviews, safety planning with the victim, and the collection and organization of evidence. Applicants are encouraged to partner with a prosecutor's office, if appropriate, when conducting their research. III. General Requirements and Guidance This section describes the main requirements for submitting your proposal. Complete instructions are in "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications," available on the NIJ Web site at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. A. Submit applications online: Paper applications are not accepted. Applications must be submitted through the Office of Justice Programs' online Grants Management System. NIJ suggests you begin the process early, especially if this is the first time you have used the system. To begin, go to http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fundopps.htm. Select "NIJ VAW SexVict&IPV." There are three types of documents that can be uploaded to an application package: PDFs, Word Documents, and Text Documents. B. Relevance of the project for policy and practice: Higher-quality proposals clearly explain the practical implications of the project. They connect technical expertise with policy and practice. To ensure that the project has strong relevance for policy and practice, some researchers and technologists collaborate with practitioners and policymakers. You may include letters showing support from practitioners, but they carry less weight than clear evidence that you understand why policymakers and practitioners would benefit from your work and how they would use it. While a partnership may affect State or local activities, it should also have broader implications for others across the country. C. Equal opportunity for all applicants: It is OJP policy that faith-based and community organizations that statutorily qualify as eligible applicants under OJP programs are invited and encouraged to apply for awards. Faith-based and community organizations will be considered for an award on the same basis as any other eligible applicants and, if they receive awards, will be treated on an equal basis with nonfaith-based and community organization grantees in the administration of such awards. No eligible applicant or grantee will be discriminated against on the basis of its religious character or affiliation, religious name, or the religious composition of its board of directors or persons working in the organization. D. Cofunding is not required: You are not required to combine NIJ funds with other funds (for example, you do not need matching funds), but if you intend to use multiple funding sources to support your proposed effort, the budget you submit must show the other funds. E. Number of grants to be awarded: NIJ's grant award process is highly competitive. The number of awards to be made depends on the availability of funds and the number and quality of applications received. NIJ anticipates awarding one to four grants for Program A and one to four grants for Program B. F. When awards will be made: The review and approval process takes about 6 months. Therefore, you should not propose to begin work until at least 6 months after the deadline on the cover of this solicitation. Also, you should not expect to receive notification of a decision for at least 6 months after that date. Lists of awards are updated regularly on NIJ's Web site at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. G. Financial audits are required: If your organization spends $500,000 or more of Federal funds during the year, you will be required to submit an organization- wide financial and compliance audit report before any award is made. The audit must be performed in accordance with the U.S. General Accounting Office Government Accounting Standards and must conform to Chapter 19 of the Office of Justice Programs' Financial Guide (available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/FinGuide). You may include the costs of complying with these audits in the proposed budget submitted as part of your application. Detailed information regarding the independent audit is available in Office of Management and Budget Circular A-133 (available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars). H. An environmental assessment may be required: All award recipients must comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). To ensure NEPA compliance, NIJ may require some award recipients to submit additional information. I. New requirement-DUNS number: Beginning October 1, 2003, a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number must be included in every application for a new award or renewal of an award. The DUNS number will be required whether an applicant submits an application through the Office of Justice Programs' Grants Management System or using the government-wide electronic portal (http://grants.gov). An application will not be considered complete until a valid DUNS number is provided by the applicant. Individuals who would personally receive a grant or cooperative agreement from the Federal government are exempt from this requirement. Applicants can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS number request line at 1-866-705-5711. If you have questions, contact the Office of Justice Programs' Office of the Comptroller's Customer Service Center at 1-800-458-0786. J. Funds cannot be used to lobby: Under the Anti-Lobbying Act (18 U.S.C. [section] 1913), grantees generally may not use funds to support the enactment, repeal, or modification of any law, regulation, or policy at any level of government. For the complete rules and regulations, see "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications" at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm and OJP's Financial Guide at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/FinGuide. K. What will not be funded: Typically, NIJ does not fund the following: 1. Provision of training or direct service. 2. Proposals for research on the sexual abuse of children. 3. Proposals primarily to purchase equipment, materials, or supplies. (Your budget may include these items if they are necessary to conduct applied research, development, demonstration, evaluation, or analysis, but NIJ does not fund proposals that are primarily to purchase equipment. L. Cost of proposed work: $2 million is expected to be available for awards made through this solicitation. NIJ anticipates awarding up to $1 million for one to four grants for Program A and up to $1 million for one to four grants for Program B, depending on funds available and number of high-quality applications. If you propose a project that exceeds the amount of money available for this solicitation, we recommend that you divide the project into phases, stages, or tasks so that NIJ can consider making an award for a specific portion of the work. NIJ cannot guarantee that subsequent phases, stages, or tasks will be funded. Such additional funding depends on NIJ's resources and your satisfactory completion of each phase, stage, or task. Note: Deliverables (e.g., a final report) will be required at the end of each phase, stage, or task. M. Call for assistance: 1. For technical guidance about using the Grants Management System, call the hotline at 1-888-549-9901. 2. For questions about this solicitation, the research being solicited, or other NIJ funding opportunities, contact the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770. IV. Selection Criteria NIJ is firmly committed to the competitive process in awarding grants. All proposals are subjected to an independent peer-review panel evaluation. External peer-review panelists consider both technical and programmatic merits. Panelists are selected based on their expertise in subject areas pertinent to the proposals. Peer-review panelists evaluate each proposal and give their assessments to NIJ. NIJ staff then recommend to the NIJ Director which proposals are most worthy of an award. The Director makes final award decisions. Successful applicants must demonstrate the following: A. Understanding of the problem and its importance. B. Quality and technical merit. 1. Awareness of the state of current research or technology. 2. Soundness of methodology and analytic and technical approach. 3. Feasibility of proposed project and awareness of pitfalls. 4.Innovation and creativity (when appropriate). C. Impact of the proposed project. 1. Potential for significant advances in scientific or technical understanding of the problem. 2. Potential for significant advances in the field. 3. Relevance for improving the policy and practice of criminal justice and related agencies and improving public safety, security, and quality of life. 4. Affordability and cost-effectiveness of proposed end products, when applicable (e.g., purchase price and maintenance costs for a new technology or cost of training to use the technology). 5. Perceived potential for commercialization and/or implementation of a new technology (when applicable). D. Capabilities, demonstrated productivity, and experience of applicants. 1. Qualifications and experience of proposed staff. 2. Demonstrated ability of proposed staff and organization to manage the effort. 3. Adequacy of the plan to manage the project, including how various tasks are subdivided and resources are used. 4. Successful past performance on NIJ grants and contracts (when applicable). E. Budget. 1. Total cost of the project relative to the perceived benefit. 2. Appropriateness of the budget relative to the level of effort. 3. Use of existing resources to conserve costs. F. Dissemination strategy. 1. Well-defined plan for the grant recipient to disseminate results to appropriate audiences, including researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. 2. Suggestions for print and electronic products NIJ might develop for practitioners and policymakers. V. Requirements for Successful Applicants If your proposal is funded, you will be required to submit several reports and other materials as follows: A. Final report: The final report should be a comprehensive overview of the project and should include a detailed description of the project design, data, and methods; a full presentation of scientific findings; and a thorough discussion of the implications of the project findings for criminal justice practice and policy. It must contain an abstract of no more than 400 words and an executive summary of no more than 2,500 words. A draft of the final report, abstract, and executive summary must be submitted 90 days before the end date of the grant. The draft report will be peer reviewed upon submission. The reviews will be forwarded to the principal investigator with suggestions for revisions. The principal investigator must then submit the revised final report, abstract, and executive summary by the end date of the grant. The abstract, executive summary, and final report must be submitted in both paper and electronic formats. For evaluation studies, the report should include a section on measuring program performance. This section should outline the measures used to evaluate program effectiveness, modifications made to those measures as a result of the evaluation, and recommendations regarding these and other potential performance measures for similar programs. (This information will be particularly valuable to NIJ and other Federal program agencies in implementing performance measures for federally funded criminal justice programs.) B. Interim reports: Grantees must submit quarterly financial reports, semi-annual progress reports, and a final progress report. Future awards and fund drawdowns may be withheld if reports are delinquent. Post-award reporting requirements are described in "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications," available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. C. Documents that protect the confidentiality of information and human subjects: Federal regulations require applicants for NIJ funding to outline specific procedures for protecting private information about individuals as part of the Privacy Certificate submitted with the application package. For complete details, see "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications," available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. D. Electronic data: Some grant recipients will be required to submit electronic data and supporting documentation, such as a codebook or dictionary, capable of being re-analyzed and used by other researchers. The materials must be submitted by the end date of the grant. Grant applicants should ensure that the proposed timeline and budget accommodate these requirements. E. Performance guidelines: NIJ collects data to comply with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), Public Law 103-62. Generally, these data are contained in a grantee's final report (discussed in Section V of this solicitation), but NIJ may request additional information to facilitate future planning and to ensure accurate reporting to Congress and others on the measurable results of grants. For complete details, see "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications," available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. ---------------------------- Tips for Submitting Your Application 1. Begin the application process early--especially if you have never used the online Grants Management System before. NIJ will not accept applications received after the closing date and time listed on the cover. To start the process, go to http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fundopps.htm. 2. Be sure your application package includes-- o Abstract of no more than 400 words. o Complete budget, including detailed worksheet and narrative. o Program narrative. 3. Review "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications" for complete instructions, available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. 4. Although your proposal may budget for the purchase of equipment if the equipment is necessary to conduct the project, NIJ will not fund applications that are primarily to purchase equipment, materials, or supplies. 5. Call for help: o For technical guidance about the Grants Management System, call the hotline at 1-888-549-9901. o For questions about this solicitation, the research being solicited, or other NIJ funding opportunities, contact the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770. ---------------------------- View or print a copy of this document from the NIJ Web site (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm) or request one by calling NCJRS at 1-800-851-3420 or e-mailing askncjrs@ncjrs.org. ---------------------------- The National Institute of Justice is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. NIJ provides objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to enhance the administration of justice and public safety. NIJ is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims of Crime. ---------------------------- SL 000656