May 2005
In This Issue
Updates
HUD NOFA Update
On Tuesday, May 17, 2005, the Grants.gov Web site was the target of a "denial of service attack."
Over the next 35 hours that the attack was underway, Grants.gov experienced a significant degradation
in performance. The processing capacity degraded by this attack, coupled with a high volume of
application submissions, rendered the Grants.gov website almost inaccessible during certain times
between Tuesday, May 17, 2005 and Thursday, May 19, 2005.
Therefore, in order to give all NOFA applicants affected by the technical problem sufficient time to
submit completed applications, HUD has provided a grace period and extended the deadline dates for
those affected NOFA competitions (70 FR 30134 - 30137). The funding streams with extensions that may
be of interest to legal services programs include:
Fair Housing Initiatives Program:
June 6, 2005
Housing for Persons with AIDS:
June 9, 2005
Rural Housing and Economic Development Program:
July 11, 2005
For further information, visit HUD's Web site at
http://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/nofa05/grace.pdf
and
http://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/nofa05/rhedreopen.pdf
.
HUD had originally earmarked $2.75 million for housing counseling training and had planned to make
this assistance available through a separate NOFA. HUD has now decided not to issue a housing counseling
training NOFA and to allocate the $2.75 million to the Housing Counseling Program NOFA.
As a result, the total amount of assistance now available through this NOFA is increased from
$38.914 million to $41.664 million.
As a result of this decision, the Housing Counseling application submission date has been extended
to June 27, 2005 (70 FR 28554). Visit
Grants.gov
for more information.
VOCA FY 2006 Budget Update
The Bush Administration proposed rescission of the Crime Victims Fund (over $1.2 billion) as part of
its FY 2006 budget. That would mean no Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds would be available at the
start of FY 2007, putting essential funding for some 4,400 direct services programs in serious
jeopardy, including some civil legal services programs assisting victims of domestic violence.
Click here for more background information about the administration's
proposed rescission.
On Tuesday, May 24, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Science, State, Justice, Commerce and
Related Agencies issued a
press release
indicating that it is not including the administration's request to rescind the Crime Victims Fund in
its FY 2006 appropriations bill. The next step is for the full House Appropriations Committee to act
on the bill. While this is an extremely important step and makes the rescission unlikely, it does not
guarantee final success in saving the Fund.
Federal Funding Opportunities
- Community Services Block Grant Program Earned Income Tax Credit and Other Asset
Formation Opportunities
Deadline: June 20, 2005
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2005-ACF-OCS-ET-0086.html
The Office of Community Services (OCS) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF),
Department of Health and Human Services, announces that applications will be accepted for a new grant
relative to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program pursuant to the Secretary's authority under
the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Act by the Community Opportunities, Accountability, and
Training and Educational Services (COATES) Human Services Reauthorization Act of 1998.
The proposed grant will provide funding of $50,000 to up to 10 capacity-building collaborations that
create or expand asset formation and financial literacy services offered by eligible entities funded
under the CSBG Program. Experience working with the EITC program is required.
Funds will be awarded to provide capacity-building assistance that enables local, state or regional
CSBG networks to plan, establish, improve or expand the use of EITC outreach and free tax preparation
services to provide asset formation and financial service opportunities for eligible individuals and
families. These projects should be designed to include EITC outreach, free tax preparation services
and financial literacy/asset formation strategies to enable low-income families and individuals to
make wiser financial decisions, build financial resources and help eligible clients take advantage
of asset formation opportunities, that ultimately help the community thrive and become more
economically stable.
- Discretionary Grants for the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program
Deadline: July 5, 2005
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2005-ACF-ACYF-EV-0077.html
In order to further the commitment to bring diverse voices and approaches to the discussions on the
elimination of domestic violence, the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF),
Department of Health and Human Services, announces grant funds to support projects that convene
researchers, activists, survivors of domestic violence, and practitioners who have been advocates
of a more culturally appropriate and familial orientation to the elimination of domestic violence.
On a nationwide basis the expertise assembled within the Special Outreach projects will offer
assistance on resource accumulation and information, capacity building within community organizations,
policy analysis and review, training, and technical assistance for public and private organizations
providing service in the domestic violence community. This assistance will be available to the entire
domestic violence community as well as the specific communities to be served by these demonstration
projects.
The ACYF intends to support the Special Outreach Demonstrations through cooperative agreement awards.
They expect to make up to 4 awards of up to $400,000, which will be for a 12-month budget period,
although project periods may be for 3 years.
- Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) Programs
Deadline: July 7, 2005
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/newfreedom/2005adrcsolicitation.pdf
The Administration on Aging and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, within the Department of
Health and Human Services, have announced that they will jointly hold a competition for grants to be
awarded as cooperative agreements for projects that support the development of state Aging and
Disability Resource Center (ADRC) programs.
The goal of the Aging and Disability Resource Center Program is to empower individuals to make
informed choices and to streamline access to long-term support. Long-term support refers to a wide
range of in-home, community-based, and institutional services and programs that are designed to help
individuals with disabilities.
Only a state agency or instrumentality of a state may apply for a Resource Center grant. Nevertheless
organizations working in these fields may want to contact the appropriate state agencies to offer
partnerships. States that received a Resource Center grant in 2003 or 2004 are not eligible to apply
for this funding opportunity. For a complete listing of these states, go to
http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aging_dis/statemap.asp
.
- National Legal Assistance and Elder Rights Projects
Deadline: July 8, 2005
http://www.aoa.gov/doingbus/fundopp/announcements/2005/2005-Legal-program-announcement.pdf
The National Legal Assistance and Elder Rights Projects of the Administration on Aging (AoA) are
aimed at building and strengthening the national system of legal assistance and improving the
quality and accessibility of the legal assistance provided to older people.
AoA plans to fund approximately five new grant projects through this competition. Each project will
be funded at approximately $150,000 per year for a project period of three years, contingent on the
availability of federal funds. AoA will fund no more than 75% of the project’s total cost, which
means the applicant must cover at least 25% of the project’s total cost with non-federal resources.
Applicants must be national nonprofit organizations experienced in providing support and technical
assistance on a nationwide basis to states, area agencies on aging, legal assistance providers,
ombudsmen, elder abuse prevention programs, and other organizations interested in the legal rights
of older individuals.
These projects are aimed at assisting AoA in enhancing and coordinating the elder rights information
and legal assistance that is provided to seniors. To that end, the projects will incorporate
technology to provide evidence-based training and technical assistance, written materials, and case
consultations to states, area agencies on aging, and community and faith-based organizations that
provide legal or other supportive services directly to seniors.
These projects will expand seniors' access to legal services by disseminating information on
innovative outreach and self-help activities, by facilitating public/private partnerships, and by
analyzing and coordinating the elder rights efforts of aging network providers and others. Just as
importantly, these projects will develop and track measurable outcomes to determine the impact of
these activities on the lives of vulnerable older adults.
- Demonstration Grants for the Prisoner Re-Entry Initiative
Deadline: July 13, 2005
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-6484.htm
This program, which involves several Federal agencies, is designed to reduce recidivism by helping
inmates find work when they return to their communities. During the first year of this initiative,
the Department of Labor (DOL) plans to fund projects operating in 30 communities across the country.
In order to successfully reintegrate into the community, it is essential that ex-offenders possess
the skills and support necessary to enter and compete in the workforce. The Prisoner Re-entry
Initiative is designed to draw on the unique strengths of faith-based and community organizations
and to rely on them as a primary partner for social service delivery to ex-prisoners.
Each lead local agency awarded a DOL grant may choose to directly provide services to released
prisoners; provide sub-grants to other faith-based and community-based organizations to provide
these services; or use a mixed approach of providing some direct services themselves while using
other organizations to also provide services.
- Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) Grants
Deadline: July 25, 2005
http://www.irs.gov/advocate/article/0,,id=108538,00.html
The National Taxpayer Advocate of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced that the Low Income
Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) grant application process is now open for the 2006 grant cycle (January 1,
2006 through December 31, 2006).
Section 7526 of the Internal Revenue Code authorizes the IRS, subject to the availability of
appropriated funds, to award organizations matching grants of up to $100,000 for the development,
expansion, or continuation of qualified low income taxpayer clinics, that represent low income
taxpayers in controversies with the IRS or inform individuals for whom English is a second language
of their tax rights and responsibilities. The IRS may award grants to qualifying organizations to
fund one-year, two-year or three-year project periods. Grant funds may be awarded for start-up
expenditures incurred by new clinics during the grant period.
The 2006 Grant Application includes several changes that are being implemented to improve delivery
of clinic services, including additional oversight and assistance with the technical components of
the LITC Program by the LITC Program Office. Among the changes, the LITC Program Office has developed
a new form to be submitted with interim and annual reports to assist clinics in consistently
reporting the number of cases worked and taxpayers served throughout the year. In addition, the LITC
Program Office has clarified the comprehensive Program standards.
Private Foundation Funding
- Altria Group
http://www.altria.com/responsibility/4_9_1_1_2_1_domviolprograms.asp
The Altria Group has announced that in 2005, all of its grant making will be by invitation only;
they will be contacting directly organizations that are eligible to apply. As in years past,
Altria's domestic violence prevention grant making will be conducted through the Altria Doors of
Hope Program, an initiative of Altria and the National Network to End Domestic Violence Fund.
The primary focus of the program supports organizations that provide a continuum of core services to
victims and survivors of domestic violence, including legal counseling and advocacy.
- Needmor Fund
Deadline: June 30, 2005 (For applicants located in AL, AZ, southern CA, LA, MS, NM, and
southern TX, applications will be accepted from November 1, 2005 through January 10, 2006.)
http://fdncenter.org/grantmaker/needmor/process.html
The mission of the Needmor Fund is to work with others to bring about social justice. They support
people who work together to change the social, economic, or political conditions which bar their
access to participation in a democratic society throughout the US.
The focus of their grant making is community organizing. The Fund has identified community organizing
as the most effective process by which low and moderate-income people can build power, can address
the systemic barriers to the practice of democracy, can hold public and corporate officials
accountable for their actions, and can begin to participate in shaping public policy.
They look for multi-issue, membership-based community organizations in low- and moderate-income
communities that show promise for creating significant social change, having an impact on significant
public or private institutions that influence low- and moderate-income communities.
- Archstone Foundation, California
Deadline: Letters of intent due by June 20, 2005
http://www.archstone.com/
The Archstone Foundation has opened competition for its Elder Abuse & Neglect Initiative, focused on
the state of California. This is part of the foundation’s $8 million, five-year plan to improve the
quality and coordination of care for at-risk seniors, specifically the prevention of elder abuse and
neglect.
- Cisco Product Grant Program
Deadline: Applications submitted now will be accepted but will not be reviewed until the
next grant cycle begins August 1, 2005.
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/about/ac48/about_cisco_grant_program09186a00800afdb3.html
The Cisco Product Grant Program awards Cisco products (technology grants) to qualifying nonprofit
organizations operating in the US and internationally. Non-Cisco products, including PCs, are not
supported.
Cisco offers two types of Product Grants: Connectivity Starter Kit Product Grants and Customized
Connectivity Product Grants. Product Grants include one free year of Cisco's "SMARTnet" support
service.
Organizations must:
- Be a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization per Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code and be a public charity.
- Serve the community at large.
- Have a non-religious primary purpose.
- Have overhead expenses that do not exceed 25% of total operating budget.
Funding Tip
New Tool for Data Available
http://database.nationalpriorities.org
The National Priorities Project Database provides an enormous range of data from 1983 to the present,
covering categories including income and poverty, housing, hunger, health, energy, military,
education, labor and basic demographic information, which can be searched by county or by state.
A service of the National Priorities Project, a nonprofit group in Northampton, Massachusetts,
the free site also offers tools that allow people to make graphs with the results of their searches,
adjust the data for inflation, and save their searches to view again.
Some examples of the types of data that can be gathered include:
- East Carroll Parish has the highest unemployment rate in Louisiana at nearly 20%,
up from 13% in 1999.
- Median household income in Alabama ranges from $18,455 in Wilcox County to $61,393
in Shelby County. Statewide, the median is $37,419.
- Blacks in Alleghany County, Pennsylvania, have a poverty rate of 23% while whites
have a poverty rate of less than 7%.
The National Priorities Project is a non-partisan research group that localizes the impact of federal
spending and tax policies and offers easy-to-understand materials on the federal budget.
Click here to view other recent issues of Advocacy Funding Fact$.
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